Outsiders
…
mens & womens 470 class sailing

Both only 4 points off the lead – that’s 2 places difference in the medal race. Hardly outsiders given how tricky the conditions are.

As kind of mentioned above, in the kayak sprint we have Ed McKeever in the K1 who was World Champion a couple of years ago and Heath/Schofield in the K2, who got silver in the world champs. Both crews have won big events this year. A decent chance of at least one gold there.

We’re starting to deal in probables and possibles rather than near certainties here, but surely a few of them have to win?

mens bmx ,silver medallist in the worlds iirc ?

Liam Philips got 2nd in the time trial…and then broke his collar bone in the finals.He is MASSIVELY out gunned .Willoughby will smash it but Daudet and Stromberg will push it hard as always.
Shazne Reade will unfortunately fold under the pressure of a tight race again.She is awesomely fast round the track solo…but weak in a race.

I watched the Mears/Pendleton moment in slow mo. It looked to me very like VP came across the sprint line and then KM elbowed her as a consequence of that, not the other way around. Which makes the decision fair and proper.

A shame, but rules is rules.

What Gold potential is left.

would love to see a mtb medal, pundits reckon within top ten would be a good result for liam and Annie, you never know, looking forward to it.

We have no quality in xc mtb ,this is the next area of cycling to target for world dominance ,probably need to pinch a couple of fit roadies

I watched the Mears/Pendleton moment in slow mo. It looked to me very like VP came across the sprint line and then KM elbowed her as a consequence of that, not the other way around. Which makes the decision fair and proper.

That’s exactly how I saw it too, I have been branded a Pendleton hater for daring to voice that view. Apparently anything than 100% blind support is akin to treason at our house.

mattjg – I think you’re talking about the bit that got VP relegated, but the moment that caused it was just before, on the bend.

VP interview with Linaker just now was very good. Gold and silver round her neck. Can’t be bad.

Safe to say that the atmosphere in there tonight was electric. Loads of royals and famous people in there. The noise when Chris and Laura won was just unbelievable.

Also, I got to hold Laura’s gold medal. 🙂
Poor Vicky was in bits afterwards. Combination of relief that it was all over, disappointment at “only” getting Silver and the general emotion of the whole place, the standing ovation she got at the end. After the relegation, she lost it a bit mentally which was a real shame to see. Not the way she wanted to go out but still one hell of a career. Best of luck to her in her retirement.

I watched the Mears/Pendleton moment in slow mo. It looked to me very like VP came across the sprint line and then KM elbowed her as a consequence of that, not the other way around. Which makes the decision fair and proper.

Look again – that’s certainly not what I’m seeing. Or maybe you’re looking at the second time Meares comes down and elbows. I don’t know if there’s a better video, but looking at 1:38:20 on in this
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/olympics/2012/live-video/p00w321l
it’s clear that Meares is diving down on Pendleton and sticking her elbow in well before Pendleton crosses the line. Meares coming down hard at 1:38:22 and actually turning back up the track at 1:38:23 – Pendleton doesn’t cross the line until 1:38:24.

I watched the Mears/Pendleton moment in slow mo. It looked to me very like VP came across the sprint line and then KM elbowed her as a consequence of that, not the other way around. Which makes the decision fair and proper.

A shame, but rules is rules.

3.2.042 During the final sprint, even if launched before the last 200 metres, each rider shall remain in his lane up to the finish, unless he has at least a clear cycle-length lead and shall not make any manoeuvre to prevent the opponent from passing.
(text modified on 1.01.02).
3.2.043 A rider may not challenge or pass on the left an opponent riding in the sprinters’ lane.
If the leading rider leaves the sprinters’ lane and his opponent attempts to pass to his left, he may
not return to that lane unless he still has a clear cycle-length lead.
3.2.044 A rider passing on the right of his opponent, who is in the sprinters’ lane, may not crowd him or cause him suddenly to reduce speed.

So the rules are open to interpretation by a commissar that wants to show who’s boss. Mears leans on VP first and has to shift her ass sideways to do so, VP drifts slightly outside the red line on the straight but this has no effect on each rider as they approach the line. On any other day no action would be taken, they both finished thinking that was that and onto round 2.

A great contest ruined by a commissar who has a funny way of interpreting the rules.

That’s the first Kierin give watched…is it usual for the winner to lead out for 2 laps or is Hoy just AWESOME?

Just AWESOME!

