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Tokyo Olympics: Here’s Where and When to Watch the XC Racing

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With the Olympic opening ceremony done and dusted, the 2020 Tokyo Olympics are officially open. There was a lot of speculation as to whether they would go ahead at all. With cases rising and a State of Emergency in place until 22 August, spectators are no longer allowed to attend the games. Only athletes and select personnel are permitted.

Team GB

A few weeks ago we spoke to Simon Watts, lead coach for British Cycling’s XC riders about the Olympics. He talked about the process, points and who was on the shortlist before the riders were announced. Then, of course, it was announced that Evie Richards and Tom Pidcock would represent Great Britain at the Games.

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A post shared by Evie Richards (@eviealicerichards)

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A post shared by ᵀᴼᴹ ᴾᴵᴰᶜᴼᶜᴷ (@tompidcock)

Who is Competing?

Unlike a World Cup round, the Tokyo Olympics only has 38 competitors. So, 38 women, and 38 men.

Women:

Men:

The Course

From the previews available, the track looks very challenging.

The MTB Cross-Country course requires both strength and skill. It takes riders between 90–105 minutes to navigate the course, which consists of four to six kilometres of mostly narrow dirt single-track trails with steep ascents and descents and rocky sections. There are also feed areas where riders can fix bikes and eat and/or drink.

The race features a mass start and multiple laps with the first rider to complete the required laps winning gold. However, riders whose time is 80 per cent slower than that of the race leader’s first lap are eliminated.

The new 4,100m off-road Izu Mountain Bike Course has a vertical height difference of 150m and is set to be harder than previous Olympic courses. Various sections of the course have been given names including Amagigoe, Joren-no-taki, Hashi, Wasabi, Odorikohodo and Karesansui, according to their different characteristics.

Olympics.com
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A post shared by Simon Burney (@simon_burney)

How and Where to Watch

The XC will be shown on both BBC and Eurosport in the UK. The men’s race is Monday 26 July at 7 AM BST/ 8 AM CEST, with the women’s being broadcast on Tuesday 27 July at 7 AM BST.

You can watch all the big moments live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Red Button and the BBC Sport website and app. BBC Radio 5 Live and Sports Extra will also bring you live commentary every day, and there will be live text, video clips and highlights on the BBC Sport website and app.

BBC

What are your predictions? Who is going to take home the gold?

Tom Pidcock: Born to Mountain Bike

Evie Richards and Tom Pidcock to Represent GB in Tokyo

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Home › Forums › Tokyo Olympics: Here’s Where and When to Watch the XC Racing

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Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)
  • Tokyo Olympics: Here’s Where and When to Watch the XC Racing
  • AdamT
    Full Member

    Love the look of the course. Looks pretty tight in places. I know it’s a reduced field compared with WC, but imagine the first lap!!

    Posted 3 years ago
    mrlebowski
    Free Member

    Thanks for the heads up 👍

    Posted 3 years ago
    scaredypants
    Full Member

    Course looks great. Might be bloody hard work if they get rain – or is that out of the question ?

    Posted 3 years ago
    RoterStern
    Free Member

    The course looks very technical. But looking at footage of a practice lap in last year’s test event the rock garden just after the start straight is going to be pretty dangerous with a field tightly packed on the first lap. Only the first riders are going to be able to see where the rocks are.
    Does anyone know how the gridding at the start is going to work? Is it seeded or do they have to do a timed lap?

    Posted 3 years ago
    csb
    Free Member

    No info on bbc about this being shown as far as I can see?

    Posted 3 years ago
    Yak
    Full Member

    I’m not sure about the BBC coverage. Maybe it will be there in bits and pieces?

    Anyway, there is a free 6 months on discovery plus (the Olympic TV license holders) if you have a Vodafone account.

    Hopefully that won’t be needed but I have faffed now with the technoshit so it’s ready if needs be.

    Posted 3 years ago
    csb
    Free Member

    Thanks Yak.

    So the real news story here (given STW does cracking journalism at times) seems to be the loss of what many have felt to be the bedrock of national sports coverage, as the OIA have sold the rights to Discovery.

    Expect fewer heroic moments where GB reps in lesser known sports become household names from their moment of glory.

    Posted 3 years ago
    jekkyl
    Full Member

    Couldn’t you have pasted it in here and saved me another click through? 😂

    Posted 3 years ago
    ferrals
    Free Member

    Chit chat about diving and boxing on the red button currently ☹️ And I set my alarm

    Edit – on the red button now 😀

    Posted 3 years ago
    5lab
    Free Member

    Olympics, Day 3: Red Button – Mountain biking: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p09pjzbn via @bbciplayer

    Posted 3 years ago
    Trimix
    Free Member

    You can see it on GCN+

    Posted 3 years ago
Viewing 11 posts - 1 through 11 (of 11 total)

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Overview Chat Bike Members News Women