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Graves at the Olympics

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Monkey
Jun 15, 2006
111
0
Australia
Would have been interesting to see a clean race , but at least it wasn't a reckless take out move by the SA rider. Jared was getting owned in the straights , but was pinning the corners. Agreed , Strombergs was definately the guy to beat throughout the whole meet.
 

TheInedibleHulk

Turbo Monkey
May 26, 2004
1,886
0
Colorado
You shouldnt have to be all by yourself in gated racing just to make it through the track without someone murdering you. And graves was not getting killed in the straights, in the second straight he had less exit speed from the turn because he took the inside, it was still a good move that moved him up. Still, deldeke's move at worlds was way more bone headed than whats his face from SA. At least that guy was trying to turn.
 

top_dog

Monkey
Jan 27, 2006
209
0
Australia
But he had a chance at bronze when he was taken out. Remember he was on the outside for that turn so should have got a faster run down the third straight.

And he made all us downhillers proud with that move in the first corner, as did ACC.
 

kidwoo

Artisanal Tweet Curator
He was mid-pack on the 2nd turn and wasn't going to make that difference up.
Go look at that second straight again. He had some momentum stored up in that berm.


Based on what he did between the bottom of the start ramp and the end of the second straight, I think he may have been in medal contention.


Based on EVERY third straight qualifier though............maybe not :D
 

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
Graves might have been Mussolini in his last life or something.

Kind of like "almost, but not quite" being the story of his soul
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
17,373
0
SF
Because there was some debate, I watched the finals again.

Graves was leading coming out the first turn. But the winning line in all the heats I watched came from the outside of the first turn, because it sets you up for the second, more critical, turn. Graves took the inside but was not able to get any separation.

Graves had the lead at the beginning of the second straightaway, but Strombergs and Day had passed him. I bet the outside of the first turn also gave you the momentum.

When Graves was in the second turn, two riders were passing him and it looks like their momentum took them right into Graves.

I don't know if those riders should have held their lines or Graves should have been faster to stop passes.
 

konastab01

Turbo Monkey
Dec 7, 2004
1,203
217
In kinda gutted for Jared....
Hes one of the nicest guys on the circuit,I only hope 09 is a better year for him....
 

ciszewski

Monkey
Aug 7, 2008
133
0
Brockville
rubbing is definately part of racing, but graves seems like he gets it more than most...he just needs to find a way to be in the right place at the right time.
 

General Lee

Turbo Monkey
Oct 16, 2003
2,860
0
The 802
rubbing is definately part of racing, but graves seems like he gets it more than most...he just needs to find a way to be in the right place at the right time.
or stop being in the wrong place. it might be a cliche but 'making your own luck' still applies, if you are regularly being taken out you can't keep laying blame on everyone else.

seeing as the olympics is an all-or-nothing affair i'm not surprised to see so many wrecks. it seemed the only safe place was out in front and let everyone else crash into each other and see who's left standing for 2nd and 3rd. Definitely not the norm for world class BMX so i'm curious to see the reaction from the general public and the IOC.
 

DirtBag

Monkey
Feb 1, 2006
648
0
I looked at it again as well. The 2 riders who crashed into him undercut a lot on the 2nd berm and could not keep the speed. They basically crashed into him. Anyone coming in that low will have more momentum. He was in good position to at least try and pull another move if he could make it to the 3rd berm.
 

bpatterson6

Turbo Monkey
Jul 1, 2004
1,049
0
Colorado
I was hoping Graves would get Gold and the USA would get silver and bronze. No doubt Maris Strombergs and Mike Day were fast all day. But sometimes, the fastest rider doesn't always win. It's about being smart, being comfortable riding in a pack, being able to stragetize on the fly and being aggressive when the time calls for it. I just don't think Graves has as much experience riding in Packs of 8 and a number of other skills like the other guys do. I think it's all experience and he'll get it eventually. He's learning and getting better. I don't look for him to repeat the same mistakes he made this year next year. IMO, Graves is the single most talented overall rider in the world. Call me a Graves Fanboy too. It takes someone who is awfully special to be a world class rider in DH, MX and BMX. Last year, he was the only rider in the world to participate in 3 of Cycling worlds competitions - DH, MX and BMX. I have replayed the video number of times and I see some opportunity for Graves to have put himself pretty much in the lead to stay. When he came out turn one in the lead if he had swung over to his right and cut off the charging pack and slowed them down he would have been by himself in the lead in turn 2. There are other opportunities for him to have been in a better position in turn 2. If he had swung over and been on the right side line instead of mid track to a little bit left. He had LOADS of opportunity to stragetize on the fly in the 2nd straight and put himself in a better position for turn 2, but he didn't do so. He kept his line. Just as he did at MTB worlds and it cost him. AGAIN.

FWIW, it's just my opinion. What do you guys think??
 
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FarkinRyan

Monkey
Dec 15, 2003
611
192
Pemberton, BC
When Graves was in the second turn, two riders were passing him and it looks like their momentum took them right into Graves.

I don't know if those riders should have held their lines or Graves should have been faster to stop passes.

The Saffa who hit Jared was not passing him, he was already lowsided and practically off the bike when his bike hit Jared.

