It's Official - 2012 London Games Track Events Gutted -- UPDATED

by umwolverine on Dec 10, 2009 1:18 PM EST Comment 28 comments

to promote equality in the olympic track events, the IOC has eliminated the indivudal persuit, points race, and madison from the 2012 London Games.

what remains are 5 events each for the men and the women (as opposed to 7 for the men and 3 for the women at beijing):

    individual sprint
    team sprint
    keirin
    team pursuit
    omnium (3km individual pursuit, 200 metre sprint, 1km time trial, 15km points race and a 5km scratch race)

source: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/ioc-turns-track-events-upside-down

17 Dec 2009 Update:

New Omnium format
- Flying lap (250-metre time trial)
- Points race (men: 30 km, women: 20 km)
- Individual pursuit (men: 4 km, women: 3 km)
- Scratch race (men: 15 km, women: 10 km)
- Kilometre time trial (men), 500-metre time trial (women)
- Elimination race (24 starters)

source: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-announces-beefed-up-olympic-omnium-format

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it's a real shame

the madison, while a little more demanding in terms of attention, was one of my favourite events. i don’t see how, when cycling is growing so much (especially in the UK), cutting the number of olympic events is of benefit.

"well...you live in england so: you love the rain. loves the queen. hates cycling. based on mr bean had a tremendous amount of humour. all ride in a mini cooper. all getting drunk before the age of 12. getting drunk at least 3 times a day."- frinking, 7/9/09

by benrazor on Dec 10, 2009 2:06 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

If they want to promote equality why don't they add those events they scratched to womens track?

are they saying women can’t do them? Now I don’t know much about track but would someone like to explain to me why women never have done those disciplines?

Look, it's a bird...no, it's a plane....oh never mind it's just fucking balloon boy

by Phil H. on Dec 10, 2009 2:37 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

the problem is housing all the athletes

so its one event out for everyone in

by thebongolian on Dec 10, 2009 3:37 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Bah, Omnium

by William H on Dec 10, 2009 2:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

This is actually all about fucking over established athletes of both genders...

…since IP was also one of the prestige events for women, in order to appeal to some as yet undefined audience that they don’t have but think they can get.

In other words, using gender equality as cover for doing something totally assinine so they can say ‘oh you sexist’ to whoever points out that this is the most fuckheaded idea the UCI has had in ages.

What utter and completely bullshit, and patronizing bullshit to boot.

by Ed K on Dec 10, 2009 2:43 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

UCI not the guys - IOC here

This is the Olympics where there are zillions of swimming events because it is a “legacy sport” but the IOC wants to stick UCI for some reason. UCI was against this. Personally, it won’t happen but I would like to see the UCI just set up a separate event and try to get all the events out. Unfortunately the Olympics means the only chance for press for the track folks.

by Markk on Dec 10, 2009 4:24 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

No, UCI...

The UCI came up with this and sent it to the IOC, who rubber stamped it.

by Ed K on Dec 10, 2009 4:26 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The loss of the individual pursuit is a huge blow and in my mind

The marquis event. At least the team pursuit is still around.

If I just had one more gear, I...

by SpunOut on Dec 10, 2009 2:45 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Luckily Gender equality

means that women’s boxing has been added to the 2012 Olympics.

Shockingly there will be 10 mens weight classes and only 3 for women.

And golf gets added for 2016 ….

Moo

by Willj on Dec 10, 2009 3:40 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

wow this really sucks,

really bizarre how arbitrary it all is.

I'm feverished, or the way you want to spell it

by plinytheelder on Dec 10, 2009 4:23 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

That's the thing...

…this makes no sense if you’re looking for a way to achieve meaningful gender parity, since it does just as much violence to the traditions of women’s track cycling as it does to the traditional men’s disciplines.

Its biggest effect is to screw over about half of the established track racers in the world, of both sexes.

by Ed K on Dec 10, 2009 4:25 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

