Team Announcement for XCO World Champs – Nové Mēsto (CZE)

I think the real story here is not who wasn't selected to go .Having watched the ELITE mens race on Sunday not one of our riders have the ability to compete at an international level due to not being exposed to that competition on a regular basis.JR completed 5 laps before he was pulled out....that's embarrassing for us who have believed that he was "so good" here.Against the best in the world we just do not have the ability people.Lets accept that and rather focus locally,or better still,lets groom the youngsters from school level to ensure we have decent strength coming up through the age groups.Internationally the rest are on another level and we are nowhere close to that unfortunately.  

I think the real story here is not who wasn't selected to go .Having watched the ELITE mens race on Sunday not one of our riders have the ability to compete at an international level due to not being exposed to that competition on a regular basis.JR completed 5 laps before he was pulled out....that's embarrassing for us who have believed that he was "so good" here.Against the best in the world we just do not have the ability people.Lets accept that and rather focus locally,or better still,lets groom the youngsters from school level to ensure we have decent strength coming up through the age groups.Internationally the rest are on another level and we are nowhere close to that unfortunately.  

and very sad to think, that he's actually our best by far...

Buys will do 4 laps, and Sipho will pulled from start line

I think the real story here is not who wasn't selected to go .Having watched the ELITE mens race on Sunday not one of our riders have the ability to compete at an international level due to not being exposed to that competition on a regular basis.JR completed 5 laps before he was pulled out....that's embarrassing for us who have believed that he was "so good" here.Against the best in the world we just do not have the ability people.Lets accept that and rather focus locally,or better still,lets groom the youngsters from school level to ensure we have decent strength coming up through the age groups.Internationally the rest are on another level and we are nowhere close to that unfortunately.

and very sad to think, that he's actually our best by far...

 

Buys will do 4 laps, and Sipho will pulled from start line

Au contraire - Sipho did us proud at world champs last year: http://mtbcrosscountry.com/races/uci-mtb-world-championships-xco-xce-xcr-dhi-2015/men-elite/#

Him and William were 94th and 95th out of 98 finishers.

Bring back the dopers!

Au contraire - Sipho did us proud at world champs last year: http://mtbcrosscountry.com/races/uci-mtb-world-championships-xco-xce-xcr-dhi-2015/men-elite/#

 

Him and William were 94th and 95th out of 98 finishers.

world cups used to have qualification races the day before, usually only a couple laps, so you had a limited number of starters on actual race day.

and that was when courses were longer,

now they are shorter, more technical and more people on the start line. bad combo.

Au contraire - Sipho did us proud at world champs last year: http://mtbcrosscountry.com/races/uci-mtb-world-championships-xco-xce-xcr-dhi-2015/men-elite/#

 

Him and William were 94th and 95th out of 98 finishers.

our ladies didn't do much better 50 and 52 out of 55 http://mtbcrosscountry.com/races/uci-mtb-world-championships-xco-xce-xcr-dhi-2015/women-elite/#

interesting looking at the team rankings - croeser doesn't add any points currently, but if you look at the end of 2015, we were ranked 8th (and philip buys didn't actually contribute - reid, beukes, croeser only). (if you go all the way back to 2012 - we were ranked 7th, and that's with Burry adding his bucketload as world #2)

We also throw away 100 points for both mens and ladies by not competing in the african team relays (lesotho, bots, zim and nam got those all wrapped up).

http://www.uci.ch/mountain-bike/ranking/

The women didn't meet the Olympic qualifying criteria to go to RIO. According to Nation rankings we can't send a female to RIO.

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its all a big smoke and mirrors pony show. Give younf Reid chance and he will work his way up the rankings. he was in and around the top 20 in his final year of juniors so lets hope he works hard and in 4 yours time he will be at that position for the 2020 Olympics...but if we cant even be arsed to send a girl to worlds now then I highly doubt any of our riders will get the support they need

You're referencing the points system. However I was under the impression that both ladies still have a chance to qualify as their Israeli team mate is busy doing. Sure the fact that Mariske missed much of last year's WC events due to her being injured doesn't help and neither does it seem that there's proper communications with them as well as their race schedule was based on getting to both World Champs and Rio.

 

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Wonder if they even ever sent them mails saying.. in order to qualify this and that needs to happen, and in order to do so, let's make sure x amount of riders are competing at these x races.

But as with a lot of sport it seems they really don't want the athletes to succeed..(example women's hockey)

The Olympics is the pinnacle for athletes and country.

the criteria should be as follows:

Question 1:

Are you based overseas and racing your ass off every weekend?

Question 2:

What size bib are you (cos that's all we are providing)

the criteria should be as follows:

 

Question 1:

 

Are you based overseas and racing your ass off every weekend?

 

Question 2:

 

What size bib are you (cos that's all we are providing)

Glad you're assuming they provide the bib !!!!

