International Olympic Committee News

[Vojthas 949]

10 hours ago, intoronto said:

• Consider the addition of physical virtual sports in the Olympic Programme in cooperation with the respective International Federations (IFs)

I mean if that's the compromise... I'm OK with that. Because from the position of a TV viewer - what's the difference if he watches the cycler being in Paris or the avatar of the cycler in a virtual Paris? The same emotions, in fact I have the same emotions watching TdF, Zwift e-cycling and Jelle's Marbles (especially with Savage Speeders). To be honest - 6 hours of TdF for three weeks is much more tiring.

From the perspective of a viewer in place - is it better to see a guy speeding 50 km/h once an hour or to watch him fighting all the time from... let's say something like cinema, maybe even with popcorn and cola.

From the perspective of a journalist - what does one lose if he watches both, real and virtual version, from his place on media tribune? Or IBC. Or studio in his company's HQ, because he was not chosen to go to Tokyo/Paris/LA?

From the perspective of an athlete - what does it change for him if the simulator he works on is so close to reality?

 

You know, what I've learned from e-cycling Worlds this year? That I was so fucking right about the "best" cyclers winning everything thanks to their less ambitious teammates' job only. "The best" lost to some anonymous (for me) names when it was all about just individual racing on the same device - it means, in the equal conditions.

[Monzanator 4,787]

1 minute ago, Vojthas said:

I mean if that's the compromise... I'm OK with that. Because from the position of a TV viewer - what's the difference if he watches the cycler being in Paris or the avatar of the cycler in a virtual Paris? The same emotions, in fact I have the same emotions watching TdF, Zwift e-cycling and Jelle's Marbles (especially with Savage Speeders). To be honest - 6 hours of TdF for three weeks is much more tiring.

From the perspective of a viewer in place - is it better to see a guy speeding 50 km/h once an hour or to watch him fighting all the time from... let's say something like cinema, maybe even with popcorn and cola.

From the perspective of a journalist - what does one lose if he watches both, real and virtual version, from his place on media tribune? Or IBC. Or studio in his company's HQ, because he was not chosen to go to Tokyo/Paris/LA?

From the perspective of an athlete - what does it change for him if the simulator he works on is so close to reality?

 

You know, what I've learned from e-cycling Worlds this year? That I was so fucking right about the "best" cyclers winning everything thanks to their less ambitious teammates' job only. "The best" lost to some anonymous (for me) names when it was all about just individual racing on the same device - it means, in the equal conditions.

 

Cycling is a team sport - not an individual like it appears to be. The strenght of your helpers is more important. The only true individual event is the time trial.

[Vojthas 949]

10 hours ago, Olympian1010 said:

I don’t dislike those as disciplines, but they’re not nearly developed, nor legitimate enough, to have earned a spot on the Olympic program yet.

Indoor Rowing is highly developed - I tell you that, the guy from one of the most rowing city in one of the most rowing country on the Olympic level. I myself love it, when I have the opportunity (I lose, then I can't walk normally for a few minutes, then I suffer the whole next week, but I LOVE IT). There are national, European, World Championships...

[Vojthas 949]

2 minutes ago, Monzanator said:

 

Cycling is a team sport - not an individual like it appears to be. The strenght of your helpers is more important. The only true individual event is the time trial.

Then give the medals and the money prizes for a victory of the team's best individual to the whole team for divide. Write all the team members names on the winners list. Officially, as the prize for the winner, not because the winner "was grateful" to his buddies.

 

And that's where if you don't agree, there is no point to discuss with me.

[Monzanator 4,787]

1 minute ago, Vojthas said:

Then give the medals and the money prizes for a victory of the team's best individual to the whole team for divide. Write all the team members names on the winners list. Officially, as the prize for the winner, not because the winner "was grateful" to his buddies.

 

And that's where if you don't agree, there is no point to discuss with me.

The winning cyclists actually share the prize money between the team? I've read several interviews when the cyclists say it's a common practice.

 

Obviously you can't divide the medals. Like when El Guerroudj only won the 1,500 gold in Athens after one of his teammates was sacrificed as pacemaker.

[Vojthas 949]

5 minutes ago, Monzanator said:

The winning cyclists actually share the prize money between the team? I've read several interviews when the cyclists say it's a common practice.

That's what I say - do it, obviously. But give the official money prize, not expect the winner to share his beause of being grateful.

And don't "share" medal. Give the medals to the team. The whole team of the best individual on a podium. If that's the team sport.

All the names of the team members on the winner lists.

 

If not, then it's not a team sport, it's individual sport. All the other way is the bullshit from the edge of race fixing and sport corruption between rivals, who are separate positions on a start list.

[Monzanator 4,787]

4 minutes ago, Vojthas said:

That's what I say - do it, obviously. But give the official money prize, not expect the winner to share his beause of being grateful.

And don't "share" medal. Give the medals to the team. The whole team of the best individual on a podium. If that's the team sport.

All the names of the team members on the winner lists.

 

If not, then it's not a team sport, it's individual sport. All the other way is the bullshit from the edge of race fixing and sport corruption between rivals, who are separate positions on a start list.

Cycling needs to deal with the doping issues first. It's the most dirty sport outside of weightlifting. I'm shocked IOC didn't kick it from the Olympic Games yet and go all-in on BMX or something. Besides, everyone seems to be fine with tactics in longer athletics distances so you just can't change cycling with any set of rules. Those helpers who do it for the money, will get their share and actually cycling is dominated by pro teams rather than nations. That's why the team TT at the Worlds finally changed to pro teams and not nation teams. The days when a team leader breaks away with like 60 kms to go and tries to win it all on his own are long gone. Cycling is too competitive to bring back those ideas anymore.

[Vojthas 949]

1 minute ago, Monzanator said:

you just can't change cycling with any set of rules.

They've just forbid "top tube" position. You simply underestimate those idiots called "sport stakeholders".

 

2 minutes ago, Monzanator said:

That's why the team TT at the Worlds finally changed to pro teams and not nation teams.

And I have no problem with that - if it's team then I don't care what kind of team it is, if all teams are on an equal rules.

 

3 minutes ago, Monzanator said:

The days when a team leader breaks away with like 60 kms to go and tries to win it all on his own are long gone. Cycling is too competitive to bring back those ideas anymore.

And that's what I love in e-cycling. "Winning on my own" (dee do de de - I don't have no time for some monkey businees, got to be some good times ahead).

[Monzanator 4,787]

16 minutes ago, Vojthas said:

They've just forbid "top tube" position. You simply underestimate those idiots called "sport stakeholders".

 

And I have no problem with that - if it's team then I don't care what kind of team it is, if all teams are on an equal rules.

 

And that's what I love in e-cycling. "Winning on my own" (dee do de de - I don't have no time for some monkey businees, got to be some good times ahead).

Winning "on my own" is still present in women's cycling whenver Anna vd Breggen or one of her Dutch buddies decide to go for it. But the level of competition there is way lower than in the men's field. And men don't want to risk such a long ride-off on purpose. It's like these 50km mass starts in cross country. Save for Johann Olsson trying to win it with a solo 25km ski twice, it's always a boring slog for 45 kms where only the weaker guys tail off. And then everything happens inside the last 2 kms or even 400 meters in the most extreme cases. Athletes have learned how to bypass the actual racing and prefer to save energy for 95% of the distance.

[Vojthas 949]

51 minutes ago, Monzanator said:

Winning "on my own" is still present in women's cycling whenver Anna vd Breggen or one of her Dutch buddies decide to go for it.

Yes, I prefer women's cycling.

51 minutes ago, Monzanator said:

But the level of competition there is way lower than in the men's field.