Tokyo Olympics 2020 - Cycling

[TheoG]

21 minutes ago, Matt said:

Moderator note

We’ve issued a handful of warnings in the last few days and some more this morning for inappropriate sexist comments made about female Olympic athletes. On the spectrum from lewd/creepy to just plain nasty.

We’ve been down this road before, threads were shut down and users suspended. If it continues those making such comments will find themselves suspended.

Thanks Matt, either I missed those posts or I'm oblivious ... ????

[Shebeen]

2 hours ago, 100Tours said:

I can't buy into the idea that our athletes should make the most of whatever they're given and be happy with it - this isn't school sport. Professional sport is about preparation in so many ways, and part of being prepared is having the right kit, and if your national organisation isn't up to the task you're not going to perform at the same level as better prepared nations.

I also believe that frustration and dissatisfaction are often the route to making things better.

I don't think this is a cost issue - I mean we have flown(?) a couple of horses to Japan for the equestrian events, and it's not like we're coming home with those medals. What does a plant ticket cost for a horse. De Bod should have better equipment - he's beaten a lot of really big names without a level playing field, and he only has a few opportunities to do so in his life. Either that or perhaps he should also be packing his bags for a country that will better support him.

https://ewn.co.za/2021/07/21/devastating-blow-to-sa-s-equestrian-as-tanya-seymour-pulls-out-of-olympics

the one horsey got an owee so no games for him. ag foei tog!*

 

I don't really know that much about track cycling, but from what i've seen Jean Spies is the typicla Sa athlete journey. total privateer who hacks it in europe punching well above his weight. gets basically f'all support from CSA, and when it comes to the big stuff they step in and don't really assist him anyway. The athletes we have on the world stage are there DESPITE the support of the authorities, not because of it.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CRHCwhdj5Uk/

go boytjie go

 

If I've learnt one thing this week, it's probably Hanlon's razor at play here

 

 

*i do sailing, so should really be tjoepstil on this one

 

[DieselnDust]

1 hour ago, 100Tours said:

I can't buy into the idea that our athletes should make the most of whatever they're given and be happy with it - this isn't school sport. Professional sport is about preparation in so many ways, and part of being prepared is having the right kit, and if your national organisation isn't up to the task you're not going to perform at the same level as better prepared nations.

I also believe that frustration and dissatisfaction are often the route to making things better.

I don't think this is a cost issue - I mean we have flown(?) a couple of horses to Japan for the equestrian events, and it's not like we're coming home with those medals. What does a plant ticket cost for a horse. De Bod should have better equipment - he's beaten a lot of really big names without a level playing field, and he only has a few opportunities to do so in his life. Either that or perhaps he should also be packing his bags for a country that will better support him.

You do realise that Stefan was only called up to participate in the Olympics a month before the road race and that Darryl Impey's kit did likely not fit Stefan very well. So did they have to make do with extra they ordered or was a problem with getting his sizing? Was Stefan always the back up or was he a last minute decision? They're similar height but quite different in build. Could this have something to do with using his road race kit for the TT?

Frustration and dissatisfaction channeled to the right places makes a difference. Posting crap on social media just makes you look ungrateful, entitled and arrogant and Stefan is none of that. I suspect Stefan's tweet about his speedo was more tongue in cheek and that was was then raised to a different level by the trackie. Sorting problems out internally and directly delivers far more effective results than social media bashing.

 

Is CSA up to the task of delivering? That's an interesting question because it really does speak to the financial liquidity of the organisation and the people now in place. We know there are new people in the upper management structures. After 2 decades of mismanagement the new org has been in place for just under a year and we expect that this organisation must perform as well as Britch Cycling, KNWU, Cycling USA or any other highly funded and well established org? Well that right there is the root of the Saffa problem.  We live in an alternate reality. We think we are better than we are. In reality we don't operate at the same level as other Federations around the globe. We're decidedly third world as far as cycling goes.

CSA is in a rebuilding phase that is going to take at least 5 years of stability to get the ship sailing well and on course and here we are hammers inhand to break it down again because a few cyclists feel they were short changed because their bib was a cm too short and my mechanic was late. What a freakin joke.

 

[justinafrika]

13 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

my mechanic was late. What a freakin joke.

How many mechs are in the federation's team? With events and training in several cycling disciplines occurring simultaneously it may be advised to have a mech present for each discipline.  I know I'd do this if I was organising. If we're operating on a limited budget, a mech for each discipline is still essential in my (admittedly inexperienced) opinion.

Edited July 29, 2021 by justinafrika

[Patchelicious]

39 minutes ago, Matt said:

Moderator note

We’ve issued a handful of warnings in the last few days and some more this morning for inappropriate sexist comments made about female Olympic athletes. On the spectrum from lewd/creepy to just plain nasty.

We’ve been down this road before, threads were shut down and users suspended. If it continues those making such comments will find themselves suspended.

Good, we need to work on improving.

As a point of interest and calibration, what comments were considered inappropriate?