it's worse when you read stories about

various governing bodies that were never consulted pre decision

Moo

by Willj on Dec 10, 2009 4:55 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Gold Silver Bronze
1964 Tokyo Jiří Daler (TCH) Giorgio Ursi (ITA) Preben Esaksson (DEN)
1968 Mexico City Daniel Rebillard (FRA) Mogens Frey Jensen (DEN) Xaver Kurmann (SUI)
1972 Munich Knut Knudsen (NOR) Xaver Kurmann (SUI) Hans Lutz (FRG)
1976 Montreal Gregor Braun (FRG) Herman Ponsteen (NED) Thomas Huschke (GDR)
1980 Moscow Robert Dill-Bundi (SUI) Alain Bondue (FRA) Hans-Henrik Orsted (DEN)
1984 Los Angeles Steve Hegg (USA) Rolf Golz (FRG) Leonard Harvey Nitz (USA)
1988 Seoul Gintautas Umaras (URS) Dean Woods (AUS) Bernd Dittert (GDR)
1992 Barcelona Chris Boardman (GBR) Jens Lehmann (GER) Gary Anderson (NZL)
1996 Atlanta Andrea Collinelli (ITA) Phillippe Ernenault (FRA) Bradley McGee (AUS)
2000 Sydney Robert Bartko (GER) Jens Lehmann (GER) Bradley McGee (AUS)
2004 Athens Bradley Wiggins (GBR) Brad McGee (AUS) Sergi Escobar (ESP)
2008 Beijing Bradley Wiggins (GBR) Hayden Roulston (NZL) Steven Burke (GBR)

That’s all folks!

by andrewp on Dec 10, 2009 4:28 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Well when you look at it that way...

It is easier to understand now

by Vlaanderen90 on Dec 10, 2009 6:56 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

bah, omnium - yep I agree a shabby shame

what WOULD be GREAT, is if they kept all of the 3km individual pursuit, 200 metre sprint, 1km time trial, 15km points race and a 5km scratch race as individual medal events, PLUS had an omnium medal ALSO.

But, as reality sucks, it will (have to unfortunately now) be intriguing to see what kind of rider will medal in the omnium.

That all being said what REALLY REALLY SUCKS is no more madison ):

by peterfish on Dec 10, 2009 5:12 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

The omnium will be hotly contested but it still is not the same...

Leigh Howard won it at this years worlds which shouldn’t be suprising since he can win just about any type of race.

Phinney did finish 6th in the Omnium at this year’s worlds and if he really wanted to he could make a serious run( and easier) for a gold medal instead of fighting so hard for an event where it would be a dogfight just to get a medal.

by Vlaanderen90 on Dec 10, 2009 7:15 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

UCI

Does anyone ever believe that UCI changes to “modernize the sport” are killing cycling? Cycling is a tradition laden sport and they are destroying it slowly…

by Crazy D on Dec 10, 2009 7:16 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

again, it's NOT the uci, it's the IOC making the changes... as they do for every olympic games

"Wizard's first rule. People are stupid. They will believe anything they want to be true or fear to be true." -- Terry Goodkind

by umwolverine on Dec 11, 2009 12:23 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

IOC: “We are just implementing the UCI recommendations.”

by tedvdw on Dec 11, 2009 1:21 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The IOC kind of forced them because they wanted to add another women's event but they were not allowed

by the IOC because of number of athletes and medals. They should have taken out BMX so this problem would not have happened.

by Vlaanderen90 on Dec 11, 2009 2:50 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I know

It is a very transparent blame-shift by the IOC.

Also, BMX sucks!!!

by tedvdw on Dec 11, 2009 3:30 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

BMX kicks ass

they should add more extreme sports, those guys are amazing athletes and have balls of steel. The women extremer’s are amazing as well.

Look, it's a bird...no, it's a plane....oh never mind it's just fucking balloon boy

by Phil H. on Dec 11, 2009 5:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The IOC put the UCI in a tricky spot...

…but the UCI are the ones who decided to respond in the most destructive possible manner to endurance cycling on the track (which already did have a substantial amount of gender parity) and to the larger traditions of track racing.

Blaming the IOC for saying ‘this is how many medals you get (no change) but you’ve got to be fair to men and women here (it is the 21st century, after all)’ makes no sense at all.

by Ed K on Dec 11, 2009 4:19 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

In other words...

…it is and has been the UCI all along.

by Ed K on Dec 11, 2009 4:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Yep

It’s all the UCI. I would assume they picked the events they would keep even if the IOC was pressuring them. Why the team sprint and team pursuit over the pursuit and points races.

by Crazy D on Dec 11, 2009 8:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Ironic

…that it’s London where the hosting country’s “sure thing” would have “squandered” his pursuit form for a long shot TdF podium dream. Makes me wonder that if there’s been “talk” of this happening (nixxing the Ind.Pursuit) long enough ago to explain Wiggo’s investment in the mountain goat training manual a little over a year ago. Hmmm…..

"Shut your mouth or I'll fill it with my fist" -Robbie McEwan to Lance Armstrong

by Koppenberg34 on Dec 11, 2009 9:42 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

great point

by Crazy D on Dec 11, 2009 9:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

People who don't watch cycling except for the olympics...

want to see fast racing since they think that is the most exciting. Team pursuit and team sprint are very very fast and the UCI probably thought that would be a way to attract unique viewers. I don’t know why they didn’t put in the scratch race and market it as Nascar on bikes.

by Vlaanderen90 on Dec 12, 2009 2:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs