2024 Races with Spoilers !

[Chislenko]

I may have said this before but..... this isn't good for the sport. I like Pog and recognise that he is just doing what he does best, and what he is paid to do but.... this degree of dominance is unhealthy for the sport is discouraging people to watch. As it happens, I only have Eurosport which wasn't showing the race race live today... and do I care having read what happened, no not one bit. I want to see races where the result is in doubt until the end... not run away victories. But again... no criticism of Pog.

Agree with you, I have actually stopped watching as it seems pointless watching a race where you know what is going to happen.

 

[MasterDabber]

Can't agree with you there.

Many sports have a single dominant person at any given time and they still attract vast swathes of fans.

Plenty of people clapping & cheering TP on the road today.

I find it exciting to watch him attack and destroy the competition - fantastic to see tbh.

Long may it continue, too.

So what do you prefer to watch.... for instance....
In tennis... see someone like Djokovic play in one of the early rounds and easily knock out his opposition in 3 straight sets.... OR.... a closely fought final that goes down the wire over 5 sets. Which is the more exciting - (btw, I use this as just an example, I'm not a big tennis fan).

Or in athletics... a 5000 metres race where the top runners are still fighting it out down the home straight.... OR.... one where one of them has distanced the field and cruises home?

I don't want to see the opposition destroyed, I want to see lots of top quality riders fighting for the win, not the field sort of shrugging and saying "oh well, there he goes again.... I wonder which of us will come in second".

But that's just me.

 

[tarric]

I may have said this before but..... this isn't good for the sport. I like Pog and recognise that he is just doing what he does best, and what he is paid to do but.... this degree of dominance is unhealthy for the sport is discouraging people to watch. As it happens, I only have Eurosport which wasn't showing the race race live today... and do I care having read what happened, no not one bit. I want to see races where the result is in doubt until the end... not run away victories. But again... no criticism of Pog.

Most sports are dominated by an individual or team, Usain Bolt, New England Patriots but how long will it last, many said Bernal would dominate cycling after he won the tour in 2019. He has competitors Vinegaard in grand tours Van Aert, Van der Poel and others in one day races it's just that at the moment he is the best all round rider and who knows how long it will last, so I'll just enjoy watching him will he's here.

 

[Dogtrousers]

I can see both sides of this. It's fantastic to watch an all time great at their best. But all the same, when it turned out that I couldn't watch Lombardia live and I wasn't so upset. I only watched the short highlights.

 

[SpokeyDokey]

So what do you prefer to watch.... for instance....
In tennis... see someone like Djokovic play in one of the early rounds and easily knock out his opposition in 3 straight sets.... OR.... a closely fought final that goes down the wire over 5 sets. Which is the more exciting - (btw, I use this as just an example, I'm not a big tennis fan).

Or in athletics... a 5000 metres race where the top runners are still fighting it out down the home straight.... OR.... one where one of them has distanced the field and cruises home?

I don't want to see the opposition destroyed, I want to see lots of top quality riders fighting for the win, not the field sort of shrugging and saying "oh well, there he goes again.... I wonder which of us will come in second".

But that's just me.

Tbh, I like watching the whole cycle (no pun intended) of someone unknown coming through (in any sport not just cycling,) then dominating and finally being chipped away at and eventually overtaken by the next great athlete(s). A fascinating long-term watch.

 

[geocycle]

About the only folk who don’t anticipate the Pog dominance are the Discovery highlights package creators. Switched on highlights show with 29 km to go to see him down the road with the race over! Fortunately I could access the full race and view from the attack.

 

[Mike_P]

Discovery / Eurosport and proper highlights are something we can only hope for with little expectation.

 

[Aravis]

Apparently people used to complain that Eddy Merckx was winning too much.

When he was riding I was interested only in cricket. The one race of his I remember watching at the time (probably the closing kilometres on Grandstand) was Milan - San Remo in 1976, and this made a powerful impression. I can read of his exploits and watch some great videos on Youtube, but I deeply regret not being more aware of what he was doing at the time. A view which I imagine is shared by many.

I remember much of Bernard Hinault's career, and found him pretty unlikeable. Whenever they were opposed I always rooted for that nice Mr Zoetemelk. I found that Hinault was far easier to appreciate once he'd gone. Would we ever see his like again?

Would the world of cycle racing be better had these guys, along with Tadej Pogacar, never existed?

 

[mjr]

Vingegaard could give him a run for his money but won't race him other than the Tour.

Some commentator pointed out that those two have already had more TdF face-offs than any other two winners. I haven't checked but it could be true as injury or drug-induced disqualifications probably ruled out some other rivalries we can think of.

 

[Aravis]

Some commentator pointed out that those two have already had more TdF face-offs than any other two winners. I haven't checked but it could be true as injury or drug-induced disqualifications probably ruled out some other rivalries we can think of.

Well, Van Impe and Zoetemelk rode the same Tour 13 times, both finishing all of them. Do we know what the commentator actually said?

Edit: I'm guessing he/she might've been talking about one-two finishes, which would sound much more credible.

 

[mjr]

Well, Van Impe and Zoetemelk rode the same Tour 13 times, both finishing all of them. Do we know what the commentator actually said?

Edit: I'm guessing he/she might've been talking about one-two finishes, which would sound much more credible.

Not really because the rac was over as a contest so I was only half-listening. I think it may have something to do with podiums, which Zoetemelk and van Impe only shared twice.