GB Cycling 2024

[Grassmarket 2,972]

46 minutes ago, mpjmcevoy said:

A fifth and probably final Grand Tour podium, three of them in the last two years after his 36th birthday. In his time he won the tour over Doumoulin and Froome, was runner up to Bernal and Roglic, and third behind Pogi twice, Vingegaard and Danny Martinez.....two olympic gold, and he won most of the big 1 week races - Suisse, Romandie, Dauphine and Paris-Nice (though never Adriatico), as well as Rundfahrts, the Alps and the Algarve. Not a bad palmares for a cranky deisel from South Wales...

 

As often happens in cycling, periods of dominance are intersperced with interregna as the new generation sorts its order out - and in the short chaotic period, a strong willing rider can really make his mark, albeit briefly - Think Roche and Delgado between the Lemond/Fignon/Hinault years and the reign of Indurain, or Sastre. cadel Evans and Wiggo between Contador and Froome (happens in tennis too - note some of the big winners between Sampras and Federer eras).

 

I think Thomas belongs in that category, doing his work in the interregnum between Froome and Pogi/Rog/Vingegaard. His time is now done, but he's put together a rather lovely palmares in those years. And he'll always have Paris.

And single-handedly responsible for getting Welsh-language TV to cover cycling!  I remember watching their first day, they were literally having to invent Welsh equivalents for cycling jargon live on TV.  

[Epic Failure 180]

Seeing G and Cav coming to the end of their careers just makes me remember how old I'm getting.

[mpjmcevoy 269]

Tentatively looking like GBR has got 2 riders in both men's and women's MTB thanks to Charlie Aldridge's heroics and some bad luck for the Danes - GBR needed to net just over 100 points in Nove Mesto, seem to have done that with room to spare. GBR also have the only full house on the road, one of the few full houses on the track, and look well set at this point to pick up 2 men's quotas in the BMX freestyle. They have one woman's quota in the Freestyle more or less in the bag thanks to the 2023 Worlds, but a second would take a minor miracle in Budapest. Big question this week becomes can the guys somehow haul back a second BMX racing quota. A second women's quota looks impossible at this stage in BMX racing.

 

All in all though, GBR will almost certainly have one of the biggest cycling squads in Paris, with real medal chances in all 5 disciplines (Tarling and Henderson in the Road TTs, umpteen on the track, Pidcock and possibly even Aldridge in the Men's MTB, Beth Schreiver if she can get fit and Kye Whyte in BMX racing, Kieren Reilly in the Freestyle)

[Rafa Maciel 1,510]

Looks like GB will only have 1 rider int he men's BMX racing event after disappointing results at Euros - they needed 215 points to overtake USA but it looks like they will only come away with 160 points. 

[Grassmarket 2,972]

Rare TV  outing for British domestic cycling this weekend - used to be an absolute staple about a decade ago.  National Championship weekend, so two road races on Sunday plus two good old Criteriums tonight.

 

 

[mpjmcevoy 269]

Well, by god, they've gone and bloody done it!

 

Tom Pidcock will double up in road race and mountain bike!

Ethan Hayter will double up in time trial and Team Pursuit, Tarling pulls out of the team pursuit, who can now maximise quotas

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/articles/c4nnd49w9rmo

 

Team GB cycling squad

Men's track endurance: Dan Bigham, Ethan Hayter, Charlie Tanfield, Ethan Vernon, Ollie Wood, Mark Stewart (travelling reserve)

Men's track sprint: Jack Carlin, Ed Lowe, Hamish Turnbull, Joe Truman (travelling reserve)

Men's road: Ethan Hayter (time trial), Tom Pidcock (road race), Josh Tarling (time trial and road race), Stevie Williams (road race), Fred Wright (road race)

Women's track sprint: Sophie Capewell, Emma Finucane, Katy Marchant, Lowri Thomas (travelling reserve)

Women's mountain bike: Ella Maclean-Howell, Evie Richards

Men's mountain bike: Charlie Aldridge, Tom Pidcock

 

Very interesting Men's road team - no Geraint Thomas, nor Mark Cavendish, Tarling obviously the engine then three climb-capable puncheurs in Pidcock (Amstel gold winner this year, Strade Bianche last), Stevie Williams (who won Fleche Wallone this year) and Fred Wright, perennial runner up, and Ethan Hayters housemate! I meantion those three races because, as one day races, they're basically the ost prestigious after the five monuments - and the ones that have similarities to the Frence parcours.

 

Women's road team yet to be announced, as well as BMX (although Reilly is already booked by named quota), and Women's endurance.

[Cmon Mary 21]

14 minutes ago, mpjmcevoy said:

Well, by god, they've gone and bloody done it!

 

Tom Pidcock will double up in road race and mountain bike!

