Jasper Stuyven on lower number of participants at Paris Olympics: "It's losing a lot of value for cyclists"

Jasper Stuyven believes that the decision to decrease the men’s field to 90 riders in the Olympic Games road race in Paris is a mistake and that some of the shine has been lost concerning the event.

"By bringing the size of the peloton down, the Olympic Games are losing a lot of value for cyclists because it’s not a cycling race anymore," he told GCN at the Lidl-Trek training camp in Calpe, Spain.

"Just to make it equal with the peloton of the women is just…. We have to do 290km with 90 riders, so I think it should be bike racing and not just thinking about having the same amount of competitors as the women."

"You can’t control that. It could be finished after 10 minutes. It could be like Worlds with a peloton going nuts or it could be a super boring race. After 10km, if riders from Belgium, and the Dutch go clear, and if eight riders attack who is going to chase? If one country misses it who will try and pull it back with just a few riders? It could be a race of eight guys from 20km. It’s just not nice for 90 riders. It’s a pity that this decision has been made but we have to deal with it and still try and make the team. I’d still love to go."