[Closed] Olympic Road Race Thread

It's starting to warm up again....

It is in the bag now I cannot see anyone out sprinting the missile he says crossing fingers

Its gonna explode soon ........

anyone else struggling to get on with stuff they really should be doing?

not even attempting to

Its gonna explode soon ........

anyone else struggling to get on with stuff they really should be doing?

You man like eating some cheese, drinking some wine and, erm, watching some cycling?

[img] [/img]

No, not struggling at all! 😉

.

Am I the only one who finds this totally incomprehensible?

I'm sure it's very simple, but road racing makes no sense at all to me. I want to be excited, I just don't really get it...

If this is the first time you've watched road racing, then no, this is not a good introduction, what with the lack of timings, rider info, cohesive commentary etc.

I'm sure it's very simple, but road racing makes no sense at all to me. I want to be excited, I just don't really get it...

What bits don't you understand?

makes pefrfect sense (if you're into road racing) 🙂

TDF much easier to follow.

CFH 😀 MASH?

Bloody awesome stuff team GB bringing the gap back down like they have whilst still on Box Hill!

Riveting!

Essentially, what you need to know is that GB want everyone to get to the Mall at the same time, so that they can finish in a bunch sprint, which Cav has the best chance of winning. Other teams know this, and have tried to get away from the main bunch (peleton) and keep a lead all the way back.

But that is very hard to do, as it is much easier to ride in a bunch of 60 riders than a bunch of twenty, especially when a lot of those twenty have used up energy on acceleration and lone rides trying to get away.

What bits don't you understand?

Just don't really get how teams are working together/ where the various members fit in and how/ why individual/ group breakaways work - who decides when to go for it, and to what end?

I should probably have paid a bit more attention to Le Tour...

Does anyone have any info on the surface? The climb looks like it has a new surface but the decent looks a bit bumpy. Seems a bit odd to me. It would be good if the commentry team could mention it.

MASH?

Go and sit in the corner and think about what you have just asked.

OK simply
1. If it goes to a sprint cav will win..GB and possibly germany are trying to make this happen
2. Others are not and are trying to disrupt the train [ GB at the front] by attacking

that is it pretty much...no one will go flat out this far out as there is a massive drafting [ riding in a group] advantage, perhaps as much as a 1/3 less effort?
unless you are awesome and full of courage 😉

It would be good if the commentry team could mention it.

Right enough of this I'm off to Eurosport.

Its jumping more than a kangarooooo on a hot tin roof, with no explenation of who each rider is, and where has Peter Saagan and Cav and Brad gone.

It would be nice to have locations of where the race is at, along with no channel jumping on BBC, red button, 301, 7 and bbc1.

16stonepig - that pretty much explains what I needed to know - cheers!

It's strangely compelling to watch isn't it?

has anyone seen spartacus yet today?

Is this futile Gilbert break just a desperate ploy to get GB to panic and wear themselves out?

It's strangely compelling to watch isn't it?

Quite. Never done any road riding in my life, but happened on the Tour while in France about 5 years ago and have been hooked ever since. There's tension, intrigue, excitement, and the knowledge that these guys are properly nails.

Does anyone have any info on the surface? The climb looks like it has a new surface but the decent looks a bit bumpy. Seems a bit odd to me. It would be good if the commentry team could mention it.

This is correct, the climb has been resurfaced, the descent not. Though they have removed the speed bumps though. The commentary time have mentioned this to be fair to them.

How are they going to handle the dizzying slopes of the [url= ]South face of the Col du Putney?[/url]

Hang on! Did I just see "LANCE" painted on the road?

they fitted triples 😉

The commentary time have mentioned this to be fair to them.

they fitted triples

😆 You owe me a mouthful of Montée de Tonnerre Chablis! 😆

It's on Virgin channel 552 for HD, or 576 in normal... with no channel changes or interuptions...

Virgin seems to have a whole fist load of BBC HD and normal channels for the whole olympics... been watching a bit of judo this morning along with the road racing.

Oh, and that'll be Kelly's Heroes I believe...

Just don't really get how teams are working together/ where the various members fit in and how/ why individual/ group breakaways work - who decides when to go for it, and to what end?

The big thing as always is drafting. If you're behind someone, you're putting in 60% of their effort.

But obviously if you want to win you have to move in front of everyone at some point, and then stay in front till you cross the line.

Riders differ by their ability to do this. Cav is good at doing it in the last 200m, but other riders are better at doing it in the last 2km, such as Cancellara. And others will be better at doing it in the last 50-100km. And of course it's not just distance, but terrain too. If it were a short uphill finish we'd be looking for Sagan to get it, as it's flat, we're looking at Cav. If it was a long uphill finish it would be a climber like Nibali or even Froome.

So when a rider is on the front, they're putting more effort in then they need to. If that effort isn't giving them, or a team mate, a better chance at winning, then it's generally the wrong thing to do.

top marks to Belgium for the best cycling top - nice!

My apologies Flashy.

Mad Max II innit?

top marks to Belgium for the best cycling top - nice!

It's a shame they're not riding these though..

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Scrap that, black wheels and nicer chainrings make it so much better.

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I_did_dab - Member

top marks to Belgium for the best cycling top - nice!

I was just thinking that - has a really smart, classic roadie look going on.

Ooh er... That's a big old group out front, innit? 😕

I'm reading things about an increased chase group...

...are we in it?

Has that camera motorbike only got one gear?
That rider getting right on my wick.

I can't see them getting all of that group back in time.

I'd be more than a little worried in a GB top now.

51 sec gap, about 35 riders in front group containing some big names

Eisel and Cavendish eh?

Aye it is a dangerous game and they do need to work...it ay take more than GB

I think we need the Germans to help but will they?