Double Olympic champion Laura Trott has taken to Facebook to expand on comments in a Daily Mail interview with her and boyfriend Jason Kenny in which the couple said that the Commonwealth Games is “not taken seriously” and is “devalued” British Cycling meanwhile has responded to the article by saying it is fully committed to the event, being held in Glasgow this summer.
In the newspaper’s interview with the couple, who revealed after securing two gold medals each at the London 2012 Olympics that they were in a relationship, Trott said of the Commonwealth Games: “A lot of people don’t even take it seriously. It’s the same with a lot of countries.
“I went to Delhi [in 2010] as a youngster and there was barely anyone there. It’s not the same as a World Championships and it’s certainly not the same as an Olympic Games.”
In the same article, published on Wednesday, Kenny said that a “lot of members of the public probably see the Commonwealths as second only to the Olympics but, when you’re actually involved in the sport, it doesn’t seem that way. It gets devalued a bit.”
Trott expands on commets on Facebook
That evening, Wiggle Honda rider Trott took to Facebook to elaborate on some of the comments she had made in the interview.
In her post, which has subsequently been deleted, she said: “I am extremely excited about racing at the Commonwealth Games. With it being in Glasgow it will feel like another home games, which I think will be an amazing experience for all involved. I love racing my bike and I love racing and it's what I'm most passionate about."
While countries with strong track cycling squads such as Australia, Canada and New Zealand will be present in Glasgow, others such as Germany and France that challenge for medals at the Olympics and World Championships but aren’t members of the Commonwealth will be missing.
Trott went on: “In other sports the competition is extremely strong. I was just talking about the sport of cycling and I was not criticising the Commonwealth Games in any way at all. It is a fantastic event.
“The importance of it to each individual however, will depend on their sport and sometimes the discipline. Either way, we are being invited to represent our countries so it is always an honour.
“The other aspect to this is that our sport’s funding is not determined by what we achieve at the Commonwealths. That is purely based around worlds and Olympics.
“Funding for our sport is vital as I'm sure anyone can appreciate. To be completely clear – we were not talking about the money we get as individuals.
“I fully understand that for some people, the Commonwealth Games is huge and when I look back to when I got selected for Delhi it was huge for me too.
“It was a massive deal but then you realise that UK Sport funding is not determined on this. So there is less funding to go towards training camps and to keep our programmes going.”
At the Commonwealth Games, riders who would ride for Great Britain at World Championships or Olympic Games instead ride for their home nation – Trott and Kenny for England, for example, David Millar for Scotland, Mark Cavendish for the Isle of Man or Becky James for Wales.
British Cycling reaction
A spokeperson for British Cycling told the Daily Mail: “British Cycling is a whole-hearted supporter of the Commonwealth Games, not only because of the pride our riders take in competing for the home nations but also because of the inspirational effect they have in encouraging more people to get active through cycling.
“The National Cycling Centre is a living example of that, although it wasn’t built for the 2002 Commonwealth Games, the success of the cycling programme in Manchester helped establish the sport with a new audience.
“Now, not only has the Manchester Velodrome helped produce Tour de France winners and Olympic and Paralympic champions but it is also busy every day with people just enjoying getting on their bikes.
“Although we are judged most keenly on our results at Olympic and Paralympic Games, performances at World Championships are very important. All our riders give maximum effort when competing because they are representing their country and because we like to win.”
Women’s Tour de France
Trott also expanded on comments she made about the Le Tour Entier campaign led by riders including Marianne Vos and Emma Pooley to introduce a women’s version of the Tour de France.
She told the Daily Mail that she supports La Course de la Tour, the women’s race that Tour de France organsisers ASO are staging in Paris on the final day of the men’s event this July, but does not agree with efforts to lobby for a three-week race.
“I just don’t think it would be realistic,” she said. “We ride a tour for five days and at the end of it we’re completely knackered. For three weeks – no chance. I certainly wouldn’t finish, put it that way.”
Kenny added, “There’d be deaths,”
Trott added on Facebook: “I know it’s not how everyone sees it but it's an opinion I have. I know I am a track rider and I don't/can't ride as far as a lot of the top women road riders. I have huge admiration for them and what they can and do achieve. For me I would love to see a women's Tour.