[DieselnDust]

12 minutes ago, justinafrika said:

How many mechs are in the federation's team? With events and training in several cycling disciplines occurring simultaneously it may be advised to have a mech present for each discipline.  I know I'd do this if I was organising. If we're operating on a limited budget, a mech for each discipline is still essential in my (admittedly inexperienced) opinion.

Track

Bmx

Mtb

Road /TT

1 each

There has been cross pollenation with mechs helping each other out at the events. Like at TT yesterday. One in the car but who helped Stefan get set up while Ashleigh was out looking for a medal?

[Underachiever]

1 hour ago, DieselnDust said:

You do realise that Stefan was only called up to participate in the Olympics a month before the road race and that Darryl Impey's kit did likely not fit Stefan very well. So did they have to make do with extra they ordered or was a problem with getting his sizing? Was Stefan always the back up or was he a last minute decision? They're similar height but quite different in build. Could this have something to do with using his road race kit for the TT?

Frustration and dissatisfaction channeled to the right places makes a difference. Posting crap on social media just makes you look ungrateful, entitled and arrogant and Stefan is none of that. I suspect Stefan's tweet about his speedo was more tongue in cheek and that was was then raised to a different level by the trackie. Sorting problems out internally and directly delivers far more effective results than social media bashing.

 

Is CSA up to the task of delivering? That's an interesting question because it really does speak to the financial liquidity of the organisation and the people now in place. We know there are new people in the upper management structures. After 2 decades of mismanagement the new org has been in place for just under a year and we expect that this organisation must perform as well as Britch Cycling, KNWU, Cycling USA or any other highly funded and well established org? Well that right there is the root of the Saffa problem.  We live in an alternate reality. We think we are better than we are. In reality we don't operate at the same level as other Federations around the globe. We're decidedly third world as far as cycling goes.

CSA is in a rebuilding phase that is going to take at least 5 years of stability to get the ship sailing well and on course and here we are hammers inhand to break it down again because a few cyclists feel they were short changed because their bib was a cm too short and my mechanic was late. What a freakin joke.

 

Who's doing the funding for the Olympics?  SASCOC or the individual federations? Or a bit of both?

[geomark]

1 hour ago, Shebeen said:

...

If I've learnt one thing this week, it's probably Hanlon's razor at play here

 

I've always thought the SA version of Hanlon's law should be incompetence rather than stupidity ????

[Frosty]

1 hour ago, Patchelicious said:

Good, we need to work on improving.

As a point of interest and calibration, what comments were considered inappropriate?

Did you read any comments about "joining the queue"?
I haven't gone back to check if those were deleted or not, but that's the only comments I think it could be.
 

[Patchelicious]

31 minutes ago, Frosty said:

Did you read any comments about "joining the queue"?
I haven't gone back to check if those were deleted or not, but that's the only comments I think it could be.
 

No, I have not, hence me asking.

[Frosty]

12 minutes ago, Patchelicious said:

No, I have not, hence me asking.

I'll explain offline, if you're really interested. 

[TheoG]

50 minutes ago, Frosty said:

Did you read any comments about "joining the queue"?
I haven't gone back to check if those were deleted or not, but that's the only comments I think it could be.
 

If it is this, it was really innocent imho, "join a que to hug a pretty lady", really!  Unless there were posts after this that digressed into something unacceptable, I didn't see those, probably deleted before I could ....

[TNT1]

8 minutes ago, TheoG said:

If it is this, it was really innocent imho, "join a que to hug a pretty lady", really!  Unless there were posts after this that digressed into something unacceptable, I didn't see those, probably deleted before I could ....

Yeah, I didn't think I was crossing a line when I started that one.

 

The other remark I made on the non-cycling Olympic thread, I knew was way off the mark, and I got a note from the headmaster about that one.

[Frosty]

8 minutes ago, TheoG said:

If it is this, it was really innocent imho, "join a que to hug a pretty lady", really!  Unless there were posts after this that digressed into something unacceptable, I didn't see those, probably deleted before I could ....

That's what I saw, thought nothing of it, read a bit more and nothing thereafter.
Next time was about an hour ago, and saw Matt's post.

[Patchelicious]

18 minutes ago, Frosty said:

I'll explain offline, if you're really interested. 

Sure I'll ping you. But I am not the person who needs to see what the parameters of acceptable are, as I didn't make the comments.

There are obviously other user here who need to see what is acceptable or not on this forum and who need to understand the rules by which the new hub are governed by.

[SwissVan]

14 minutes ago, TheoG said:

If it is this, it was really innocent imho, "join a que to hug a pretty lady", really!  Unless there were posts after this that digressed into something unacceptable, I didn't see those, probably deleted before I could ....

There are some very sensitive individuals around who have a talent for reading between the lines, even when the line spacing and font size is set to the minimum

I wonder if Pauline managed to jump the drop on any of the other laps, i would expect that a rider of her level would be able to, if correct then maybe she purposefully tried to block JN....? I watched the race but honestly did not notice if she did manage to jump it.