Olympic XC
Comments
-
Ah damn I missesd it. Was hoping to watch tbh, will have to catch up later.
How did it pan out?
What channel is mens on?Contador is the Greatest0 -
Men's is tomorrow on BBC Olympic 6. About lunch time0
-
Thanks.Contador is the Greatest0
-
ddraver wrote:
Was very impressed by t course after all t bitching about it!
really? although havnt mtb'd much or raced or watch many races since about 97 thought it was a procession (came in after 45 mins). havent ever been enthralled by an olympic mtb race0 -
Do normal MTB races usually have more overtaking? Seemed like a done-deal once the French lady got in front.
Edit: This was the first MTB race I've watched, but now it's easy to see where Cadel got his riding style from.0 -
Nope, in my experience afx xc races are pretty much like TT's so people will find their pace and ride constantly at that.....after say the first 10 minutes when some people go off really fast and then get overtaken etc I'd say that most riders will onlygain/lose 2/3 places max barring mechanical.
XC is a real buzz to race, but dull as to watch.0 -
I must admit I thought it was a great race to watch, being my first ever mtb race.
Kind of makes me want to go out and but a mtb as we have some nice trails pretty local to me.
**Logs off quick to make sure my missus doesn't read this**Cube Agree GTC Pro
Boardman Comp
Carrera Subway Hybrid0 -
Tom BB wrote:Nope, in my experience afx xc races are pretty much like TT's so people will find their pace and ride constantly at that.....after say the first 10 minutes when some people go off really fast and then get overtaken etc I'd say that most riders will onlygain/lose 2/3 places max barring mechanical.
XC is a real buzz to race, but dull as to watch.
Fair enough, I enjoyed watching it anyway, even though (as you say) it looked more like a TT than a mass start race.0 -
Clearly the French are cheating. Did anyone check Bresset's wheels?0
-
afx237vi wrote:Do normal MTB races usually have more overtaking? Seemed like a done-deal once the French lady got in front.
Edit: This was the first MTB race I've watched, but now it's easy to see where Cadel got his riding style from.
It was dull in the same way P-R or TdF was dull This year, one rider git ahead and no one else could/did challenge...hopefully the men's might be a bit more even tomorrow. Fair play to said rider though!We're in danger of confusing passion with incompetence
- @ddraver0 -
The production was at least excellent, super slow hd definitely works for shots of riders dropping off rocks (contrast to people going round a corner in the RR).
Can't say the actual racing was enthralling though. Maybe a few more technical sections would have livened it up. Didn't see anyone taking different/more aggressive lines anywhere.
First time I've watched it and was pleased I did, impressed with the skills, but I'd want a bit more out of it as a competition. It might actually work better as a TT.Warning No formatter is installed for the format0 -
There wasn’t much overtaking because there were only 30 participants, not all of whom finished. If you have a race with 300, which happens sometimes at amateur level, then it’s a different matter, especially if there is wet weather and resultant deep mud, or 1-2 very steep climbs (with loose rock surfaces) on the circuit, or more more-technical downhill sections – 40 degree slopes or jumps or extremely windy stretches - or simply long downhills. Like on the road, MTB riders have differing descending abilities. Even on flattish stretches, projecting tree roots can break up a field.
I thought the course today fairly tame compared to what it could have included, when they are supposed to be the best, it just had a couple of awkward rocky stretches (albeit one pretty awkward). And much of the surfacing was really too smooth, you could have got by on a cross-bike. Perhaps the steep uphills were steeper than they looked.
TomBB said some people go off fast and then tire, but occasionally there is also a reason to go off fast - some MTB race routes have very narrow stretches 100-200 m long which don’t allow overtaking and it’s good to be ahead of groups before reaching those stretches, or else you’re blocked in (only about 20-25 m like that today as far as I could see). Same if it’s known there will be lengthy muddy or technical stretches, where someone falling in front can hold you up.
I think there was a degree of going off fast today too, as riders wanted to get first to the awkward rocky downhill stretch, knowing any mishap could delay them – as then later happened to Gould when Spitz slipped. The TV coverage dwelt too much on the leaders to see if such happened much farther back in the field.
I think cross-MTB and running as in a X-duathlon work well, because unlike a duathlon on the road or a triathlon, you don’t get much drafting at all, because a good technical MTB route rarely allows it to develop. Then the winner isn’t always also the best runner.0 -
Mens is on at 1.25 today.
I saw the CW Games races in person and I was disappointed just because the field was tiny. If you can get along to any National Series race its far more exciting just because the fields are bigger - much better for spectators. This course looked pretty good though.0 -
-
thegibdog wrote:Looking forward to Forstemann putting in a solid 200 metres.
DNS“New York has the haircuts, London has the trousers, but Belfast has the reason!0 -
-
A farce.TailWindHome wrote:thegibdog wrote:Looking forward to Forstemann putting in a solid 200 metres.
DNS0 -
To be fair it may have involved him walking to the start which is clearly a struggle for him.DeadCalm wrote:
A farce.TailWindHome wrote:
DNSthegibdog wrote:Looking forward to Forstemann putting in a solid 200 metres.0 -
BBC commentators reporting on a puncture from a certain Sven Nys from Belgium, without even a mention that he has done some cyclo-cross..0
-
-
I'm sure the guy I saw the other day wheeling a Boardman MTB with a snapped frame will be glad to hear it!Rick Chasey wrote:Boardman doing some good selling of the/his bikes...0 -
FJS wrote:BBC commentators reporting on a puncture from a certain Sven Nys from Belgium, without even a mention that he has done some cyclo-cross..
I was surprised when they mentioned his name - didn't know he was entered. Saying that, I know some critics have called the Hadleigh Farm course a glorified CX course...
All Road/ Gravel: tbcWinter: tbcMTB: tbcRoad: tbc"Look at the time...." "he's fallen like an old lady on a cruise ship..."0 -
XC sucks. Oh wait. Great race!0
-
Fontana 3rd with no saddle for nearly half a lap ... As FF would say ... HEAVYWEIGHT ...0
-
Fontana's saddle fell off with about 2km to go. He was in touch with the top 2 at the time, but sadly this meant he slipped back. Excellent ride to finish 3rd considering the mechanical.
Really exciting finish.0 -
Who came 1st/2nd?Contador is the Greatest0
-
Ahh I wondered if he had a mechanical when he came through the pits sitting down low.0
-
Kulhavy first, Schurter second.0