“But I think it has to start in a certain way and let it build into something huge. I think saying that it should be 3 weeks and the same distance as the men is unrealistic and could have a negative effect on the sport. If it is seen to be boring then viewing figures may drop and all important sponsorship may become hard to find?
“However if it is run something like the Women’s Tour that we’ve just had in Britain, then it could work very well. I personally think it should be staged over 10 days to begin with and built from there. We could even have a test run of longer stages and a longer race at say a race like the Giro, which we already have. But I also think that this isn’t the only way of growing women's cycling and that there will be some great ideas out there. I just didn’t agree with some of the ideas being put forward.
“I love the sport of cycling dearly and that is why I care about it so much and have opinions on it. The fact that these opinions were misinterpreted and then sensationalised is upsetting and frustrating in equal measure,” she added.
33 thoughts on “Laura Trott clarifies comments on Glasgow 2014 and women’s Tour de France”
Misrepresentation and
Misrepresentation and sensationalism from the Daily Mail? Say it ain’t so!
notfastenough
Too easy though ain’t it. Sounds to me like Laura (I like Laura btw) let slip an obvious truth. ie when you are a world dominating track cycling country like GB and there’s a competition where a lot of the really big competition isn’t going to be there and you’re down to racing your mates from Wales and Scotland and a bunch of decent Aussies then it’s less of a priority.
It’s a function of success. We can and do win lots of medals at the worlds and the Olympics. The commonwealth games is what you might call lower league. That’s a fact and that’s probably why I think she did say it.
Then it got reported and lo and behold out comes the “We think the Commonwealth Games are the best thing since sliced bread” statements.
What I would find extremely suspicious would have been if Laura et al were overheard saying that they absolutely craved the glory that the wonderful Commonwealth Games would heap upon them and that such a fantastic opportunity to race a just a few other top cyclists would add renewed shine to Olympic glory.
Unlikely ain’t it?
Glad she’s come out with
Glad she’s come out with this, I actually felt a bit bad for her as she’d got a bit of an ‘earful’ on twitter off a few people who’d read her comments in the article.
Not many things make me genuinely angry, but the Daily Mail is definitely one of those few.
I’d check Richard Moore’s
I’d check Richard Moore’s twitter by the way:
Here’s the problem. Laura DID
Here’s the problem. Laura DID say those things. Newspapers, though thoughtless and sensationalist, VERY rarely make up quotes. They can’t get away with it these days. It also turns out she’s on tape saying it, oops..
She doesn’t support a Women’s TDF. Maybe she should have thought before telling the Daily Mail that if she didn’t want everyone to know…. That’s kind of what the papers do…
We’re all entitled to our opinions. Personally, I disagree with Trott’s on this subject.
Claud And I wrote:Here’s the
Just seen all the talk on twitter about the tape, gawwwwd I don’t know what to believe any more! 😛
If she did say those things then that’s a bit unfair – the commonwealths a massive deal for a lot of people (on the IoM here it’s the one chance our athletes get to support the Island as a nation, for folks like Cav and the like this is huge!).
Riding an event surely shouldn’t be about profit, that comes second after the love and passion that drives a person to do it in the first place.
I’m with you on this one I think! Badly thought out words from Trotty there. She’s a role model, I think (like with her comments on helmet use) she needs to maybe think a bit before speaking to the media.
mooleur wrote:Claud And I
Just seen all the talk on twitter about the tape, gawwwwd I don’t know what to believe any more! 😛
If she did say those things then that’s a bit unfair – the commonwealths a massive deal for a lot of people (on the IoM here it’s the one chance our athletes get to support the Island as a nation, for folks like Cav and the like this is huge!).
Riding an event surely shouldn’t be about profit, that comes second after the love and passion that drives a person to do it in the first place.
I’m with you on this one I think! Badly thought out words from Trotty there. She’s a role model, I think (like with her comments on helmet use) she needs to maybe think a bit before speaking to the media.— Claud And I
So what you are saying is that the Commonwealth Games unlike the Olympics, Europeans and Worlds is quirky enough to allow teams from the IOM have a go. But it’s unfair of Laura to say it’s not like the really big serious world class cycling events.
have you still got the cake you ate earlier ?
oozaveared wrote:
Just seen
So what you are saying is that the Commonwealth Games unlike the Olympics, Europeans and Worlds is quirky enough to allow teams from the IOM have a go. But it’s unfair of Laura to say it’s not like the really big serious world class cycling events.
have you still got the cake you ate earlier ?[/quote]
Cake is long gone! It was too small for a department of 50. Mmmmmm. In a bit of an afternoon cake coma now though.
