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disappointed for Rodriguez, he battled very hard for that win, and to lose like that must be galling. Fair play to Rui Costa, but no-one likes a wheel sucker to win!
any news on Uran? that was a fast tumble - he was lucky he hit a nice soft bank.
Rodriguez was pretty surprised to be fighting for the win, tbh, he'd only been out front to tire Nibali out and give his team mate a chance in the sprint.
is that what he said?
thats the opposite of everything I'd read, including quotes from Rodriguez. Valverde was supposed to chase down every wheel that attacked Rodriguez, but didnt chase Costa because [s]they are movistar team mates[/s] he was tired. 'Purito' was always racing for the win, and had to attack off the front as he's the worst sprinter.
The comments about pro rugby are interesting.
How many games of rugby have been played over seven hours on tarmac?
I'm a patriotic Brit who's never cycled before but has fought some French lads on the rugby pitch in the rain. I find it embarassing that we just gave up. One of my mate's who's thick as **** who's also my dad brought me up to never give up. It's just something you don't do and I don't know why but we just don't do it even if there's a chance of serious injury or death it should never be done. It's a good job they never gave up in world war 2.
How many games of rugby have been played over seven hours on tarmac?
Don't see the relevance. Pro cycling isn't a full contact sport where you can be absolutely physically dominated by a stronger opponent for 80 minutes, yet every time he gets the ball and starts running at you, you don't decide it's too hard, you might get injured, it's not your day, you don't feel great, and so step aside and let him run past. You put your head down and do your best to stop him.
I was disappointed that GB packed in early. I understand why, all the reasons above, and I recognise that cycling isn't rugby. I'm disappointed because I didn't think the race was dead at that point. Froome had got himself 40s adrift, but his team mates had been isolated from him as well. If they'd been together I'd have expected they might have been able to mount a chase to get back over even if then it left froome isolated, and in those conditions it could easily have been a crash in the front group that could have closed the gaps up again as much as risking a crash in the chase group. Nibali got back on, was it inconceivable Froome could have?
You are probably right about rugby. And it probably has no relevance to the pro cycling, definitely not yesterdays world road race.
Team GBR rode their hearts out at the Olympics for Cavendish, perhaps they don't really give a **** for Froome ?
Cycling is a strange sport, you can imagine on professional team your job is to ride for the leader, you're paid for it. The world championships are not the same as the tour, you're killing yourself for the chance for another to take the gold. Wiggins came for the time trial, Cavendish couldnt win on this course, neither should have been asked to ride the road race. The conditions were awful and more importantly dangerous. Why risk injury ?
The chances of a GB win in the mens race were slim even in the best weather so why is it a big surprise they weren't competitive in all that carnage? Team SKY/ GB are absolutely dedicated to the TDF overall victory and any other Grand Tour overall they might be able to mop up and do this at the expense of one day competitiveness. Not many riders or teams can cover the broad spectrum of races effectively enough to be competetive in all so specialise to a certain extent. This race was never going to suit team GB so they seemed to cut their losses and focus on the future. Pride and whatever else doesn't come in to it if they are going to hinder their chances of future success in races the fans/ sponsors actually care more about
Why risk injury ?
for the love of the sport? because anything can happen? national pride? because it's the end of the season. lots of reasons.
Sky/ Team GB's successes may have come from painstaking detail and methodology, but some of the finest sporting moments come from guts not brains.
reading between the lines, I think they had a plan for Froome, but once he realised he didn't have the legs, no-one else had it in them and there was no (worthy) plan B so they all packed in. which is fair enough.
disappointing, but fair enough.
I bet the Beeb were a bit peeved - they finally get a big cycling event and there's not Brits there!
thats the trouble with this country
Tip: If you ever want your argument to carry an ounce of credibilty, DO NOT say 'that's the trouble with this country'. It makes you sound like a right pillock.
The trouble with this country is our nationally sponsored pro team just won the most prestigious event in cycling twice back to back, after coming from nothing; and several bucketfuls of medals in recent Olympics. Shite, aren't we?
The plucky loser thing is all well and good in amateur sport, but it doesn't make much sense in a pro event imo. Except from a PR point of view, as this thread shows.
Interestingly though, Froome in his interview seemed to suggest that he was plodding on but he looked around and had no team mates, so he thought he may as well not bother. He seemed to be a bit accusatory of his team mates.
Cycling is a strange sport, you can imagine on professional team your job is to ride for the leader, you're paid for it.
Your job is also usually to show the sponsors jersey, which can often make a difference when it comes to abandoning a race.
Team GBR rode their hearts out at the Olympics for Cavendish, perhaps they don't really give a **** for Froome ?
Think this is rubbish. More to do with the chances of a win. At the world champs where Cav won, and olympics, GB had a good chance of a win. I'd be surprised if they hadn't all had a chat with Froome on the road and decided that it wasn't on for them before all abandoning instead of risking injury for a mid pack finish.
Which is odd, as they're the #1 team in the World Tour rankings, were #1 last year and #2 the year before. Imagine how much better they'd be if they had a decent manager. Sean Yates wrote an inflammatory quote to get some attention for his book, I wouldn't read too much into it.
