Anyone go to Revolution 19?

geoff_ss

We went as usual and it was a great meeting slightly marred by the unavoidable absence of Chris Hoy due to illness (flu I think). It was the most crowded I've ever seen it. I doubt if there was an empty seat - in fact from the numbers standing round the ends I suspect there were more spectators than seats.

I'd never seen tandems race before and that was well worth the trip alone. Although I don't know Ben Swift, his parents are in our local Tandem Group so we tend to support him and he had a good night.

To cap the evening one of my 'friends' got a message passed to Hugh Porter (commentator) that it was my birthday. At least he just said it was 60 something and there was no 'Happy Birthday to you' nonsense Actually it's a fairly 'long' 60. It turned out as well, that the guy in front of us is from Coventry and had been a member of Coventry Antelope motor cycle club in the early 60s like me and we had mutual acquaintances and had ridden similar events. Small world.

Geoff

fossyant

Yep, had a good evening, even my young kids enjoyed it and didn't want to leave.

My 4 year old daughter only really wanted to see the 'girls' racing....

The sprints were awesome - 43-44 mph..... :shock:

fossyant

Classic quote from my son....

Motor paced event.....

"Dad, that man is sooo old he needs a motor bike to keep up"...had to explain.

Daughter.... (4 years old) - "That bike has two seats" for the tandems....

popette

It was my first time and I really enjoyed it. Next time I'll take my eldest two as I think they'd really enjoy it as well. From the centre, the track looks like a huge wall rearing up in front of you. I got a good look at some of the blokes warming up - what thighs!! Bos definitely didn't have pants on under his WHITE lycra suit. The tandems were amazing.
But, please explain to me, when they do the slow bicycle race at the start of some of the events - what's that all about? why all the caution? why not just blast off from the start?

Eddy S

popette wrote:

But, please explain to me, when they do the slow bicycle race at the start of some of the events - what's that all about? why all the caution? why not just blast off from the start?

Ahhh, welcome to the art and tactics of the sprint. It’s about out-whiting, out-manoeuvring your opponent, trying to get the position that lets you control the race and works best for your game plan and your strengths (and weaknesses). Do you like to lead from the front or do you like to chase and catch? Tough to make it look good in 3 up races but the guys did really well to show it at it's best in some of the rounds last night. Two- up match sprints really demonstrate the art.

You can go flat out from the whistle if you like but then it’s just called a 750m dash!

My tactics for sprinting? Now, that would be telling... 8)

Yeah, I was there too. A very good evening of racing. Just a shame about the constant smell of burger and chips and those flipping free whistles… :roll:

geoff_ss

fossyant wrote:

Classic quote from my son....

Daughter.... (4 years old) - "That bike has two seats" for the tandems....

We got bored with 'Can you ride tandem?' and 'She's not pedalling' when we were out on ours but we thought 'Hey look, dad, a stretch bike' was brilliant.

Geoff

stage_fright

As per the thread I started asking for advice on attending, my family and I came up from Hampshire and had a great evening. I thought the organisation was slick with races starting quickly after each other and the sprints in particular were dramatic and exciting (following on from Popette's post - when was track-standing banned from the sprints? The tandem guys seemed to get pretty close on a couple of occasions).

My 12-year-old daughter loved it - got Jamie Staff's autograph and just missed out on Jess Varnish - and is asking if we can go back up for the World's in March.

The three and a half hours of racing seemed to fly by - we were slighlty caught by surprise as to how warm it gets in the velodrome and were shedding layers all night - but I'd recommend it as a night out to anyone.

Thanks to everyone for the help and advice that was given on my thread!

McBain_v1

I was there 8) Earlier did a few laps with Jamie Staff (mega fast geezer he is) and then watched the racing from the centre - absolutely brilliant evening, I will certainly be angling for another corporate invite in February

Next time I will get a t-shirt with "McBain_v1" on it so other forum peeps can recognise me and hurl abuse :oops:

geoff_ss

Stage Fright wrote:

(following on from Popette's post - when was track-standing banned from the sprints? The tandem guys seemed to get pretty close on a couple of occasions).

