A real aficionado of cycling may say that the Olympic Road race is less important than any number of classics, World Championships and stage races like the Tour de France. In part this is because of the great tradition surrounding classic races like Paris Roubaix and Milan San Remo. The Olympic road race by contrast was devalued when, for many years, it wasn’t open to professional cyclists.
Classics such as, Paris Roubaix and Tour of Flanders have been won by all the greats of cycling – Merckx, Lemond, Coppi, Anquetil, Hinault e.t.c. The Olympic road race by contrast has been won by relatively few big names in pro cycling. (although in recent years it has been won by Ullrich 2000, and Paulo Bettini 2004)
The Importance of the Olympics
However, although the classics have a greater tradition and history, procycling aficionados underplay the significance of the Olympics to the general public. The non cycling public just don’t appreciate one day classics like Paris Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders; but, the Olympics are seen as the pinnacle of sport. People who usually have no interest in cycling, can become captivated by cycling in the Olympics, especially if their home nation has a chance of winning.
Olympic Gold is Front Page News
Nicole Cooke is ranked number 1 female cyclist by the UCI. This ranking is of course well deserved. She is the World Cup winner, she has won both the female Giro and female Tour de France. Her palmeres is impressive, especially when you consider her success is unprecedented for any Welsh or British cyclist. Yet for all her impressive palmeres her achievements have largely gone unnoticed. Victory in the Giro may gain a short paragraph hidden away in the TImes sports section – if we are lucky. But, Olympic Gold has pushed her and the sport on to front page news. See: Front page news (an excuse for cheesy newspaper headlines like-
The Great Wheels of China
Gold Pedallist
(Anyway makes a nice chance from Tour de Farce, Tour de Dope e.t.c which is probably last time cycling made front page)
As a cycling enthusiast it is great to see cycling on the front page of British newspapers for the right reasons and a reason other than doping scandals or a fatal accident. The road race also showed the best aspect of cycling. – Overcoming terrible conditions, coming from behind on the last corner, then holding on after a long sprint for the line. The public can easily see the athletic capacity and determination necessary to win this gruelling race. (Something perhaps missing in a sport like archery or equestrianism.)
For what it is worth, I feel the Olympic road race is the most important one day race for any cyclist to win. There is something special about the Olympics that World Championships can never meet. As time passes and more big names win the Olympic events, even the most ardent european procycling enthusiasts will see the significance and importance of the Olympics.
Here in Britain, we will just enjoy the temporary boom in cyclings popularity and for a moment bask in the fact cycling is being highlighted for the best of reasons.
photo CC by Spengu, Flickr
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