Mostly off the back of stage races though. Their classics campaigns have been disappointing. So there is some grain of truth in what Yates says.
lizzy armestead had no chance of winning yesterday but she kept going and finished the race, she puts the brit mens team to shame
Lizzie Armistead said after her race that she had given up hope of winning when the front end of the field was blown apart & 'cruised' to the finish. Yesterday, she said that she'd have abandoned in those conditions to be safe rather than finishing as an 'aslo-ran' way down the field.
Froome: “I didn’t see what happened to Brad today. I think the only two guys who actually did anything on the GB side were Cav and Luke Rowe. I’d say they were the only ones who pulled their weight today, myself included.”
Although he may well have a point, Froome needs to stop his public whinging and criticism of team mates and sort this stuff within the team rather than in public. I can see why he won't be fond of Brad but to suggest people like Geraint are not team players and don't pull their weight is hugely disrespectful to their sacrificial efforts past and no doubt in the future too. Lots of people struggled on the day so have a bit of respect for that surely. That being said, hopefully it was just a poorly chosen quote from a competitive guy at the height of his frustration and doens't represent his general attitude to team mates...
Always does seem that Thomas is last in the field.
I'm for the excuse that they've all had a hard year, the conditions we awful and the team not motivated (a couple of riders excused in that comment) and once one drops out the tendency is for the others to follow suit.
I was dissapointed that no GB'er finished, but glad to see the Belgians on the front, the Italians driving hard and the Spanish not give up without a fight.
Hard race done the hard way.
Although he may well have a point, Froome needs to stop his public whinging and criticism of team mates
Re-read the quote, Froome includes [i]himself[/i] in the criticism of "not pulling their weight". I'd rather have outspoken than PR-controlled drone.
Your job is also usually to show the sponsors jersey, which can often make a difference when it comes to abandoning a race.
Theyre riding national kit, not that of the sponsors who've paid them millions. And I reckon Sky, Omega Pharma and Quick Step reckon theyve had theirs moneys' worth through the year and would prefer their valuable assets to remain ininjured.
Mostly off the back of stage races though. Their classics campaigns have been disappointing. So there is some grain of truth in what Yates says
They started out specifically targeting the big stage races, theyre still developing their classics campaign, and at least they were brave enough to try something different (their training-focused regime which worked for the multi-day events) and to admit they got it wrong. Murdoch Jnr is a big fan of the classics so I can see them persevering, which is good news.
Agree Yates is trying to sell a book and is bitter about having to leave Sky due to [s]being unable to sign the no-doping declaration with a straight face[/s] ill health. He's right that they havent got any old-guard road racing heads there anymore in the management, but that blank-slate thinking has done them more good than harm.
I’d say they were the only ones who pulled their weight today, myself included
Fair enough crashtestmonkey, I misread Froome's quote as including himself in the one's who pulled their weight.
Anyway, even since 2002 (and maybe before) Brad's [url=
and handling skills[/url] were being mocked 😀
Wiggins came for the time trial, Cavendish couldnt win on this course, neither should have been asked to ride the road race.
I think Cav asked to be there. And Wiggins would never have won the Tour without Froome. Is it too much to ask?
[url= http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/cycling/24332707 ]Britain's team manager Rod Ellingworth criticised the attitude of his riders after none finished the men's road race at the World Championships in Italy.[/url]
Rod Ellingworth should look closer to home - the tactic of having them ride at the front in the pouring rain for 100 miles didn't seem very sensible...
Always does seem that Thomas is last in the field.
Are you basing that on one tour with a fractured pelvis and one of the longest single day races of the year after not long coming back from injury?
EDIT - unless you meant he was 'last' GB man standing in which case... 😉
EDIT EDIT - as per below.
I think he meant it as a compliment, ie; he's last to jack. Not that he always comes last.
Rodriguez really went for it and I would have loved if he had taken it.
GB............'shakes head'
Take it as a compliment, last to jack it in 😉
ransos - Member
Rod Ellingworth should look closer to home - the tactic of having them ride at the front in the pouring rain for 100 miles didn't seem very sensible...
I did wonder that. Was it Cav's desire to show respect to the race as a former Champ? Is trying to dominate the entire race the only tactic GB have (see also the Olympics)?
We didn't really have a rider who was suited to this type of course, and i'm no expert but until we've got riders capable of winner one day classics we'll struggle in one day races.
I'd say we do have riders who could do justice to a course like this but they have spent too much of the season doing other things, probably the same for froome tbh
Sky can improve at classics racing but there is a limit to the resources a team has and to more classics may end up with less GT success; a classics campaign is more of a crapshoot compared to a tour....
Bugger excuses
If just one of those riders who finished was anything less than a top team rider then so should the GB boys. They are not saving themselves for anything big.
When you take on a GB jersey you take on a responsibility.
There was nothing stopping them wrapping up warm and touring round an hour later.
That's earning respect.
I know that's not the way modern cyclists work but modern cycling isn't always right.
Watched this last night, gutted for Purito. Respect to Costa though, smart move. At least Valverde didn't win.