A great contest ruined by a commissar who has a funny way of interpreting the rules. something against British cycling

FTFY

So the rules are open to interpretation

I’m not so sure they are. AM quite clearly contravened 3.2.044 before VP crossed the line. The only point of interpretation is whether VP actually contravened 3.2.042, as crossing the line isn’t of itself enough, but that should have been irrelevant as AM infringed first. The commissars only action should have been against AM, though given the result they should have just left well alone.

As CL just said, the contest was effectively ended there – VP’s head wasn’t in it after that.

That’s the first Kierin give watched…is it usual for the winner to lead out for 2 laps or is Hoy just AWESOME?

No. I thought he’d lost it when he started his sprint so far out – they’re only supposed to sprint for 200m, he was doing 500m (to put it in context, that’s much further than Cav sprinted in the TdF stages where everybody was amazed at how far he sprinted for). He was kind of forced to do that though, having got into a bad position when the other rider came past on the right just before the derny peeled off – when I’ve seen him race before he’s always been in a better position going into the last 3 laps. Yes he is just awesome – a 10.3 final 200 off that is quite incredible, clearly he left a little in the tank to accelerate in the last lap.

BTW it seems the UCI are after more track events in Rio and want to bring back the individual pursuit: http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/uci-to-request-additional-medals-for-2016-olympic-games

that’s much further than Cav sprinted in the TdF stages where everybody was amazed at how far he sprinted for

he went from 500m out on Stage 18 after riding for 130 miles

he went from 500m out on Stage 18 after riding for 130 miles

I’ve seen that reported before, but if you check out the video it’s actually about 300m out he starts – and he’s in the wheels for quite a bit of that

[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0z6JYGxH3A[/video]

mattjg – I think you’re talking about the bit that got VP relegated, but the moment that caused it was just before, on the bend.

Didn’t see that, will look again thx.

Was gutted watching the VP vs AM sprints… 🙁

You’ve got to take the rough with the smooth with officials’ decisions, but this felt like taking the rough with the rough – quite a few other infringements were ignored.

I was shouting at the TV during the Bronze medal sprint – as the German was trying to pass, the Chinese rider came out of her lane, but that wasn’t picked up. Looked like Gu Shuang (sp..?) should have been relegated…

Annie Last has been making some in-roads so a real medal hope.

Chris was a kilo rider so leading out for 500m is a walk in the park

IMO what these judging incidents showed is it’s ridiculous to have one person making a decision. it should be a panel of at least 3. It also shows the excesses to which video replays can be put, going over slow motion replays repeatedly to look for tiny potential infringements

IMO what these judging incidents showed is it’s ridiculous to have one person making a decision. it should be a panel of at least 3.

It was a panel – there are several Commissaires around the track who will all input their views to the Chief Commissaire.
The decision was fair. Not welcome by the partisan crowd obviously but it was fair.

The decision was fair. Not welcome by the partisan crowd obviously but it was fair.

Quite possibly so – it was the consistency of decison making that I was narked at

The commissaire who’s been making Vicky cry is the president of Cycling BC, one Wayne Pomario.

Some bad calls by Wayne Pomario and co in these olympics. Former appears to be trying to make a name for himself.

There seemed to be bias against VP in the sprint final. Mears appeared to be in the wrong in both races. No way the first race should have been given to Mears….at very most it should have be rerun.

Also, relgation of Chinese women from gold to silver the other day looked like a very big call to make when there was no clear evidence of an infringement.

Funny to read all the comments about the french being bad losers on the one hand, then come over here and read all this jumping up and down at commisaires and excusing VP.

You can’t get religated for going over the line if you dont go over the line.

but she did.

so suck it up eh?

Had the situation been reversed, I’m sure most people here would be saying it was correct.

I’d imagine the referees are probably more knowledgeable and experienced with the rules of track cycling than anyone on here. They have far better access to video and other equipment, so can get a far better view of things, I’d imagine.

It was a bit of argy-bargy in the finishing straight, and VP came out of her lane. The decision was entirely fair. Vicky seems to have accepted it, so should everyone else. It’s over. Anna Meares is the Olympic Sprint Champion.

Besides, Anna absolutely destroyed Vicky in the second race. Brilliant ride. showed what the sprint is all about, fantastic entertainment.

if VP hadn’t been relegated then the decision could also be seen as being fair.
fairness should not come into it. it should be that the decision is right or wrong and if that means tightening up the rules then so be it.
what would be interesting, is to know the rationale for the decision that was made – but we will never get to know this.
.
having said that, there are other sports that are far more subjective, like boxing, wrestling and judo.

it should be that the decision is right or wrong and if that means tightening up the rules then so be it.

surely this olymipcs and the last world champs has been a lesson in ‘tightening up’ on the rules.

and yet this

Some bad calls by Wayne Pomario and co in these olympics. Former appears to be trying to make a name for himself.

seems to be the response to it.

