MADRID, July 15 (Xinhua) -- Cycling is unlike most other sports as it is almost a paradox, being an "individual competition that is run by teams," and that is one thing that makes the Olympic cycling road race such a difficult race.
That's the view of Julian Eraso, President of the Organization of Cyclists in Euskadi (Basque Region) OCETA, who spoke to Xinhua ahead of the Paris Olympic Games.
Eraso is the director of the Itzulia (Tour of the Basque Region) which is one of the most important week-long 'stage races' in Spain, as well as the Clasica San Sebastian, which is the country's biggest one-day race, and at over 230 kilometers in distance, similar to the challenge riders will face in Paris.
Eraso explained that the men's road-race in Paris was "273 km in length, with 2,800 meters of accumulated climbing" and as such is "very similar to the great one-day classics."
However, Eraso pointed out there are important differences between the Olympic Race and other races.
"In normal competitions there are 175 riders, but in the Olympics there are just 90, with a maximum of four team members and a minimum of just one."
"This means the strongest countries are also the teams with more members and they can do a better job of defending their best riders," he continued.
Eraso highlighted "Belgium, Denmark, Slovenia, Great Britain and France," as the main teams, who have the "best cyclists [Tadej Pogacar, Remco Evenepoel, Tom Pidcock, Christophe Laporte and Jonas Vingegaard]."
He told Xinhua it would "seem like a failure" if these riders didn't dispute the medal placings, but highlighted that Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Australia and the USA also have good riders, who "know how to ride in the peloton and take advantage of the slipstream of the strongest teams."
"That is how Richard Carapaz [of Ecuador] won in Tokyo," he said, adding that the Spanish trio of Juan Ayuso, Alex Aramburu and Oier Lazkano were "young, strong riders, who have to be intelligent and take advantage of the work of other teams."
Eraso explained the women's race is 158 kilometers long, with the Netherlands, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland and Poland all allowed four riders, and predicted Dutch rider Demi Vollering would win gold, with Elisa Longo Borghini (Italy) and Lotte Kopecki (Belgium) to also make the podium.
Meanwhile, a flat time-trial will favor "riders with more power" and that should suit Evenepoel, Wout Van Aert and Filippo Ganna in the men's race, with Vollering, Kopecki and Marlem Reusser of Switzerland in the women's time-trial. ■