Yes its quirky! Us smaller nations like a go, but sometimes we’re not in a position to be able to put into things like the Olympics, just because we are small and we don’t have that sort of money or infrastructure. I think the commonwealth also gives non-pro or pro-am athletes a really great chance to pit themselves against more ‘qualified’ professionals, it can really seed out some great talent that might otherwise go unnoticed.
It’s also a great chance to have a go at the English, as I’m sure you all appreciate 😉
I think it is a bit unfair to say it’s not as big a deal in the way that she did, fair enough it’s not a moneymaker but some folks would kill for a chance to ride something like that – even Cav and Pete take it super serious, I don’t think Trotty is really in a position to shun it like that.
Mmmmmmm cake.
mooleur wrote:
Riding an
So next week you’ll go to work for free? Passion and love is all well and good, but for Laura and many others, it’s a job too. It is also very time limited, she could crash out today, and never ride again!
I think people should read the article, then realise that half of what has been quoted as from Laura, was from Jason, or extrapolated by the journo to put a controversial slant to it.
I have challenged the journo to publish the tape alongside her article, she’s now pleading that her story had to be condensed…
Claud And I wrote:Here’s the
Just seen all the talk on twitter about the tape, gawwwwd I don’t know what to believe any more! 😛
If she did say those things then that’s a bit unfair – the commonwealths a massive deal for a lot of people (on the IoM here it’s the one chance our athletes get to support the Island as a nation, for folks like Cav and the like this is huge!).
Riding an event surely shouldn’t be about profit, that comes second after the love and passion that drives a person to do it in the first place.
I’m with you on this one I think! Badly thought out words from Trotty there. She’s a role model, I think (like with her comments on helmet use) she needs to maybe think a bit before speaking to the media.
When you pick out fragments
When you pick out fragments of sentences and then reformulate them in a completely different context then I think that could be described as mis-quoted in my book.
Of course these words came out of her mouth, but she is trying to say that the way it was reported is not the way she said it, and this is something the papers and this web site do frequently.
Of course it’s not as
Of course it’s not as important as the Worlds or the Olympics, what’s wrong with telling the truth ? It’s a games for a collection of countries conquered and ruled by England, what’s so great about that ?
dreamlx10 wrote:Of course
I take offence to that!
dreamlx10 wrote:Of course
I think you’ll find that Scotland were awfully helpful with the conquering and ruling.
cat1commuter wrote:dreamlx10
Not to mention the Vikings, yaharrrr *shakes big trident*
dreamlx10 wrote:Of course
Well I think it’s great that England “conquered and ruled” so many countries. Blimey a little country like England actually conquering countries all over the world. Although I do remember reading something about the relationship being based on trade mainly. Clever trade mind and a decent deal on our side. A bit lo sided but mutually beneficial.
Come to think of it that’s a better explanation of how such a diddly little country ended up at the centre of such a huge empire and why most of them still like to play games with us.
Course it could be that Englishmen are just bloody hard and slapped about millions of Asians and Africans until they turned out their pockets. But then why would they like playing games with us?
Hmmm what to believe?
dreamlx10 wrote:Of course
Not strictly true anymore there are a few countries (Mainly African I believe) that were not part of the “English” Empire but have joined the Common Wealth i.e. Rwanda
dreamlx10 wrote:Of course
Oh dearly me. There had to be one didn’t there.
giff77 wrote:dreamlx10
There had to be one what ? If you’re going to criticize then back it up with something, and spell properly too it helps not make you look stupid while you try to belittle me.
dreamlx10 wrote:giff77
There had to be one what ? If you’re going to criticize then back it up with something, and spell properly too it helps not make you look stupid while you try to belittle me.— dreamlx10
Apologies for the typo. My pinky must have brushed the L. But I can live with that. In all seriousness though. There has never been an English Empire. Attempts had been made from around Henry VII but never mounted to much. It was only after the Union of the Crowns when James VI of Scotland (James 1 of England) started to establish further colonies for wealth. It wasn’t until the Union of the Parliments (after the fated Darien Scheme) that the empire really took off with Glasgow quickly becoming the second city of the UK and it’s wealth coming from the results of slave trade in sugar and mainly tobacco. Interestingly Buchanan Street is named after a merchant who was part of the trade triangle. If you ever travel to the Caribbean you will be amazed at places, streets and surnames that have Scottish origins.