Ethan Hayter will double up in time trial and Team Pursuit, Tarling pulls out of the team pursuit, who can now maximise quotas

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/articles/c4nnd49w9rmo

 

Team GB cycling squad

Men's track endurance: Dan Bigham, Ethan Hayter, Charlie Tanfield, Ethan Vernon, Ollie Wood, Mark Stewart (travelling reserve)

Men's track sprint: Jack Carlin, Ed Lowe, Hamish Turnbull, Joe Truman (travelling reserve)

Men's road: Ethan Hayter (time trial), Tom Pidcock (road race), Josh Tarling (time trial and road race), Stevie Williams (road race), Fred Wright (road race)

Women's track sprint: Sophie Capewell, Emma Finucane, Katy Marchant, Lowri Thomas (travelling reserve)

Women's mountain bike: Ella Maclean-Howell, Evie Richards

Men's mountain bike: Charlie Aldridge, Tom Pidcock

 

Very interesting Men's road team - no Geraint Thomas, nor Mark Cavendish, Tarling obviously the engine then three climb-capable puncheurs in Pidcock (Amstel gold winner this year, Strade Bianche last), Stevie Williams (who won Fleche Wallone this year) and Fred Wright, perennial runner up, and Ethan Hayters housemate! I meantion those three races because, as one day races, they're basically the ost prestigious after the five monuments - and the ones that have similarities to the Frence parcours.

 

Women's road team yet to be announced, as well as BMX (although Reilly is already booked by named quota), and Women's endurance.

Tarling is a serious contender for the TT - so looking forward to seeing how he does.  

[Epic Failure 180]

Cav was never likely to be in there with the course being what it is, sadly.

 

G is a bit more surprising, although perhaps not at his age. It's a show of faith in his compatriot Williams though.

 

In related news, no Ganna in the Ineos Tour team, which presumably means he'll be nice and rested for the TT in Paris. Boooo.

[Rafa Maciel 1,510]

36 minutes ago, mpjmcevoy said:

Well, by god, they've gone and bloody done it!

 

Tom Pidcock will double up in road race and mountain bike!

Ethan Hayter will double up in time trial and Team Pursuit, Tarling pulls out of the team pursuit, who can now maximise quotas

 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/articles/c4nnd49w9rmo

 

Team GB cycling squad

Men's track endurance: Dan Bigham, Ethan Hayter, Charlie Tanfield, Ethan Vernon, Ollie Wood, Mark Stewart (travelling reserve)

Men's track sprint: Jack Carlin, Ed Lowe, Hamish Turnbull, Joe Truman (travelling reserve)

Men's road: Ethan Hayter (time trial), Tom Pidcock (road race), Josh Tarling (time trial and road race), Stevie Williams (road race), Fred Wright (road race)

Women's track sprint: Sophie Capewell, Emma Finucane, Katy Marchant, Lowri Thomas (travelling reserve)

Women's mountain bike: Ella Maclean-Howell, Evie Richards

Men's mountain bike: Charlie Aldridge, Tom Pidcock

 

Very interesting Men's road team - no Geraint Thomas, nor Mark Cavendish, Tarling obviously the engine then three climb-capable puncheurs in Pidcock (Amstel gold winner this year, Strade Bianche last), Stevie Williams (who won Fleche Wallone this year) and Fred Wright, perennial runner up, and Ethan Hayters housemate! I meantion those three races because, as one day races, they're basically the ost prestigious after the five monuments - and the ones that have similarities to the Frence parcours.

 

Women's road team yet to be announced, as well as BMX (although Reilly is already booked by named quota), and Women's endurance.

Not surprised by the lack of Thomas or Cavendish in the road squad but perhaps a little surprised that neither of the Yates brothers got the nod. 

 

I am surprised that Ed Lowe got selected ahead of both Truman and Fielding for team sprint. He competed in 2 NC events this year but hasn't exactly been a mainstay of the squad so far. 

 

Biggest shock probably selection of Maclean-Howell ahead of both Annie Last and Isla Short in women's MTB. I get the logic behind it - young athlete with potential for LA'28 - but it's tough on the more established elite riders.

[RussB 63]

I’m not sure I understand why Tarling isn’t doubling up on the track. He looked great in the team pursuit and was really making the team look like gold medal contenders. There were also indications he wanted to be considered for the Madison. The road race is going to be far tougher for GB to achieve success so I’m scratching my head why our biggest engine has been allocated here.

 

by guesswork Hayter will ride the Omnium and then the Madison pairing will be… Vernon and Wood?

 

The men’s ITT is on the 27th July so they will all be fully rested.

 

Also surprised there is no inclusion of the Yates brothers, not sure what the team tactics are with that squad. Who are we setting it up for?