Olympics Women's Road Race

[RoadRaven]

Women do tend to race a bit more tactically and a bit less on brute strength than the men do. Even in men's races long breaks generally succeed, not because the people are that much stronger, but because the peleton either miscalculates the catch or (in a stage race) doesn't care to chase them down.

But the break and the chase is what is exciting. And while some of these women tried attacking a few times, we didn't really see the attack/attack/attack/attack/attack/attack/attack/attack we would see in a men's race. No, instead I saw a few attacks in the first part of the race, but they didn't even begin to work because no-one took up the challenge.

The olympics is a little different too - the most on any one "team" are 3 people and it really changes the dynamics of the race (Kristen Armstrong was even talking about this before the olympics). It's hard to act as a team when you only have 3 people, so its kind of like a perpetual break away situation. (Women though, you would think, unfortunately would be more accustomed to this situation...)

But even without teams, people make alliances. And I know there is a language barrier in some instances. But you talk with your support crew, your coach etc about who might help you on the road and then you make a friend out there and you try together. Alot of these women would know each other from other international racing events. Surely there was potential for alliances in the absence of full teams...

Normally an early break or lots of attacks early in the race aren't even intended to win the race. Unless you are much stronger than the majority of the field or the event has some serious climbing early on, then its unlikely that you'll stay away. Lots of attacks early on usually is a tactic to wear down the other teams - make them chase , keep them on their toes so that when you really do send out your A racer that they can stay away. With the small teams and the lousy weather I would guess that no one wanted to risk that not working out and then having no teammates for help later on.

Yes, very valid point... but still, there would be "friends" of sorts within that peloton. In my pitiful nowhere-near-Olympics races, we attack often. Well, about half of the men in my grade and me and one other woman. I have been chosen for a team in a team TT this weekend because I attack (or try to), because I am strong (for my grade)... not because I sit in and seem to be strong. No team-mates would be tough, I absolutely agree. But the Olympics is a chance to showcase womens cycling to an international audience which includes sponsors and event managers. I really believe these women had huge responsibilities on the shoulders - its a shame that perhaps they did not know how to rise to that.

Who knows - there may have even been some rivalries within country/teams - would you want to be the person who says - we are riding for me to win the gold, to the others.... .

In the Olympics it should be, if you have same-country team-mates, wahts the best way to get our country gold. Or, if you have to form alliances - whats the best way to my country a medal.
But as you say, Eden, unfortunately human ego can get in the way of so many things - including good racing. We have seen it time after time within TdF teams.