That still doesn’t explain
That still doesn’t explain the, “There had to be one…” remark does it ?
dreamlx10 wrote:That still
I think he’s possibly referring to a comment that refers to England and overlooks the other countries in the UK. This is, alas, one of the many factors that has fuelled the rise of Scottish nationalism and the rise in status of that slimy little creep Alex Salmond.
But back to Ms Trott, it was the Daily Mail so it can be almost relied on to quote people out of context. She is refreshingly honest and says what she thinks, even if I don’t always agree with what she says.
Note to Laura – if anyone
Note to Laura – if anyone shoves a microphone anywhere near your face, probably best to keep your gob shut.
I’m finding it hard to take
I’m finding it hard to take much issue with what she’s said really. I’m not sure many people would argue the Commonwealth Games are objectively up there with the Olympics or the Worlds. I know though people can be very proud of taking part in them for their country (see Cavendish above).
Likewise she’s entitled to her opinion on a women’s TdF.
That said, she’s got previous with the helmet thing so could probably do with learning to be a bit more measured when speaking to journalists if she doesn’t want to have soundbites taken out of context.
Top Tip : avoid being
Top Tip : avoid being misquoted out of context by the Daily Mail by not talking to the Daily Mail.
Some Fella wrote:Top Tip :
but you dont get that option when you are promoting corporate sponsors, the piece was done to promote some Disney Aim High mentorship thing, but obviously the journalist found it far more interesting to quiz Laura and Jason, who I have no doubt have been quoted very harshly out of context, on other topics as it makes a far better story to sell, give a room of 10 journalists a single quote and youll get 10 versions of it, thats just the way the media works.
And we all know British Cycling is funded on a 4 year Olympic cycle, not a commonwealth one, Team England didnt win a single cycling Gold medal in 2010, infact TeamGB combined only won 1 Gold in the Mens time trial with David Millar, and no Golds on the track.
I fear all people are doing through instances like this will be to encourage TeamGB to surround the cyclists with media handlers and as fans we will lose that direct honest & open contact with them, and theyll end up like footballers or cricketers forever quoting management textbook phrases at the press instead.
“Young kid who’s good at
“Young kid who’s good at riding a bike makes a mistake”.
I’m sure the Hate Mail could do a better job rewriting my headline but the content is good, here we go:
Who cares?
I thought her original
I thought her original comments were refreshingly honest, and it’s a shame she has obviously been ordered to get “on message”. In the world of elite world sport, the Commie Games just don’t have the importance of major, open competitions like World Champs or the Olympics. You just have to look at all the “will they, won’t they?” stuff with Bolt and Farah. There’s no question about turning up for the Olympics.
I hope the Commie Games go well, the athletes compete to the best of their ability, and everyone has a good time, but I wouldn’t criticise any elite competitor who admitted it’s not a priority target. These guys are focused on winning the biggest prizes in the world, and lesser events are not going to distract them from that. That’s how it should be!
We don’t know what Laura
We don’t know what Laura really said or the extent to which she was misquoted. It may prompt people to ponder the significance of the Games but I’m not sure her opinion matters more than anyone else’s.
The Commonwealth Games may not be a priority for BC and some top level riders but it’s still a great event. As happens at the the Worlds RR once a year, it puts a different prespective on athletes’ roles and priorities; we see them in a different context. In Delhi we had stories like Cavendish acting as a helper and driver for the IoM team and David Millar representing Scotland and his emotional win in the men’s time trial.
But where else do you get to
But where else do you get to properly compete against your Team GB team mates other than the Commies?
Team GB isn’t composed solely of English riders!
Daily Mail, eh?
’nuff said.
Daily Mail, eh?
’nuff said.
The truth often hurts, but
The truth often hurts, but truth is truth.
The simple answer here is
The simple answer here is :
DON’T TALK TO THE DAILY MAIL!
and
DON’T READ THE DAILY MAIL!