Cycling SA, what the flip were you thinking???

[FowlStArt]

Nail on the Head, The guys have to pay for the whole thing themselves.

Mike thomson and Gavin Kilpatrick had to find their own way to the Paralympics where they made us all proud.

 

Seems all our fees go to back pockets somewhere along the line

[TiBones]

It was interesting listening to Mighty Mouse doing commentary on both the Ladies and Men's W.C. races. In both instances he said that the guys HAVE to get to Europe - early, while they are still young. I think he mentioned Under 16 level. Although not critical of SA cycling, he was very vocal about our lack of everything except talent in S.A. cycling.

[dutchMan]

Its a tough job trying to please the masses with peanuts

 

After living in Holland now for more than a year i can safely say that things are so much more easier to access here than anywhere else.

The support / proper training and development the kids get is phenomenal, now wonder they are setting the stage alight when they become pro and our guys are

generally left with questions - why? how?

 

I really wish our athletes could get that kind of backing - they would do so well!

[DB28]

So now that World Champs are over... Our elite men registered 3 out of 3 DNF's (which was most likely to always have been the case). I know everything is always easier in hindsight but you cant help but wonder if it would have rather been more beneficial to send our u23's instead of elites???

 

hmmm.... always next year i guess!

[dutchMan]

So now that World Champs are over... Our elite men registered 3 out of 3 DNF's (which was most likely to always have been the case). I know everything is always easier in hindsight but you cant help but wonder if it would have rather been more beneficial to send our u23's instead of elites???

 

hmmm.... always next year i guess!

 

Thats actually not a bad idea at all, they have more chance of getting a result, perhaps are more hungry for a result....

 

What the rest of you think?

[MyGT]

3 DNF , can someone help and say why they did not finish?

[Willehond]

So now that World Champs are over... Our elite men registered 3 out of 3 DNF's (which was most likely to always have been the case). I know everything is always easier in hindsight but you cant help but wonder if it would have rather been more beneficial to send our u23's instead of elites???

 

hmmm.... always next year i guess!

What, and insult the UCI by saying "Thanks, but no thanks, this isn't important enough for us"?

[Big G]

Sounds like a good prospect. If i could add my 2cents worth for what it may be worth.

Some one needs to pick out our top 10 to 20 u 23s and try getting them to training camps

regularly so that they learn to ride as a cohesive unit when riding in a bunched situation.

Also putting them on the track so they get used to close bunch racing would help tremendously.

When the time for selection comes only the best 5 or 6 will be picked based on their performance

and if monitored properly when each individual is about to reach his peak prior to worlds.

Thus you send only your best at the time.

 

Willie Engelbrecht, J P Van Zyl, Alan Van Heerden and Robbie Mac even Mark Benke who also had a stint in Europe

just to name a few and a few of our other top cyclists from way back came out of a track back ground.

 

As i said only my 2 cents.

[DB28]

Sounds like a good prospect. If i could add my 2cents worth for what it may be worth.

Some one needs to pick out our top 10 to 20 u 23s and try getting them to training camps

regularly so that they learn to ride as a cohesive unit when riding in a bunched situation.

Also putting them on the track so they get used to close bunch racing would help tremendously.

When the time for selection comes only the best 5 or 6 will be picked based on their performance

and if monitored properly when each individual is about to reach his peak prior to worlds.

Thus you send only your best at the time.

 

Willie Engelbrecht, J P Van Zyl, Alan Van Heerden and Robbie Mac even Mark Benke who also had a stint in Europe

just to name a few and a few of our other top cyclists from way back came out of a track back ground.

 

As i said only my 2 cents.

 

Evidence to some of what you are saying can be found in the trek livestrong u23 development team, arguably the best development team/program in the world. they had 4 of their riders at worlds this year. 6 of their riders from this year will be on pro teams next year and not small teams either... BMC, Radioshack, Sky, Type 1. The majority of the riders in the squad ride track, all who have got pro contracts rode track (that says something-track needs to resurrected in SA). they are lead by Axel Merckx and guided by lance (experienced leaders-which we have in Barry Austin and Mclean but they got a lot on their plates)and have awesome sponsors in trek and livestrong (something we need).

 

something like this (development team) obviously needs to be the goal for SA cycling, put all our u23's together into 1 team as often as possible and get them racing, a lot, on the road and track.

 

I know next year CSA are trying to create weekends of racing were fri is track, sat is pro race and sun is your normal mass participation. lets hope this works out to be the first step...

[SwissVan]

3 DNF , can someone help and say why they did not finish?

 

 

Pro level road racing is “a strange team sport” which imo results in the sickness of DNFitius, riders get affected with this sickness after being exposed to the road racing team culture for to long.

 

No really..... Worlds one day road races are extremely tough events to ride and only the very best riders on the day finish ahead of the broom wagon.

[mikkelz]

80 DNF's out of 178 starters.

[Nettie R]

The playing field is not level...

There are some other problems as well - the races in Europe all have 180km - 200km longest distance, even the local town fun rides. The routes also include more challenging climbs. Need more races like the Jock!

 

A couple of years ago GNC introduced a long distance race for the licensed riders. (I think they tried 180km)Most of them complained the distance was too long and wanted to boycott the event if the format stayed. Some local riders want the change, others like beating us fun riders on a 95km ride.

[Seepglad]

Willie Engelbrecht - Bronze at commonwealth games road race

JP van Zyl - Kerin medalist

David George - 3rd world U23 TT champs

James Perry - 3rd world U23 TT champs

 

 

They were all on the juice programmes, if I remember correctly? Perhaps today's okes aren't?

[DB28]

A couple of years ago GNC introduced a long distance race for the licensed riders. (I think they tried 180km)Most of them complained the distance was too long and wanted to boycott the event if the format stayed. Some local riders want the change, others like beating us fun riders on a 95km ride.

 

Our "pro's" need to get out of their comfort zone of 2hr 30 min flat races.

When the races get longer next year... and they will. i doubt whether the elite bunch, which will consist of juniors, u23, elites and 30+ as of next year, will be more than 60 riders if the distance goes beyond 140km... but this is where race organizers need to come to the party and stick with it in order to develop the sport and not the size of their profit.

[pastapouch]

A couple of years ago GNC introduced a long distance race for the licensed riders. (I think they tried 180km)Most of them complained the distance was too long and wanted to boycott the event if the format stayed. Some local riders want the change, others like beating us fun riders on a 95km ride.

We tried that as well. had to cancel the 180km because there wasn't much interest, I think there was 6 entries or something. So now you ask the question, is there enough interest in our pro/elite-peleton for those distances to develop and go further than 100km fun rides.

[Seepglad]

I am sure GrootLem and kie is aware of this, and is working on a plan. All I know, its not going to be easy.

They know it will take a generation to close the gap, from where we are now, from 5-7% down to 1% (which is where one start enjoying a bit of luck, coupled with hi-level results.)

 

CL