What was the highlight of the week in cycling? Between the track world championships in Melbourne and Tom Boonen’s spectacular victory at Paris-Roubaix, it’s difficult to pick a single moment, such was the quality of racing we’ve seen.
In Melbourne, the ongoing rivalry between the British and Australian track cycling squads built up even further, while the French and Germans popped up to remind the Anglophones not to get cocky.
While finishing on top of the final medal tally is a great result, the sand in the oyster for the Australian squad is that the British team had the better of the events that feature in the Olympics.
For my money, Anna Meares was the outstanding athlete of the week. Meares is a non-stop highlight reel on fast-forward. Her relentless desire to win, overcoming early disappointments in the team and individual sprints to finish with two gold medals (Keirin and 500m time trial) and two world records, was inspirational.
Cameron Meyer’s astonishing ride to win the points race, taking a lap off the field in the nick of time, despite being heavily marked, was enough to get GreenEDGE fans salivating. The guy is so talented it’s almost scary. Another contender for highlight of the week.
Now, I was lucky enough to be in the velodrome to watch the men’s teams pursuit final, a pulsating battle between Australia and eventual winners Great Britain. Both teams went under the previous world record. Only one of them could win. It was epic (even if I was forced to listen to God Save The Queen).
The team sprints were also compelling viewing: the Australian women’s team was beaten by a seemingly shocked German pair who also broke the world record (twice).
The Australian men won their gold medal by the closest possible margin: finishing a mere one-thousandth of a second ahead of France. This event will be incredibly closely fought between Australia, France, Germany and Great Britain at the Olympics.
Glenn O’Shea’s victory in the omnium was also immensely promising, as was the Hepburn-Bobridge double act in the individual pursuit. It’s a crying shame that the IP is no longer an Olympic event.
Now, onto the road.
In last week’s column I asked, “Can anyone beat Boonen at Paris-Roubaix?” and went on to waste 500 words discussing the potential challengers to the Belgian. In hindsight, I could have just written “No” and put my feet up, such was the dominance of his victory.
Although it made for something of a one-dimensional race, there was joy in the knowledge that we were witnessing one of the great classics performances of the decade as Boonen simply destroyed his rivals over the pave.
Surely Boonen is getting sick of winning?
The good news for everyone who isn’t Tom Boonen is that next Sunday’s Amstel Gold Race, the first of the so-called Ardennes Classics, is a very different race to Paris-Roubaix: hillier, and without the vicious cobbled sections.
After this week’s endless series of highlights, it may be a little easier to choose a best moment next week.
Felix Lowe
Expert
I do like this banter. I've learnt to tailor my writing depending on whichever audience i'm targeting. For example, when I write for The Roar, Simon Gerrans's Milan-San Remo win was a piece of tactical genius - but when I'm writing my weekly column for Eurosport as Blazin' Saddles I just joke about him hitching a ride in the Cancellara Taxi... But seriously, as Tim says, it's all swings and roundabouts at this stage. Who knows how the athletes will perform come London 2012. In any case, the London World Cup will have been a better indicator than the Worlds in Melbourne - but there's still quite a few months to go. What's more, the one-athlete-per-nation rule for each event category will certainly have its say in how things pan out. Anyway, enjoy the Amstel Gold this weekend - because Andy Schleck won't...
Tom callaghan
Guest
Oh but Tim... You are not comparing like with like. At least Pendleton supplemented the DQs with wins against Meares and Krupecaite. I'm not so sure that the contest in the velodrome will be close given the trend in results at London world cup and in Melbourne.defeats just now after months of having it ther own way. I think its significant that the 'boy band' pursuiters and Meares have suffered
Tim Renowden
Expert
Ah yeah, but Pendleton only won her sprint gold because Meares and Krupeckaite were DQed, and as Felix says, "rules are rules". It's swings and roundabouts. The Aus team didn't dominate like they did last year, but nor did GB dominate like they did in Beijing. It's set up for a closely fought Olympics, for sure. A lot can happen in three months. I don't really have a view on Trenton Oldfield or rowing in general. I don't follow the sport at all.
Tom callaghan
Guest
Thanks for the reply Tim, You are right that there is an elitist streak in British society and I suppose Trenton Oldfield's education at SHORE equipped him well to expose it. I take your point that the Australian men's sprint team qualified above the British team on the night but I'm not sure that they could be regarded as generally superior to that of Britain and my case still stands that one of Australia's three Olympic category golds was attained due to the disqualification of a superior team even if we say that this was the German team. This seems to be quite a decline since the eight golds -six Olympic category-gained at Appledorn in 2011. I also take your point on the foreign scholarship lads in the Oxbridge teams but don't think there are any of these in the UK rowing team that has been so dominant at world and Olympic level for so long. Britannia rules the waves!