The decision was fair

Really? On what basis are you ignoring the barging from AM which started it all off?

surely this olymipcs and the last world champs has been a lesson in ‘tightening up’ on the rules.

If they’re tightening up the rules, why was AM given so much slack for the barging which came before (and caused) VP crossing the line?

AM was rewarded for riding dirty.

Besides, Anna absolutely destroyed Vicky in the second race. Brilliant ride. showed what the sprint is all about, fantastic entertainment.

See comments above about how VP’s head had gone after the DQ.

You get a lot of marginal calls in sprinting – this time it didn’t go VP’s way. To me it looked like she came out to block fractionally before any elbows action. Whatever – it is a best of three contest, and she did have the best position in the second leg. Mears beat her with better nerve and tactics in the that leg. On balance, I don’t think the result was unfair.

If your head goes after a dispute, you aren’t a very good sprint racer! It is a nervy business – all part of the game.

” They have far better access to video and other equipment, so can get a far better view of things, I’d imagine.”

Yes, other equipment includes his right hand man ” Hawkeye”

Look, it’s over. The race has been run. Anna Meares is champion. Both women have shown each other loads of respect. Vicky seems to have accepted it and has stated Anna is a ‘worthy winner’.

you can choose to carry on being angry about what you perceive to be an ‘injustice’, or you can simply accept the reality and move on. It’s up to you.

Personally, I’m just a bit sad that such an intense rivalry has come to an end. Both women brought tons of passion, excitement and drama to the sport, and gave us a fantastic spectacle. Both women deserve our respect for achieving something none of us could. Well done to both.

You get a lot of marginal calls in sprinting – this time it didn’t go VP’s way. To me it looked like she came out to block fractionally before any elbows action. Whatever – it is a best of three contest, and she did have the best position in the second leg. Mears beat her with better nerve and tactics in the that leg. On balance, I don’t think the result was unfair.

Spot on

Really? On what basis are you ignoring the barging from AM which started it all off?

The basis that I was there.
Who else on this thread was
a) at the velodrome during that race
b) knows about track rules (other than what Hugh Porter tells you)
c) knows about the judging and officiating that actually happened (as opposed to what you think happened or what it looks like from a short video replay).

It’s over. Yes, it’s hard for Vicky, it’s not the golden end she wanted and I feel desperately sorry for her, she was in absolute pieces after that race as I said earlier.
On the other hand, if it was the other way round and Anna Meares was kicking up a fuss, we’d all be on here saying “live with it” and “it’s the rules”. I know where you’re coming from and the desire to see the Brit triumph is fantastic, it has genuinely inspired people who might not otherwise care about track racing. But going back over it again and again isn’t going to help anyone. The result on the night was the right one – Anna was the better rider that night and she well and truly had the measure of Vicky in Rd 2 (helped of course by Vicky not being mentally with it by then).

To me, Vicky didn’t lose and the negative reporting (especially by the BBC) has really annoyed me. She WON Silver. That’s still an amazing feat and as I said a page ago – best of luck to her in her retirement following a career which has been truly world beating.

Well said carzy-legs. I don’t mind a bit of partisanship in the media, but i thought Boardman and others were just being disrespectful to both riders really. It was a hard-fought contest, those two have a history of producing exciting and sometimes controversial clashes. But Anna won in true style, Vicky fought valiantly, and all the commentators etc could do was whine and moan. Boardman should have apologised once he realised he’d been wrong. The commissar’s job must be incredibly difficult, and to make decisions the home crowd don’t like must be very tough, but he has to remain impartial, dispassionate and objective. The BBC should take heed of that, because they’re not doing a very good job on that score. It’s good to get behind your home athletes, sure, but all the others have trained hard for years too, and they deserve respect.

“Being there” ie the velodrome is unbeatable for the experience and atmosphere, but sitting in front of a large screen HD telly is unbeatable for seeing what actually happens in sport with super slow motion as well.

The coverage didn’t seem very good – it was obvious they had started making the announcement of the decision over the PA, while the TV presenter kept blethering away over the top. It seemed some on here noticed the line infringement before the presenters, who thought the commissaires were looking at the photo finish. 😕