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Monument, rainbow jersey or Olympic gold?

by HalfWheeler
Fri, Jul 08, 2016 18:27
7

I suppose it's just a matter of opinion but what do others think? Is a (male) Olympic road race gold medal as prestigous as a rainbow jersey or even a monument for that matter? Personally I think not...

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HalfWheeler | 8 years ago
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I should say, obviously a GT trumps all one day races. 

But for single day races I think an Olympic gold falls behind a rainbow jersey then a monument.

The problem is is that the Olympic male RR lacks history. The best cyclists in the world routinely did not compete until 1992 for one very good reason; only amatuers could compete. Sporting competition relies on history for its sense of prestige; Wimbledon, The Open, The World Cup. The history books can tell you who won the same competition going back generations, centuries even. Cycling is no different. But the Olympic RR essentially only started in 1992, it's not been round long enough to garner the same prestige as a monument or Rainbow jersey. 

But, that's just my tuppence worth 1

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wycombewheeler | 8 years ago
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I would say

Winning the tour
Winning the giro
Winning the Vuelta
Olympic gold
Rainbow jersey.
Classics

I don't see how you can put the rainbow jersey which is a one day race over the Olympics which is also a one day race, but happens only 25% as often

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Stumps | 8 years ago
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For me the Olympic gold is on a par with the one day races because thats what it is.

I would rather win a stage of one of the Grand Tours to be honest, the sheer buzz of crossing the line first in Paris or cresting Alp d'Huez in first place must be an amazing feeling.

Followed by the rainbow jersey.

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Leviathan | 8 years ago
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Simon, I think you are looking at it exclusively from a road racing point of view. Most pro riders are just roadies and are lucky to pick up a couple of RR wins, they aren't picky. Someone like Cav is also a track racer and for them the Olympics are the pinnacle.  

As it is only once in four years and if the course doesn't suit you, your chance will come and go. It makes it hard for a rider to make it one of their career aims; its too random. But that doesn't mean it isn't prestigious and if the opportunity comes up... It has to be equal to or greater than an individual Monument.

Would you rather win the Tour of Flanders or an Olympic (Pause) Gold (Pause) Medal?

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Simon E replied to Leviathan | 8 years ago
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Leviathan wrote:

Simon, I think you are looking at it exclusively from a road racing point of view.

I am. That's what interests me.

The track is no big deal. There are aesthetic and strategic aspects to the TP that I love but really the track is just an exercise to see which man/men (or woman/women) can ride round in circles in the shortest time. It's like a treadmill.

Leviathan wrote:

Would you rather win the Tour of Flanders or an Olympic (Pause) Gold (Pause) Medal?

An Olympic medal brings supposed kudos, requests to your agent for you to address pissed after-dinner audiences and endorse products you wouldn't buy. The thought of being recognised in the street by strangers asking for 'selfies' is enough to make me vomit (or move to the Outer Hebrides).

But to see your name on a plaque in the showers at Roubaix or to hold the yellow or rainbow jersey  that you won on merit - without cheating/paying to get it - would be beyond words.

I don't mind if no-one agrees with that, people have very different perspectives, even within one sport. I expect that the success of Team GB is a big deal for many. I don't know if it makes me a purist, a curmudgeon or whatever, I just don't like the circus of the Olympics and can't view it in the same way as the most prestigious races in the cycling calendar.

I would disagree that Cavendish is a track racer who rides the road, I think he's a great road racer who honed his skills on the track.

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HalfWheeler | 8 years ago
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Maillot jaune lead rather than outright win I'm supposing. You'd put a day in the lead of the TdF over a Flanders or Lombardy? Hmm...

Know what you mean re Olympic gold RR. I can see why it's such a big deal for the track events (or athletics, swimmimg, etc) but for the male RR it seems a nice but not vital - a distraction. The best athletes, swimmers etc in history have invariably won an olympic gold. You can't say the same in mens road racing; no Merckx, Lemond, Fignon, Hainault, Anquetil, etc etc.

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Simon E | 8 years ago
2 likes

My off-the-cuff choice, in descending order of perceived prestige:

1. Rainbow

2. Maillot Jaune

3. Monument

4. SSRs

footnote: Olympic gold

 

OK I'm half-joking... but I don't find the whole Olympic thing that appealling, it's like some distraction that pops up once every 4 years and interrupts/disrupts the season. If GB weren't as successful as they've been in the last 2 Olympics would we, purely from the perspective of cycling fans, even care that much?

And don't forget who bought won the 2012 road race.

(SSR = "sh*t small races" © Mark Cavendish)

 

Edit - I thought I'd add a quote from Steve Cummings after Friday's Tour stage (link to article):

"The Tour is the greatest show on earth and, if you can have success here, that’s much bigger for any professional bike rider than any Olympic Games."

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