Tim Renowden
Expert
Hi Tom, Thanks for you comment :) There's a few things here that I'll answer, and a couple I'm not touching (the Ashes, for one): - the first is a point of detail: the men's team sprint gold came about through the DQ of only ONE superior team (Germany: 43.349), as the GB team (43.533) qualified in fourth place, below the Australians (43.512). So Australia was lucky to be in the final. But they still defeated France, who were the fastest qualifiers, so well done to them. - As to whether I'm worried? Well, as I said in the column, this event will be extremely tight between the four nations at the top. The Aussie team management said before the world champs began that they considered the team sprint squad to be a "work in progress", so there's no doubt that to win a gold medal was more of a bonus than an expected result. The Olympics will be close between first and fourth and who knows which way it'll go. Put it this way, I'm not losing sleep over it. I'll leave that to the high performance managers. Now, I don't know much about rowing but I do know that most of the Oxbridge rowers are on scholarships from Europe, America or Aus/NZ (only 5/16 rowers, excluding coxes because they just have to be small, in the two squads were British) so I definitely agree with you that sending an activist flopping about in the Thames is not the best way to intimidate the GB Olympic squad. Pointing out that British society has an elitist streak is hardly going to startle anyone, either.
Tom callaghan
Guest
Nice one Tim. Glad to read that you appreciated the significance of GB winning the Olympic category events When I watched all that British success in the Hisense arena I was transported back to 2011 and the England cricket teams comprehensive victory in the last Ashes series. Tim, Weren't you just a tad worried that one of Australia's cycling golds in te Hisense came through a disqualification of two superior teams in the men's sprint? And Tim, What did you make of Trenton Oldfield's stunt in the Thames...? Look I know that Australia's rowers are running scared of the British rowing team but there must be a better way to try and beat them, don't you think?
liquorbox_
Guest
that was the best ride of the week and certainly a highlight. I think that Anna's immense speed was also telling, she has the speed to beat every woman she competes agains, and in London I think she will win everything she competes in. Tactics make a difference, but her speed is something you cant buy
Glen Maher
Guest
Boonen's win is one for the ages. For the guy who can outsprint all the contenders to decide to go out from 50km and do it comfortably is astounding. The field was much weaker this year, with Cancellara injured and other contenders not in form, but i doubt anyone could have beat Boonen this week. I didn't see much of the world championships, but Cameron Meyers win in the points race was thrilling viewing. It was that close in getting the lap, and he got the successful attack just in time. That kid has such a bright future, and it's fantastic he's on the greenedge squad. He is so versatile and it will be interesting to see where he targets his talents in the next few years.
Downisthenewup
Guest
1. Boonen 2. Hoy Keiren win. 3. Meares whole week.
Tim Renowden
Expert
It's the combination of "poor little innocent me" while verballing her rivals that gets to me. I spent a few years living in the UK and I can smell a patronising "you dreadful unsophisticated colonials" backhander a mile off. Pendleton dishes them out like a pro. I don't like to see contests decided by the judges, unless there's a clear interference/contact.
Felix Lowe
Expert
Rules are rules, mind (ha, you can tell I'm a Brit!!). That said, you're right about Pendleton's demeanour... she certainly likes to play the victim card a little too much for my liking.
Tim Renowden
Expert
Ben Swift's scratch race (and the charge for the finish from the South African) was another cracker.
Tim Renowden
Expert
I confess I didn't see it live, so perhaps my excitement was dimmed. Hoy is a machine. There were many other awesome races this week that I just didn't have time to mention, too.
Tim Renowden
Expert
Pendleton is nowhere near my highlights list. Firstly, because she only won because her opponents kept getting relegated for very minor infractions, and secondly because I simply can't abide her butter-wouldn't-melt-in-her-mouth attitude.
Felix Lowe
Expert
No mention of Chris Hoy's astonishing move to win the men's keirin final, breaking through the narrowest of gaps to come back from fifth place around the final bend? Even the Australian crowd in Melbourne were off their feet and applauding the Flying Scotsman!!
Bob
Guest
I think Boonen's win was the best by far. That was an exceptional ride to really put the icing on a wonderful career. It was a really ballsy ride that will intimidate his rivals for the next eleven months. With the Flanders win, Boonen has joined the greats. After Roubaix, he's cemented his place. Next best would be Pendleton in the match sprint.
Justin Curran
Guest
I was pumping for Thor the whole way, and he was looking good until an untimely fall resulted in curtains for him. Given Boonan's outrageous form, it seems unlikely Thor could have gone with him anyway. Hopefully Gilbert can strike some form in the Ardennes classics.