going by that it would be a multi-eventer every year,, meh, if she wins the Olympics ashe'll have a chance she'll probably need another injury from Anna Hall, well done EarpsKJT robbed - she had to be good at 7 sports and everyone else only had to be good at 1
Think the Cavendish one seems worse in hindsight given how successful we've been in road cycling since then. All those stage wins came at a time when British success in road cycling felt pretty novel.2010 would be another slightly questionable one with McCoy winning it as he won the Grand National that year. But like Giggs, it was more to reflect on an incredible career. I'm still not sure about Cavendish in 2011 either, a man who won lots of individual races but not actual Tours.
3 female winners in a row (weird to think Raducanu won the US Open). The previous one was Tindall.
Pleased to see McIlroy didn't bother attending (even though he was in Liverpool on Sunday). The BBC have abandoned golf (they didn't even nominate the US Open winner Fitzpatrick the previous year), so no point him turning up.
Another who should've been nominated was Josh Kerr. Remember when we used to worship our middle distance runners, now a World Championship 1500m gold doesn't even get you noticed.
There were 4 different cyclist winners from 2008-18. It seems we've now lost those 'marginal gains'.Think the Cavendish one seems worse in hindsight given how successful we've been in road cycling since then. All those stage wins came at a time when British success in road cycling felt pretty novel.
The only one before Cavendish was Hoy, a track cyclist. While men's track cycling and road cycling have a lot more overlap now there was very little overlap pre Cavendish. You are still looking at it with hindsight, and including Hoy when I had already specified road cycling is a tad disingenuous IMO.There were 4 different cyclist winners from 2008-18. It seems we've now lost those 'marginal gains'.
For his services to women's boxing?Also Giggs getting it at the end of his career in a year where he didn't do a lot.
I'd say the overlap was Brailsford who had a big impact in all of those winners. That period is also now somewhat tainted too.The only one before Cavendish was Hoy, a track cyclist. While men's track cycling and road cycling have a lot more overlap now there was very little overlap pre Cavendish. You are still looking at it with hindsight, and including Hoy when I had already specified road cycling is a tad disingenuous IMO.
Edit: There was definitely some overlap between Belgian classics specialists and six day events but the six day events didn't have much overlap with Olympic style track cycling either so that's neither here nor there
Cavendish was HTC in that 2008-11 period which culminated in the award. His sky year was the year after and it felt like he was a bit of an outsider there despite his long term friendship with Wiggins. I would agree that the mountain and time-trial specialists of the Brailsford era may well have been up to something but lumping Cavendish in with them is lazy.I'd say the overlap was Brailsford who had a big impact in all of those winners. That period is also now somewhat tainted too.
He won 3 Madison World Championships on the Track, 2 of which were smack bang in the Brailsford era. I think he would have undoubtedly benefitted from his period around GB Cycling in the noughties.Cavendish was HTC in that 2008-11 period which culminated in the award. His sky year was the year after and it felt like he was a bit of an outsider there despite his long term friendship with Wiggins. I would agree that the mountain and time-trial specialists of the Brailsford era may well have been up to something but lumping Cavendish in with them is lazy.
The Madison is a crazy discipline where positioning and execution of slingshots in addition to having at least one rider who is a good natural sprinter(Cavendish himself) are the keys to winning. Not really something that can be affected too much by 'marginal gains' compared to other disciplines imo.He won 3 Madison World Championships on the Track, 2 of which were smack bang in the Brailsford era. I think he would have undoubtedly benefitted from his period around GB Cycling in the noughties.
I have no idea what they were all up to then and what exactly those 'marginal gains' were, but the Wiggins SPOTY win in particular now stinks (far more so than the others I'd agree).
I doubt Morgan and Virgil would be too disappointed either.Guess the winners great grandad Wyatt will be proud.
Awful year if she wins it for that to be honest.