With regards to Rio: SA qualifed two men but the women (and I include all SA women, not only those hoping to be in the team) simply never got enough UCI points and so did not qualify (they had one spot via African Champs but Sascoc's ruling -- as agreed by CSA -- is that African qualification would not count. This is the same reason the men's and women's hockey teams will not be in Rio, they both qualified as African champs but that is not good enough for Sascoc). Mariske was injured which was a huge blow as she is a regular competitor at World Cups where loads of points are available. But Candice Neethling and Bianca Haw did not (as far as I know) compete overseas at all over the past two years. I have to wonder if the decision by Sascoc did not play a part in de-motivating them? Cherie Vale picked a few points but one person will always struggle unless she is top and there are simply not enough points available from local events (and rightly so I believe -- riders must compete overseas).

This team is for World Champs and I believe the criteria are too strict if no women are able / prepared to qualify (either way it indicates a problem in my mind).

The MTB Marathon team is made up of only one rider, Robyn de Groot with ALL the men also failing to meet the selection criteria. Again, I believe there must be a problem with the criteria if nobody is able / prepared to qualify.

In my humble opinion the best way to encourage sportsmen is to give them a goal. How can you develop a sport if the selection criteria is so tough nobody wants to or is able to qualify. A development rider will see no MTB teams being selected and look to the road or another sport, an elite rider will do the same or race the Epic and plan other events.

I am sure CSA has a strategy but it is my belief that it is maybe not working.

I wonder how many CSA/Sascoc Officials will go to the Worlds and Rio?

With regards to Rio: SA qualifed two men but the women (and I include all SA women, not only those hoping to be in the team) simply never got enough UCI points and so did not qualify (they had one spot via African Champs but Sascoc's ruling -- as agreed by CSA -- is that African qualification would not count. This is the same reason the men's and women's hockey teams will not be in Rio, they both qualified as African champs but that is not good enough for Sascoc). Mariske was injured which was a huge blow as she is a regular competitor at World Cups where loads of points are available. But Candice Neethling and Bianca Haw did not (as far as I know) compete overseas at all over the past two years. I have to wonder if the decision by Sascoc did not play a part in de-motivating them? Cherie Vale picked a few points but one person will always struggle unless she is top and there are simply not enough points available from local events (and rightly so I believe -- riders must compete overseas).

 

This team is for World Champs and I believe the criteria are too strict if no women are able / prepared to qualify (either way it indicates a problem in my mind).

 

The MTB Marathon team is made up of only one rider, Robyn de Groot with ALL the men also failing to meet the selection criteria. Again, I believe there must be a problem with the criteria if nobody is able / prepared to qualify.

 

In my humble opinion the best way to encourage sportsmen is to give them a goal. How can you develop a sport if the selection criteria is so tough nobody wants to or is able to qualify. A development rider will see no MTB teams being selected and look to the road or another sport, an elite rider will do the same or race the Epic and plan other events.

 

I am sure CSA has a strategy but it is my belief that it is maybe not working.

See post above...

here is olympic mtb qualifying according to wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_at_the_2016_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Qualification#Women.27s_cross-country_race

which comes from here - http://www.uci.ch/mm/Document/News/NewsGeneral/16/76/10/2014-04-Rio2016-QualificationSystem-FINAL-CyclingMountainBike-EN_Neutral.pdf

so sitting at #17, the men can only send one person unless they get to #13 by the cut-off (which i think is actually today)

the women in #20 will not qualify for a slot (they need to be at 17).

so here's what i think the african representation at the olympics will be

MEN:

RSA(UCI rank-17) - 1

Mauritius (48) - 1

Rwanda (78) - 1

WOMEN:

RSA(uci rank 20) - 0

Namibia (39) - 1

The RSA men are ranked 11th (according to http://www.uci.ch/mountain-bike/ranking/ ) You must look at Olympic qualification (2015/2016) not just 2016 cross country ranking.

In the mens, teams ranked from 6-13 may send 2 athletes.

So RSA can send 2 men.

Seems like there is zero communication with the riders.

 

Wonder if they even ever sent them mails saying.. in order to qualify this and that needs to happen, and in order to do so, let's make sure x amount of riders are competing at these x races.

 

But as with a lot of sport it seems they really don't want the athletes to succeed..(example women's hockey)

 

The Olympics is the pinnacle for athletes and country.

Well seeing as Sascoc invited Cherie to a Team SA Rio meeting a little earlier in the year (around Feb iirc) it's a given they were never told this. Or Sascoc thought that CSA informed them. Either way you're completely right zero communications whatsoever. What is doubly disappointing is that Cherie had worked hard to get herself onto the OMX team and had raced some of the 2014 World Cups on the back of her photography income (she is an amazing photographer). So I guess it is a good question to ask why aren't more of the girls and guys giving it a go.