Who cares about team GB, I didn't miss them.
We didn't really have a rider who was suited to this type of course, and i'm no expert but until we've got riders capable of winner one day classics we'll struggle in one day races.
Actually, I reckon our best rider for this type of course is Stannard. He came 6th in the Milan-San Remo so clearly can compete at the top level of one day classics. The team should've got behind him.
Actually, I reckon our best rider for this type of course is Stannard.
+1
That man is a machine.
I think road cycling is a bit too complex just to say the GB team were rubbish. Well I suppose the result was rubbish and disappointing, but we should try to understand the result and why the riders failed miserably:
1. The Worlds is a big race but not bigger than the TDF and Giro and probably not bigger than the other 1 day monuments such as Flanders and Roubaix. Riders tend to prepare for the Worlds as a real objective when the course suits them. Other than that, most are there to give it a go.
2. The Worlds comes at the end of a long and hard season. Most GB riders had targeted other races and have not shown too much form in the last few weeks, although ironically, the Tour of Britain led many of them to show themselves off in against a lower quality or lower motivated field and perhaps look like they are in better form than they actually are.
3. We have few true 1 day riders who are allowed the time and space to prepare solely to win such events. Thomas, stannard etc are often used as bunch engines for much of the year and not given the freedom of the Boonens to ride for a few chances of winning each year. On this note, it is clear that team Sky are aimed at the TDF and tactically do not seem to be able to make that jump to winning 1 day classics. Perhaps too much emphasis on making bunch engines and not on honing that 'jump' which allows real attacking riding (Boasson Hagen has this but only seems to be able to use it in smaller races). Stannard can be very strong - poss PR winner - but does not appear to be able to ride for himself yet, and certainly would not have the climbing ability to keep with Purito on the Worlds course.
4. Our tactics are a little odd at times - in good conditions and on the flat, then why not have the bunch engines out riding for Cav. But on this course and in the rain, then perhaps keeping your powder dry and seeing what happens later would have been better. Try to match moves and have the riders near froome in the last hour.
5. In those conditions, sportive riders can say 'I finished, look at my medal!' but pros could threaten the start of next year for nothing. Once you know your legs arent there and you are 2 mins down and no one is chasing, then whats the point?
What we have learn't this season is that:
1) Wiggo is the new Schleck / Zulle when it comes to descending in the wet i.e. useless.
2) Froome isn't capable of looking after himself when he needs too.
You have to be kidding to think Stannard could lead a team on that course, he can't climb for toffee. The best 2 riders GB have for that course and conditions would be Thomas and Millar, but neither had any form, and even if they did a top 20 would have been a decent achievement.
There was nothing stopping them wrapping up warm and touring round an hour later.
Well apart from them being pulled off the course when they were lapped that is.
They are not saving themselves for anything big.
Given the choice between dropping out and going into winter training healthy and injury free, or staying out there with no chance of a win with riders falling off all around me and risking a broken collar bone / pelvis / etc. I think I know which I'd pick. A good winter is very big indeed for a good racing season next year.
2) Froome isn't capable of looking after himself when he needs too.
Wait, what? Did you even watch the Tour? Stage 9 was him without any Sky riders keeping the jersey on his back despite Movistar trying to batter him. Or perhaps the Ventoux where he went off and won the stage alone.
I'm talking about holding your position near the front in a big bunch, moving quickly in dodgy conditions. Some riders can do it without teammates; LA and Ulrich spring to mind, some can't Hamilton and Sastre. Those that can't need a team rider to help them move up and stay near the front of the bunch.
I'm talking about holding your position near the front in a big bunch, moving quickly in dodgy conditions. Some riders can do it without teammates; LA and Ulrich spring to mind, some can't Hamilton and Sastre. Those that can't need a team rider to help them move up and stay near the front of the bunch.
Again see stage 9 of this years tour (assuming that was the echelon stage.)
In that stage 9 TDF, the main group was only 33 riders, plus it was a GT, and hence the racing more predictable. The worlds is like a Classic race, you need to be watching all the time and they don't follow such a steady pattern.
Lets be honest no GB rider was ever going to do anything on that circuit, we have very few (none?) riders skilled in placing in hilly classics.
In that stage 9 TDF, the main group was only 33 riders, plus it was a GT, and hence the racing more predictable. The worlds is like a Classic race, you need to be watching all the time and they don't follow such a steady pattern.
Tell that to the GC riders who got caught out!
Agree though that a lot of the GC riders tend to be quite poor at that sort of thing, probably why they have more classics oriented riders looking after them on those stages. Thinking back to when Cancellara led the Schelks through those cobbled stages a few years ago when everyone else seemed all over the place.
On Stage 9 none of the major GC contenders got caught out, they all finished together.
Daily Mail article was less than flattering to Brad, as was the i article. Something about an old cat that's grumpy and won't go out in the rain?
BC set the boys up to fail, their much publicised plan failed before they'd rolled out at the start just like in London last summer, and suggests that they've still got much to learn about bike racing in 1 day races.
Apologies, was thinking of stage 13.