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Noticed this complaint about BMX in Velonews

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
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A mistake of Olympic proportion

Editor,
I can't believe the kilo is being dropped from the Olympic games in favor of BMX!

Is this decision absolute? I've got nothing against BMX. In fact, I raced BMX as a kid before I grew up and raced on the velodrome. What are the tree-trunk-legged kilo specialists to do in 2008?
Erik Voldengen
Portland, Oregon


Learn how to dirt jump?
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
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All I know about the Kilo, it is like a one man sprint. Hmm, 25 guys riding a dirt course vs. 1 rider around the velodrome?
 

Dirt Merchant

Monkey
Oct 16, 2003
247
0
Hilton, NY
"Hmm, 25 guys riding a dirt course vs. 1 rider around the velodrome?"

That must be one mutha of a gate. There are more BMX tracks than velodromes,
so it does make sense.
 

BadFastard

Monkey
Jan 29, 2002
121
0
Belgium
PLEASE for the love of god, let DH never be a Olympic sport.
Granted it may add to the hard earned recognition our sport deserves, but we're having more than enough trouble with UCI, let alone with IOC.
 

Echo

crooked smile
Jul 10, 2002
11,819
15
Slacking at work
DH and BMX are about the only two cycling disciplines where 100% of the field isn't using EPO. At least they got it half right.
 

Leethal

Turbo Monkey
Oct 27, 2001
1,240
0
Avondale (Phoenix)
I think it is funny there are complaining now, it has been widely know for about 2 years that Track cycling was losing two events....Perhaps they had not determined which two but it should be a surprise... I am happy BMX is finally getting in although it should have happened 12 years ago...
 

math2014

wannabe curb dropper
Sep 2, 2003
1,198
0
I want to move to BC!!!
Well i would very much like to see DH instead of Xc in the olympics....

I ve watched live the XC race in the last olympics and i didnt like it much even though the course was technical.
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
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Dirt Merchant said:
"Hmm, 25 guys riding a dirt course vs. 1 rider around the velodrome?"

That must be one mutha of a gate. There are more BMX tracks than velodromes,
so it does make sense.
Sorry, I don't know much about BMX racing. How large is an International start?
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
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Yeah, those guys are using THC to enhance their performance. Ban them and the snowboarders too.
 

Dirt Merchant

Monkey
Oct 16, 2003
247
0
Hilton, NY
"and huge fitness to race DH BMX. Plus, TV loves it!"

I dunno. For some reason those little 20" bikes look silly on those big super-tracks.
I would much rather watch DH racing. With tons of cameras, and time splits, etc.
Silly Rabbit, BMX is for kids.
 

axlvid23

Monkey
Jun 1, 2003
373
0
Littleton
math2014 said:
Well i would very much like to see DH instead of Xc in the olympics....

I ve watched live the XC race in the last olympics and i didnt like it much even though the course was technical.
Sure, It's not great to watch...

Having raced DH and XC for the past 4 years, I can honestly say that XC racing encompasses more of the actual sport of mountain biking than does DH...Plus it's actually a test of BOTH physical endurance and skill....With the exception of a very serious few, DH is comprised of a bunch of partying hooligans(I'm one of these) and we have no place in the olympics.
 

sanjuro

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Sep 13, 2004
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I think the biggest problem with the Olympic XC courses is how unchallenging they are. I remember Atlanta was particularily dull.

Maybe if they built them without spectators in mind, we can have some harder courses.
 

axlvid23

Monkey
Jun 1, 2003
373
0
Littleton
sanjuro said:
I think the biggest problem with the Olympic XC courses is how unchallenging they are. I remember Atlanta was particularily dull.

Maybe if they built them without spectators in mind, we can have some harder courses.
very true, they should be a test of how well rounded a rider is...

Should test: technical ability, strength, climbing, sprinting, finesse, among other things. So basically long grueling steep technical climbs with a DH that would be at least very difficult to ride on a XC bike...40+ miles...perfect
 

sanjuro

Tube Smuggler
Sep 13, 2004
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The plan for the NYC Olympic bid was to build the XC course on Fresh Kills Garbage Dump in Staten Island. I am not kidding.