I watched the coverage here in the UK and they had a super-slow mo camera on that corner which they replayed a couple of times afterwards so there's absolutely no doubt about it. He was not on a faster/better/more winning line, he was crashing his bike and unfortunately for Jared, he managed to hit him with it.

Jared is terminally unlucky it seems, even when 'making his own luck' like he did in the 4X worlds by leading the first straight, someone manages to mess it up for him. No way he was on for the gold in that race but a bronze medal looked pretty likely to me.
 
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Gobig

Chimp
May 10, 2007
53
0
I was hoping Graves would get Gold and the USA would get silver and bronze. No doubt Maris Strombergs and Mike Day were fast all day. But sometimes, the fastest rider doesn't always win. It's about being smart, being comfortable riding in a pack, being able to stragetize on the fly and being aggressive when the time calls for it. I just don't think Graves has as much experience riding in Packs of 8 and a number of other skills like the other guys do. I think it's all experience and he'll get it eventually. He's learning and getting better. I don't look for him to repeat the same mistakes he made this year next year. IMO, Graves is the single most talented overall rider in the world. Call me a Graves Fanboy too. It takes someone who is awfully special to be a world class rider in DH, MX and BMX. Last year, he was the only rider in the world to participate in 3 of Cycling worlds competitions - DH, MX and BMX. I have replayed the video number of times and I see some opportunity for Graves to have put himself pretty much in the lead to stay. When he came out turn one in the lead if he had swung over to his right and cut off the charging pack and slowed them down he would have been by himself in the lead in turn 2. There are other opportunities for him to have been in a better position in turn 2. If he had swung over and been on the right side line instead of mid track to a little bit left. He had LOADS of opportunity to stragetize on the fly in the 2nd straight and put himself in a better position for turn 2, but he didn't do so. He kept his line. Just as he did at MTB worlds and it cost him. AGAIN.

FWIW, it's just my opinion. What do you guys think??

Hay Buddy . I agree on alot you say about JG the only guy in 3 sports. He has come a hell off a long way in bmx in so little time. Maybe the quickest transition in history and only cross over i have ever seen in Pro bmx racing at the top level coming form a different sport.
He has not really even done a full year in bmx so he's on track to winning some titles.
I do think like you said if he had exited turn one and gone right it might of worked but would of been VERY aggressive if he had. DR went super tight which was the main reason JG crashed. Remember it was the Olympics everyone was going balls out.
Maybe if he got more a pump on the first 2 sets out turn 1 he might of been in a better position in turn 2 but still he rode great. ( just bad luck ) Just lacking a bit off experience on title races. It will come around he's young and wants it.
As for the 4x Worlds. While you had idiots like Phil Sax building short 1st straights with quick 180 turns , moves like that in the 4x Worlds Main will always happen. No matter who it is!
 

aj-monkey

Monkey
Oct 11, 2007
225
0
Squampton, BC
Um how is that not getting caught up in the crowd? If he was in front that wouldn't have happened.
Thats BS! The same exact thing could've happened had he been in first place! It's a given he wasn't gunna take gold. However his goal was to medal, so he would've been stoked with bronze and it was a definate possibility. He definately has some bad luck!
His time will come.
 

RaID

Turbo Monkey
as much as i was devostated for graves while watching it race, its unfortunate incident
as the cliche goes

thats racing

you win some, you loose some, you get taken out in others. Unfortunately he has had the bad luck side of things, not much you can do about that
 

LMC

Monkey
Dec 10, 2006
683
1
Hay Buddy . I agree on alot you say about JG the only guy in 3 sports. He has come a hell off a long way in bmx in so little time. Maybe the quickest transition in history and only cross over i have ever seen in Pro bmx racing at the top level coming form a different sport.
He has not really even done a full year in bmx so he's on track to winning some titles.
I do think like you said if he had exited turn one and gone right it might of worked but would of been VERY aggressive if he had. DR went super tight which was the main reason JG crashed. Remember it was the Olympics everyone was going balls out.
Maybe if he got more a pump on the first 2 sets out turn 1 he might of been in a better position in turn 2 but still he rode great. ( just bad luck ) Just lacking a bit off experience on title races. It will come around he's young and wants it.
As for the 4x Worlds. While you had idiots like Phil Sax building short 1st straights with quick 180 turns , moves like that in the 4x Worlds Main will always happen. No matter who it is!
he actually started out as a bmx'er, and raced bmx for a number of years before crossing over to MTB
 

ReVolVeRage

Monkey
Dec 28, 2006
165
0
MD/ NYC
I was really sad about Graves losing, but having Jimmy Page play at the closing ceremony COMPLETELY made up for it.


Whole Lot of Love, FTW.
 

stiksandstones

Turbo Monkey
May 21, 2002
5,078
25
Orange, Ca
The irony of me being called a fanboy when you are speaking so fondly of "a wise man" whom we all know the identity of. :biggrin:
I know you think you know...but feel free to play next time.

The wise man I am speaking of is an old motocross champ friend of mine.



Oh, and Graves for president.
 

Gobig

Chimp
May 10, 2007
53
0
he actually started out as a bmx'er, and raced bmx for a number of years before crossing over to MTB
Sure he did. But what im saying it;s not like he took a year or 2 out to race MTB then got back into it. I think i read somewere he raced as a kid.