I think you are spot on here. I hope we are both wrong though because it's a shame for the sport if this really was their attitude. I guess the trouble with pro cyclists in a road race at the Olympics is that it's a team sport with individual medalists.

I still don't see the why people complain about Germany and Australia. Germany didn't look all that strong at any point and they did still work. It didn't look like much but GB being so eager and having pretty strong riders probably makes it look worse than it was. Also still somewhat convinced that Australia had other plans and a sprint was only plan B. Not sure why they would commit to trying to control a long race for a sprinter that has serious trouble actually finishing first against the other sprinters in the race.

I'd still blame team GB for how the race went for them. It wasn't their only option and with my limited understanding of cycling 250km is a long way to try to control a race from start to finish with 4 men. Considering how tired they were chasing the break I really doubt the race would've ended in a sprint even if they had caught them. Would've still been a long way to go and a lot of riders much more interested in going solo than waiting for the sprint. So many teams that had absolutely no sprinters with them at all. Acting as if they were all just so scared of Cavendish not to even want a sprint is pretty ridiculous. Crashes happen and even more importantly he doesn't actually always win. Slight arrogance in their approach to the race and even a bit more in the post race analysis in my opinion.

He doesn't always win. But he wins often enough that there is very good reason to be scared of him. In the last two TdFs, Griepel beat Cav in a head-to-head sprint twice. Goss never beat Cav. (Cav won 8 stages) There's good reason to be scared of him.

Agree with you completely. Just saying its ridiculous to think they don't even want the sprint because they are too afraid. Cav being the huge favorite doesn't really change the fact that pretty much anything can happen in a sprint. Goss never beating Cav might be a decent reason for the Australians to not be all that interested in riding the race the way GB wants though.

The main thing that bugs me is that they had a one day race that didn't go their way. Shockingly that happens to most teams and still most of the teams manage to take the loss without whining about the other teams riding their race in a 'wrong' way.

I didn't hear any whining. Cavendish expressed his disappointment and also said what we all know - that Australia weren't interested. Millar said we had a plan and it didn't work. No idea what Stannard said because the media aren't interested in what the mysterious fifth man has to say. Froome and Wiggins had given it everything and were moving on mentally to the time trial.
Cavendish was pretty restrained.

"Mark Cavendish blames 'negative' rivals after Olympic disappointment" as a BBC headline but in all fairness it's more media/fan talk than anything so you're right about the team. Some of the Cav quotes do seem a bit whiny to me, but in all fairness he should be allowed some disappointment. Too much talk about the Australians in general from all sorts of experts for my taste, but that's more about me not understanding quality sports reporting I guess.

I found it amazing that post-tour Wiggins said he's never been giving media training.

obviously. no media savvy person would accuse fans of being ****ing wankers when they say something similar to what wiggins himself said years ago.

Hehe yeh I wasn't saying it amazes me because he's so good. Just that it seems a huge oversight to not prepare these guys for the media onslaught that is the TdF media circus!

Do cyclist get media training? One of the nice things about the sport is the personalities, most of them say crazy ****.

Agreed. Also by the end of the tour the media loved him, he got a standing ovation and applause from them after his last press conference where he thanked them for 'putting up with him'

Also read some where that the French love him because he says what's on his mind and does not mix his words .

cool post Such , thxs

Can anyone here explain to me why there was such a shake-up in the track cycling events this year? I'm reading that the UCI wanted to have an equal number of mens and womens events, but both men and women did the Pursuit and Points Race already, so I don't get why they would drop those in favor of brand new events.

Cycling as a complete sport gets 'x' amount of medals. The track cycling medals lost went to BMX'ing etc.

Not correct. The was correct from 2004 to 2008 (when BMX was added, track lost two events: women's 500 m TT and men's 1k TT). But BMX, road, and mountain biking are completely unchanged from 2008 to 2012.

Track cycling still has 10 events. But it used to have 7 men's events and 3 women. Now it has 5 men, 5 women. Track cycling lost individual pursuit (men and women), points race (men and women) and men's madison. Track cycling gained women's team sprint, women's keirin, women's team pursuit, men and women's omnium.

Ha i stand corrected, i was actually just saying what they said on eurosport during the worlds. Wankers sold me out Its so dumb how many medals get given out having those extra events would mean almost nothing and provide us so much more entertainment. IOC are a bunch of wankers.

The provisional line ups are up for the Vuelta. http://www.steephill.tv/vuelta-a-espana/#rosters Froome will have a pretty strong line up with him. Just hope someone can keep it close and push Contador.

I just am not a fan of Keiren, I understand if their is gambling involved like in Japan, but I'd much rather see a points race or the devil (although it does seam a little "Unolympic"). I'd lose Keiren and keep points and Madison

It's kinda sick how good Sky's "B" team is. As a Yankee I am excited to see Garmin's line up as it looks like they'll be riding for Andrew Talansky in GC. For those who do not know he is our other Teejay Van Garderen.

Talansky was really impressive in Romandie, I was almost shocked he didnt ride the TDF but I guess the lower profile race makes sense at this stage in his career. Definitely interested to see how he handles a grand tour, esp a Vuelta with prob one of the best line ups its had in a long time. You also get your wish of seeing Danny Pate!

As for sky its gotta be a nice feeling knowing in the mountains hes going to have Uran/Henao/nordhaug/zandio and pate to rely on. Although these guys wont have been riding together/training/getting the support of the team on anything like the level the TDF guys did. Im definitely excited to watch Henao, seems to have unlimited talent and now some Grand tour Exp behind him.

That reminds me that when I saw Sitsou crash I said to myself "shoulda brought Pate". Although not sure he'll be tearing it up in the mountains too soon.

I think I've found the Vuelta champion:

Lineup looks sick, can't wait.

has andy schleck confirmed his presence at the vuelta yet?

Read a few days ago , he will not be taking part.