I don't think track standing works on 3 up sprints which most of them were. It still happens in one on one races. I suspect track standing a tandem needs a lot of practice and as tandem sprinting has virtually died out no-ones well-practiced.

Geoff

Ste_S

Eddy S wrote:

popette wrote:

But, please explain to me, when they do the slow bicycle race at the start of some of the events - what's that all about? why all the caution? why not just blast off from the start?

Ahhh, welcome to the art and tactics of the sprint. It’s about out-whiting, out-manoeuvring your opponent, trying to get the position that lets you control the race and works best for your game plan and your strengths (and weaknesses). Do you like to lead from the front or do you like to chase and catch? Tough to make it look good in 3 up races but the guys did really well to show it at it's best in some of the rounds last night. Two- up match sprints really demonstrate the art.

You can go flat out from the whistle if you like but then it’s just called a 750m dash!

My tactics for sprinting? Now, that would be telling... 8)

I almost felt sorry for Theo Boss being double teamed by the two Brits

Yeah, I was there too. A very good evening of racing. Just a shame about the constant smell of burger and chips and those flipping free whistles… :roll:

Isn't the smell of Beer and Frites all part of the experience ? The Czech beer at Track Centre was very nice

stage_fright

I thought it was quite uncanny how many times Theo Bos found himself on the wheel of one rider with another sat on his right shoulder in the sprints...

But I also thought he seemed to take it in good spirit, and rode well to take the final Keiren - and then to seek out a girl in the audience to throw his bouquet to - very classy!

I was told ages ago that riders were no longer allowed to wait it out in a track stand in a sprint to see who would lose balance first, as sometimes they were balancing for minutes and it was considered not good for spectators (more like not good for TV methinks..)...if I am wrong then great as is must be an amazing spectacle to see two guys (or girls!) balancing on the banking.

Eddy S

Geoff_SS wrote:

Stage Fright wrote:

(following on from Popette's post - when was track-standing banned from the sprints? The tandem guys seemed to get pretty close on a couple of occasions).

I don't think track standing works on 3 up sprints which most of them were. It still happens in one on one races. I suspect track standing a tandem needs a lot of practice and as tandem sprinting has virtually died out no-ones well-practiced.

Geoff

No, not banned. Just limited to 2 track stands per race and no more then 30 secs each.

And you need someone to initiate it – looks like there were no willing volunteers on Sat even though some of the rounds were 2 up after Tim Veldt withdrew.

It can work in 3 up races. If anybody watched the online coverage from the Rotterdam 6 Day, you would have seen 3 up track stands during the sprints on most evenings. That meeting isn’t so heavily errr… regulated by the commissaires so the 30 sec rule isn’t applied. Chris Hoy and Theo Bos had a 3 minute track stand during the Masters of Sprint event on the Sat afternoon and there were numerous extended 3 up demonstrations! 8)

Ste_S wrote:

Isn't the smell of Beer and Frites all part of the experience ? The Czech beer at Track Centre was very nice

No beer for me I’m afraid – not with a 170 mile drive home after the event.

With a bit less heat and a bit more air flow in the velodrome, I might have considered it part of the atmosphere but the smell just lingered heavily and unpleasantly. Much like the person behind me who kept farting! Maybe that’s where the whistles wanted shoving and it would have dealt with two issues for me!!! :evil:

BMCCbry

Eddy S, are you the Eddy who goes to Revolution with Jane?

Eddy S

BMCCbry wrote:

Eddy S, are you the Eddy who goes to Revolution with Jane?

That's me! [insert waving smiley]

Or shouldn't I be admitting that? :shock:

BMCCbry

You can admit that but you are in trouble in the sense that she keeps using it as an excuse not to turn up to Saturday club runs (got to set off early) and then to avoid Sunday club runs (too tired after late night!). :roll: