Olympic Track *Spoiler*

blazing_saddles
blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
edited August 2008 in Pro race
Team GB smash the team sprint WR, in the first round and reverse a half a second deficit on the French, to beat them by half a second.
Staff with the fastest ever first lap.
Maybe they didn't peek too soon for the Manchester Worlds......
"Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
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Comments

  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    Only read this to see if you mentioned Lance or Astana. :wink:

    Remember to buy your "cod liver oil" and "cherry juice"
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,715
    It was a stunning ride, brilliant work from them all.
  • dirk_van_gently
    dirk_van_gently Posts: 826
    For those with ISPs outside the UK, and can't get the BBC coverage.
    Video stream here, http://www.eurovisionsports.tv/olympics/ click on Live 8.
    No commentary, so if anyone can point me to an audio stream, preferably in English, would much appreciate.
    If you see the candle as flame, the meal is already cooked.
    Photography, Google Earth, Route 30
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    Excellent ride from young Steven Burke in the pursuit. 9 seconds off his PB and still holding second spot, with Wiggins to come.
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • dirk_van_gently
    dirk_van_gently Posts: 826
    Steven Burke caught passed and dropped his man, great ride, Wiggins better watch out :D
    If you see the candle as flame, the meal is already cooked.
    Photography, Google Earth, Route 30
  • dirk_van_gently
    dirk_van_gently Posts: 826
    Bloody Hell, Wiggins just broke the Olympic record in qualifying
    :P
    If you see the candle as flame, the meal is already cooked.
    Photography, Google Earth, Route 30
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    French look a beaten side in the team pursuit. Let's hope I'm not talking too soon.
    Wiggins is a class apart and he's even cut his hair! :shock:
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • lloyd_bower
    lloyd_bower Posts: 664
    Dirk Van Gently wrote:
    For those with ISPs outside the UK, and can't get the BBC coverage.
    Video stream here, http://www.eurovisionsports.tv/olympics/ click on Live 8.
    No commentary, so if anyone can point me to an audio stream, preferably in English, would much appreciate.

    Thanks for that link, it's frustrating that beeb video links are blocked plus much of the radio output too. I discovered this link after I missed the finish of both road races at the weekend:-
    http://tvnz.co.nz/content/olympics_live ... 8&live=yes
    Commentary in English, though data becomes darta!
    Though it might be blocked outside NZ, I've just seen the semis of the team sprint, another incredible performance by the brits.
    Womens pursuit on now
  • NWLondoner
    NWLondoner Posts: 2,047
    Any excuse to beat the French :D

    Outstanding rides from ALL of Team GB so far.
  • squired
    squired Posts: 1,153
    Did they say why neither of Cav or Geraint took part in the 4km? The last I remember reading was that our second rider would be one of them. Cav was 1st choice but Geraint was getting 4m 17s in training causing a bit of a dilemma.
  • pb21
    pb21 Posts: 2,171
    Whens the 4K pursuit final on?
    Mañana
  • dirk_van_gently
    dirk_van_gently Posts: 826
    Moreno and Kouvenagel just put in great performances too.
    If you see the candle as flame, the meal is already cooked.
    Photography, Google Earth, Route 30
  • thamacdaddy
    thamacdaddy Posts: 590
    squired wrote:
    Did they say why neither of Cav or Geraint took part in the 4km? The last I remember reading was that our second rider would be one of them. Cav was 1st choice but Geraint was getting 4m 17s in training causing a bit of a dilemma.

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympic ... 560153.stm

    Thats why thomas wasn't doing it I expect cav is much down the same way and when burke put in such a performance why not get him in to experience it all here.

    Great rides from team GB, hopefully the french will eat a bit of humble pie desert after the team spriont final.....fingers crossed!
  • lloyd_bower
    lloyd_bower Posts: 664
    squired wrote:
    Did they say why neither of Cav or Geraint took part in the 4km? The last I remember reading was that our second rider would be one of them. Cav was 1st choice but Geraint was getting 4m 17s in training causing a bit of a dilemma.

    Thomas has decided to concentrate on the team event,
    http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympic ... 560153.stm

    I guess Cavendish as done likewise with the Madison, hope it comes off. They are certainly on fire at the moment.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    First final and first gold. The girls in the pursuit could be fighting over the top two spots.
    All looks rosey in the GB camp! :D
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • Michuel
    Michuel Posts: 269
    RadioFiveLive is best commentary. They're covering all Brit rides. Boardman is excellent commentator. Romero apparently has been tired over last week and she was rested for 2 days. He got Hoy droping of Staff's wheel for a lap straightaway. Hoevenagel time very good - Romero had a 1 sec boost thru catching Australian. CyclingWeekly has excellent text service.
  • dirk_van_gently
    dirk_van_gently Posts: 826
    Unfortunately for me, the bbc output is somehow blocked outside the UK, can't even get the radio 5 stuff.
    I'll try the Cycling weekly text service.

    Awesome team sprint final.
    More Bling for Blighty :D
    If you see the candle as flame, the meal is already cooked.
    Photography, Google Earth, Route 30
  • afx237vi
    afx237vi Posts: 12,630
    Where's it all gone wrong for the Australians on the track? 4th in the team sprint, neither McGee nor Lancaster got out of the qualifying in the men's pursuit. How the mighty have fallen...
  • will3
    will3 Posts: 2,173
    Michuel wrote:
    He got Hoy droping of Staff's wheel for a lap straightaway. .

    what happened there? I have pics but no sound :roll:
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,549
    will3 wrote:
    what happened there? I have pics but no sound :roll:
    Hoy was about 5 metres off the back of Jason Kenny's wheel on the second lap. It worried me at the time but, with hindsight, was clearly not a problem!
  • moray_gub
    moray_gub Posts: 3,328
    andyp wrote:
    will3 wrote:
    what happened there? I have pics but no sound :roll:
    Hoy was about 5 metres off the back of Jason Kenny's wheel on the second lap. It worried me at the time but, with hindsight, was clearly not a problem!

    My first thought there was they had made a pigs ear of it but i suppose with Chris as anchor he was always going to pull it off even if was 5m back from JKs wheel.

    cheers
    MG
    Gasping - but somehow still alive !
  • Eurostar
    Eurostar Posts: 1,806
    It makes you wonder whether Hoy could have gone a bit quicker if he hadn't had to waste energy getting back on Kenny's wheel. I hope somebody interviews him and asks whether it was nearly a disaster.

    Needless to say Hugh Porter didn't mention it.
    <hr>
    <h6>What\'s the point of going out? We\'re just going to end up back here anyway</h6>
  • BeaconRuth
    BeaconRuth Posts: 2,086
    Yeah, our boys just won Olympic gold in an event that takes 43 seconds in total, and the commentator was so busy telling us that they had won that he didn't fit in any criticism of their technique. Tsk! Get your priorities right, Hugh. Criticism first, congratulations later.

    Maybe, just maybe, on TV commentary the viewers can be left to notice some things for themselves?

    Ruth
    http://www.rutheyles.co.uk/
  • Eurostar
    Eurostar Posts: 1,806
    Eurosport did a better job. The 43 seconds were full of tension because David Harmon was wondering how Hoy was going to get back on.

    He was good in the race for bronze too, pointing out a very exciting wheelspin at the start by the German lead out man. Which Porter missed, of course.
    <hr>
    <h6>What\'s the point of going out? We\'re just going to end up back here anyway</h6>
  • Michuel
    Michuel Posts: 269
    Eurostar wrote:
    It makes you wonder whether Hoy could have gone a bit quicker if he hadn't had to waste energy getting back on Kenny's wheel. I hope somebody interviews him and asks whether it was nearly a disaster.

    Needless to say Hugh Porter didn't mention it.

    Surely it shows the very rare quality of a true champion of the ability to recover quickly and successfully from a potentially disastrous situation or shock.

    Many can only succeed when the going's smooth. He showed his true mettle of being able to ride 1 1/2 laps by himself.
  • BeaconRuth
    BeaconRuth Posts: 2,086
    Michuel wrote:
    Many can only succeed when the going's smooth. He showed his true mettle of being able to ride 1 1/2 laps by himself.
    Yeah, but you could argue he showed that he was the world master at riding 4 laps by himself in Athens.

    Ruth
    http://www.rutheyles.co.uk/
  • Tim Farr
    Tim Farr Posts: 665
    Yes Hoy was truly amazing today in that final. He got some drafting but not as much as he should have - but he still managed to win. Fantastic - and who cares about the technical imperfections of that ride - they won and that's all that matters. Well done Team GB.
    T Farr
  • Michuel
    Michuel Posts: 269
    BeaconRuth wrote:
    Michuel wrote:
    Many can only succeed when the going's smooth. He showed his true mettle of being able to ride 1 1/2 laps by himself.
    Yeah, but you could argue he showed that he was the world master at riding 4 laps by himself in Athens.

    Ruth

    YLou've missed the point Ruth. Every top performer can be thrown when something unexpected happens. It's a psychological flaw. Many just disintegrate.

    Nicole and Emma did excellent Olympic gold and silver rides. But everything went to plan and rehearsal. Even when Nicole lost a few metres round the corner. With Chris everything didn't go to plan and he overcame that adversity and emerged a stronger and more fearsome opponent for anyone. The 1km individual is a different event to the team sprint.
  • BeaconRuth
    BeaconRuth Posts: 2,086
    So Nicole rehearsed getting into a break of 5 and winning a sprint from Emma Johansson? (Knowing Nicole I should think she probably had thought through that scenario, but I don't think that's quite as predictable as the fact that Hoy was going to have to stay on Kenny's wheel and if he couldn't stay on it he would carry on going like the clappers nevertheless?)

    Don't get me wrong, Hoy was absolutely fantastic, as were Staff and Kenny. I just don't think it's surprising that he could do what he did. He's shown that ability before, many times.

    Ruth
    http://www.rutheyles.co.uk/
  • Michuel
    Michuel Posts: 269
    It's in these unexpected challenges that the true depth and strength of an individual is seen. Other examples would be Armstrong when he came off on climb, recovered slipped ourt of pedal but recovered to catch Mayo etc. Atmstrong when Beloki came off in front of him on a corner when he rode over kerb across field. Pantani in first Tour when he came off badly injured but roade through the field to finish second. Or Ulrich who disintegrated on the Galibier when it was too cold for him and lost Tour. Indurain when he disintegrated in his last Tour because it was wet and cold. And Sastre rose to the challenge in the final Tour TT but Evans didn't.

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