Tokyo Olympics 2020 - Cycling

[DieselnDust]

There is only 40 riders max in the Mens race and 40 max in the Ladies race so start positioning is not so much a problem as it would be in a UCI WC with 120 riders

[dsw]

36 minutes ago, Vetplant said:

Who, Djoko or Matthieu?

I'm thinking Nino will take it...

It is very hard to predict a winner. Seems the course is super hard while the humidity/heat can also be a factor so it makes predictions even more complicated.

I hope Alan wins and if he does not then either one of Matthieu or Tom Pidcock.

 

[Jbr]

No-one is rooting for the frenchies ? ????

If not Korestky or Sarrou then Alan or VdP are the ones I'd like to see win. But logically I unfortunately think it's going to be between Pidcock and Fluckiger.

For the girls well who can beat Loana?

[DieselnDust]

 Victor has shown himself to be a one hit wonder per season. He's had his hit in 2021.

Jordan is improving but also, generally has one superb performance in him per year. Maybe its going to be in Tokyo but then Alan is right in there as well.

The on form rider is Matthias Fluekiger but I'd be surprised that he can hold his form for so long at 33.

Tom Pidcock and MVP are where the safe money is with Tom being a bit of a question mark since he bailed out of ElsGets with should pain. Three weeks may be enough to recover but he lost quite a bit of form in his recovery.

So MVDP is really the guy to beat

[kosmonooit]

MTB:

I don't think Nino is up to it, its the new kids on the block,. MvdP, Tomo P et al and  Flückiger is in great shape, .... I sincerely hope Alan can medal,  but he will have to get lucky.

Ladies: hard to see past Loana: what incredible results this year, but who knows, other factors could come into play. And I'm going to for PfP and Sparkle Watts on the podium.

 

Edited July 20, 2021 by kosmonooit

[kosmonooit]

Although some doubt in the air

Olympics: Tokyo chief refuses to rule out last-minute cancellation

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/olympics-tokyo-chief-refuses-to-rule-out-last-minute-cancellation/

[DieselnDust]

For the Ladies (they deserve their own post) Its a bit less clear.

We've got more depth for the podium.

Jenny Rissveds

Pauline Ferrand Prevot

Loana Lecomte

Rebecca McConnell

Jolanda Neff, Laura Stigger, Haley Batten  Sina Frei and Kate Courtney are outsiders.

Clearly this is going to be a closer race than the Men.

Smart money says Loana for Gold, Jenny in Silver and PFP in Bronze but the course will require a degree of technical skills than PFP hasn't shown this year.

[DieselnDust]

4 minutes ago, kosmonooit said:

Although some doubt in the air

Olympics: Tokyo chief refuses to rule out last-minute cancellation

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/olympics-tokyo-chief-refuses-to-rule-out-last-minute-cancellation/

cancelling at this point will be the death of the Olympic games

[kosmonooit]

Yes seems inconceivable but.... the Covid poop is hitting the fan there.

[Jewbacca]

I say cancel them. They shouldn't be takin place in the current circumstances but humans NEED to compete, regardless of the consequences.

The world should be focussing of rolling out vaccines and feeding people/relieving the economic stress that is currently destroying the world.

THAT would be the true Olympic Spirit

[Shebeen]

2 hours ago, DieselnDust said:

There is only 40 riders max in the Mens race and 40 max in the Ladies race so start positioning is not so much a problem as it would be in a UCI WC with 120 riders

VERY good point, 

Pidcock was on the back of the grid and moved up to fifth. next weekend with a decent position he won. it will still help but i think there's a chance that mvdp and pidcock are going to hammer the first lap, no matter where they line up

[Shebeen]

44 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

I say cancel them. They shouldn't be takin place in the current circumstances but humans NEED to compete, regardless of the consequences.

The world should be focussing of rolling out vaccines and feeding people/relieving the economic stress that is currently destroying the world.

THAT would be the true Olympic Spirit

I am still gobsmacked it is actually happeneing, but that ship has sailed. Would need a huge break out in the village to call it off now now. No one really knows what the right thing to do is, but the majority of the money is already spent here and having a running race on a track in Tokyo is not stopping vaccinations elsewhere.

If anything this is a huge test case to how far we can push normaility back in the world. it will no doubt he a global superspreader vector, just how large it is we will only know later.

[Robbie Stewart]

I am thinking Lecomte will end up with gold. Rissveds and Prevot will be fighting it out for silverware. 

in the mens, I am of strong opinion that Fluckiger has it. I am not sure MvdP is going to pull the full distance to take the win, but TdF has cast some doubt on that aspersion. Pidcock to cause some upsets. I am afraid I just don't see N1NO doing a double. I would gladly be proven wrong though.

All this is to say that the event actually takes place of course.

[kosmonooit]

The  spanner in the works is really the weather, its hard to describe that type of heat / humidity, nothing like we see in ZA. I've experienced the same quiet a lot in the Philippines, once I made the mistake of taking a bike there on a trip, the only times I could ride was early in the mornings or early evenings, the rest of the day spent sheltering in an air con room. 

So if the same conditions exits for the racing its going to be a matter of who can cope best, I think it will probably be outside most athletes comfort zones, perhaps the older and wiser will do better, like Mathias and Pendrel

[kosmonooit]

LIke who can pace themselves better, the whipper-snappers are likely to burn their matches boxes one time.

[Wayne pudding Mol]

N1no has been sandbagging 

he’s going out in style 

I have no idea what I’m talking about, what time is the gravel race, is Lachlan riding - are guys without beards allowed on the podium ?