Pro-Tour racing - 2015 shaping up

[Chris NewbyFraser]

Over the last decade or so, European road racing became a boring procession. Breaks were allowed to go away, removing all interesting riding until the last few minutes of the sprint or, in the case of a mountain top finish, the last hour. The rest of the race is one big yawn as the teams protect their chosen star and just spend 5 hours on a fast training ride.

I blame rider/team radio contact for this as it takes initiative and uncertainty away from the so called race.

 

BUT, yesterday's "Omloop" had much of the excitement of real road racing. Radio's were not allowed and the riders had to deal with less info on a seriously tough course and, unlike F1,  the end became unpredictable(although how Etixx screwed up their finish will be debated for years to come). I watched all the coverage available and really enjoyed the last 70km.

 

Sponsors are no doubt to final beneficiaries, as the race will have a good effect of getting TV viewers in front of their screens. In the long run more viewers = more sponsors = more cycling.

Well done UCI, for kicking radios into touch.

 

[andydude]

I'm not sure I agree. You're basically talking about the first week of the grand tours, but there are many exciting and interesting classic races every year.

[jcza]

Radios were not allowed because of the status of the race not because of a UCI ban. It's not a World Tour event but a Euro event hence no race radios.

[Fujioso]

Radio's, no radio's.....I don't think it mattered one whit. The four strongest guys just rode the others off their wheels when they went.

 

Those narrow little Belgian roads does not give a rider much space to hide. If you are slightly off form, you will be spat out the back.

 

But how in hell EtixxQS lost this one, no one knows. Boonen going at 4km to go was a huge mistake.

 

One of the other two was supposed to do that. Boonen should just have followed Stannard and murder him in the last 200m. The other two Etixx blokes should just have kept on attacking Stannard.

 

But I think Terpstra was the favoured team man for the win, not Boonen..........

[HappyMartin]

You can't compare a Grand Tour to a one day classic. The classics have never been boring in my opinion.

 

I also think the desire for constant exciting racing in Grand Tours was partly responsible for the doping culture. Human body can only do so much

[rudi-h]

i struggle to agree with you.  I have only started watching bike races in the last 10 years and I have witnessed some great riding, so I for one don't think that racing has become "boring", unless I really missed out by not following bike racing in the "dopers' era".

 

fabian, boonen, gilbert, contador, hushovd, nibali and a lot of other riders that are exiting riders have all been products of the last decade...  

['Dale]

It's like watching Test cricket

Even if no wickets fall and few runs are scored, there's so much happening if you pay closer attention.

 

Subtle. Nuanced. Many subplots.

 

I reckon you, FatFossil, like 20/20 cricket more than Test cricket.

Hehehe