Bianca Haw has talent and seemingly parents with the financial means to send her to race in Europe and yet that is not the case. Candice Neethling is good as well but again not racing in Europe and much the same can be said for Francis Du Toit of Kargo Racing. I respect Mariske and Cherie for busting their gut and getting out there and racing in Europe. High time the others did too. Same goes for the men. Much has been made of the talent of Reid and Hatherly but neither are racing in Europe. Our Mountain bike boys and girls need to realise that there isn't a Doug Ryder that's going to get a SA team going and get it into Europe and racing and no sponsor is going to risk supporting an athlete new to European racing. In short as heavily discussed already they need to do it themselves. Essentially if the athletes want things to change they literally need to do what Ryk and Roeland (our Olympic swimmers and gold medalists) did and get overseas results to force support from their federation and the sports ministry. Too happy to be big fish in a small pond!

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With regards to Rio: SA qualifed two men but the women (and I include all SA women, not only those hoping to be in the team) simply never got enough UCI points and so did not qualify (they had one spot via African Champs but Sascoc's ruling -- as agreed by CSA -- is that African qualification would not count. This is the same reason the men's and women's hockey teams will not be in Rio, they both qualified as African champs but that is not good enough for Sascoc). Mariske was injured which was a huge blow as she is a regular competitor at World Cups where loads of points are available. But Candice Neethling and Bianca Haw did not (as far as I know) compete overseas at all over the past two years. I have to wonder if the decision by Sascoc did not play a part in de-motivating them? Cherie Vale picked a few points but one person will always struggle unless she is top and there are simply not enough points available from local events (and rightly so I believe -- riders must compete overseas).

 

This team is for World Champs and I believe the criteria are too strict if no women are able / prepared to qualify (either way it indicates a problem in my mind).

 

The MTB Marathon team is made up of only one rider, Robyn de Groot with ALL the men also failing to meet the selection criteria. Again, I believe there must be a problem with the criteria if nobody is able / prepared to qualify.

 

In my humble opinion the best way to encourage sportsmen is to give them a goal. How can you develop a sport if the selection criteria is so tough nobody wants to or is able to qualify. A development rider will see no MTB teams being selected and look to the road or another sport, an elite rider will do the same or race the Epic and plan other events.

 

I am sure CSA has a strategy but it is my belief that it is maybe not working.

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Amazing our lot seem desperate not to send athletes to RIO and then you have Slovakia who are desperate to get more to RIO[emoji12]

http://cyclingtips.com/2016/05/sagan-seeking-wildcard-spot-for-cross-country-mtb-at-rio-olympics/

I wonder how many CSA/Sascoc Officials will go to the Worlds and Rio?

The answer to that is easy: ALL OF THEM. No way those fat, bloated, entitled varkies are going to miss an opportunity to spend money that could be used for athlete development.

here is olympic mtb qualifying according to wikipedia

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cycling_at_the_2016_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Qualification#Women.27s_cross-country_race

 

 

which comes from here - http://www.uci.ch/mm/Document/News/NewsGeneral/16/76/10/2014-04-Rio2016-QualificationSystem-FINAL-CyclingMountainBike-EN_Neutral.pdf

 

so sitting at #17, the men can only send one person unless they get to #13 by the cut-off (which i think is actually today)

the women in #20 will not qualify for a slot (they need to be at 17).

so here's what i think the african representation at the olympics will be

 

MEN:

RSA(UCI rank-17) - 1

Mauritius (48) - 1

Rwanda (78) - 1

 

WOMEN:

RSA(uci rank 20) - 0

Namibia (39) - 1

That is not correct ...

Men 11th (two at Rio) -- I would suspect James Reid, Philip Buys or Alan Hatherly (Philip may fall foul of Sascoc's desire to build for the future but that is pure speculation on my part and unlikely)

Women 21st (none) -- but women won African champs so qualify one, but Sascoc has turned that position down and it has gone to Namibia (I think)

Of course this is all presuming Sascoc accept the places but I cannot see why they would not and I think they have an agreement with CSA signed and sealed -- so expect two men MTB riders.

That is not correct ...

 

Men 11th (two at Rio) -- I would suspect James Reid, Philip Buys or Alan Hatherly (Philip may fall foul of Sascoc's desire to build for the future but that is pure speculation on my part and unlikely)

Women 21st (none) -- but women won African champs so qualify one, but Sascoc has turned that position down and it has gone to Namibia (I think)

 

Of course this is all presuming Sascoc accept the places but I cannot see why they would not and I think they have an agreement with CSA signed and sealed -- so expect two men MTB riders.

This always dents my logic cells.

Build for the future at the Olympics? Surely we build for the future at nationals and some rounds of the world cup?

Olympics and World Champs are for the okes that are at career peaks!