Does anyone know if Lance is competing in the olympics this year in Athens? And if so, how does everything think he will fare?
I dont think he is deciding until after the tour.
There are only 2 riders per country allowed in the Olympic TT (I believe), and there only being an Olympics every 4 years I think Lance will definately go for it this year, as well as Tyler. They will both be too old in '08 and likely retired. Lance got bronze in '00 if I recall.
He does have to be selected first. I’m not sure how USA Cycling does this.
he is qualified for oly because he won tour last year, and tyler is qualified because of his tour performance. I think there is one more person that is qualified? George H or Bobby J? Then one more spot goes to who wins oly trial in June? But im not sure how they determine who the 2 are who get to time trial, its one of the 5 that qualify. Its explained better in velonews.
Five riders will be selected for the road team. See below for criteria and current selections. From the five riders on the road team, one will be chosen by the coaches for the time trial. There is a list of criteria the coaches will use in making the selection, but it comes down to the rider they think will place highest.
from http://www.usacycling.org
Men’s Road Cycling Update
Under the first selection criteria, the winner of the Team USA Selection Race in Redlands, Calif. on June 19 will receive the first automatic nomination to the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team for the sport of men’s road cycling.
Under the second selection procedure, any athlete placing in the top three at the 2003 UCI World Road Cycling Championships in Hamilton, Canada, October 8-12, 2003 would have received a nomination. American athletes failed to meet this requirement.
The third selection criteria allows for athletes to receive automatic nominations based upon their performance in a UCI Grand Tour. Between July 1, 2003 and July 5, 2004, any athlete finishing in the top-five in the final general classification of a UCI Grand Tour will receive an automatic nomination with the highest placing given priority. Thus far, Lance Armstrong (Austin, Texas) and Tyler Hamilton (Marblehead, Mass.) have met these requirements. Armstrong placed first overall in the 2003 Tour de France and Hamilton placed fourth overall in the same event. Only this year’s Giro d’Italia, May 8-30, 2004, provides another opportunity to qualify under this selection procedure. Currently, Fred Rodriguez (Emeryville, Calif.) is the only American rider schedule to participate in the Giro d’Italia.
The fourth selection criteria allows for athletes to receive automatic nominations based upon their performance in a UCI World Cup, or 1.HC and 2.HC categorized events in 2004 prior to July 5. Any U.S. athlete finishing in the top-five in the general classification in such events will receive an automatic nomination. Thus far, Bobby Julich (Glenwood Springs, Colo.) and George Hincapie (Greenville, S.C.) have met these requirements. Julich placed third overall at Paris-Nice, a UCI 2.HC categorized event, and fourth overall at the Vuelta Ciclista a Pais Vasco, another UCI 2.HC event. Hincapie placed fifth overall at Paris-Nice. Hamilton also won the 2.HC Tour de Romandie but his performance at the 2003 Tour de France outweighs his recent performance in Switzerland.
If the team were selected today, Armstrong, Hamilton, Julich and Hincapie would receive automatic nominations in that order with the fifth spot reserved for the winner of the Team USA Selection Race. However, plenty of opportunity remains for some of America’s other top road cycling talent to stake their claim to an automatic nomination.
Four events remain on the UCI calendar that provide other American athletes with the opportunity to meet the fourth selection criteria or for the aforementioned athletes to improve their placings and thus their chances at receiving an automatic nomination. Those events are:
Giro d’ Italia (ITA) May 8-30 (GT)
Critérium du Dauphiné Libéré (FRA) June 6-13 (2.HC)
Tour de Suisse (SUI) June 12-20 (2.HC)
Volta Ciclista a Catalunya (ESP) June 14-20 (2.HC)
Aside from injuries or extreme exhaustion, Lance and Tyler will get the time trial nod; Levi has yet to prove he is even in close to the same consistent time trialling class. Same thing for the road race, Lance, Tyler, Levi–will the bad blood (at least apparent) b/w Levi and Lance be a problem–George, Bobbie, Freddy. Anyone know how many racers are allowed for the road race.
I heard 5 for the road race, that means Lance, Tyler, George, Bobby and ??? Horner?? Fast Freddy ??