Women's road race

[stryker84]

on SBS right now, if anyone didn't know already.

[Chuck]

Cheers

[Chuck]

Mike's back

[ohmygewd]

Do the women have a concept of team riding? I have to admit this is the first time l've watched a womens road race but to allow Jeannie Longo the luxury of riding at the back of the pelaton and then move forward and back...this wouldn't happen in a mens event?

[sogood]

Women's race had 66 starters and was limited to a max of 3 riders for each country max. As a result, teams are more reluctant to sacrifice their riders.

[gdl_gdl]

Do the women have a concept of team riding?

Emma Pooley of GB did a great job of pulling Nicole Cooke up the hills until the chase / split with approx 20km left. Last time I saw Emma was when she left everybody behind in the Perth women's criterium one Friday night in Joondalup in Jan 2008.

Cheers,

Gary

[stryker84]

Yeah, teamwork didn't seem as evident in the women's.

I wonder if the much shorter distance had anything to do with it though, there didn't seem to be much opportunity for splits and attacks. If I've heard correctly, it was almost 100km shorter distance?

[toolonglegs]

Was a very short race...maximum of 3 per team.
Re the numbers in the mens...sort of seems unfair that the strongest cycling nations have the largest teams.5 for Spain and Italia...means they can ride a tactical race easily covering the moves while riders with 1 or 2 or none have to work their arses off!.

[sogood]

Was a very short race...maximum of 3 per team.
Re the numbers in the mens...sort of seems unfair that the strongest cycling nations have the largest teams.5 for Spain and Italia...means they can ride a tactical race easily covering the moves while riders with 1 or 2 or none have to work their arses off!.

Hard decision isn't it? Given the fact that there's pressure to increase the number of countries participating in the event, versus being a race exclusive to those few elite nations. Then the question is, whether this can be made to be an individual race? I suspect not, as nationals would naturally want to keep exclude other countries.