Boom!
The problem with introducing new sports is that one of the old ones needs to go
They can get rid of that kids-play-ball 3v3 basketball! Guessing its a test sport this year, but man it was rubbish 😀
There will be WRs all over the place – apparently, it's a higher track by 1m over most tracks and the weather conditions are perfect. So BBC said earlier anyway.
And with a name like Finucane, she sounds fast, like a Supercar – the Lamborghini Finucane.
GB Men's Team Pursuit set a phenomenal time too, only 1" off WR.
Wow! I remember the days when 4 minutes was the benchmark time in the Team Pursuit...
They can get rid of that kids-play-ball 3v3 basketball! Guessing its a test sport this year, but man it was rubbish 😀
I thought it was great!
So why in the team pursuit were all the GB helmets the same, but one of the French team was wearing a Spesh hat when the 3 others were wearing the same Kask as the UK?
Might have tested faster for Aeros in the tunnel for that rider in their own position. Helmets can be rider-sensitive depending on position, and these guys are looking to save EVERY watt they can. Some provide all-round good average behaviour (Giro Aerohead), but others will depend on where the head sits relative to shoulders.
Thanks TiRed!
So it's not cos one's a cheapskate who got his from the Chiggle firesale 😉
Wow
Wow
Wow
Wow
Good to see Chris Hoy there
Kayak X is utter madness. Brilliant madness
Do the team track bikes have different gear ratios? Relating to the rider and their role in the event?
It looks as if they all ride the same ratio?
Would there be an advantage for the rider who starts off and doesn't need to finish to have a list gear to get the team up to speed and the sprinters at the end a bigger gear to attain the higher speed at the end?
I'd have more chance of riding one of those dancing horses than doing the pole vault. How do you become a pole vaulter?
I have no idea. If it goes wrong up there, 6m is a long way down.
The Swedish athlete is clearing by a huge amount, record is 6.24 I think. He seems to be clearing by more than that.
How do you become a pole vaulter?
Carefully.
I often wonder the same about ski jumping, I can't picture the sort of intermediate bit between "buying skis" and "hurling yourself down a very big hill into the air".
I assume with vaulting that there must be sort of baby poles, learning ones rather than you simply being catapulted off into orbit on your first go but again, I can't picture the progression.
Also, do pole vaulters have their own pole and if so, how do they transport it?
How do you become a pole vaulter?
Es ist wirklich einfach, mein deutscher Freund. Zuerst müssen Sie einen polnischen Pass beantragen, dann können Sie nach Warschau umziehen.
Nice controlled win from Keely in the 800m
Poor woman looks like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders going through that, thankfully she did it well and won that gold, it's crazy the pressure these top performers are under during this Olympics.
That was a class win too.
Imperious. Seems like a nice person too given the way she went around the crowd.
I really want this Swedish fella to get the record now.
Top lad!
6.25m!
They have their own poles and have to find flights that take them: https://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/paris-2024-summer-olympics/how-pole-vaulters-travel-with-poles-mondo-duplantis/3932438/#:~:text=Pole%20vaulters%20travel%20with%20poles,massive%20poles%20to%20worry%20about.
What was the interaction between Duplantis and his team mate in the audience? They looked like they were punching each others chests?
Just seen the replay of the team sprint. It looked like the NZ lead was too quick, so 2 wasn't getting the full benefit of the draft, whereas the GB absolutely nailed the team bit of team sprint.
Just catching up with this afternoons track. The keen eyed will have seen that China were riding off the peg Look track bikes. The very keen will have seen that the first two ladies were riding T20’s, whilst the last was riding their new super bike, the P24. This is Look’s answer to the wide forked Lotus-Hope and is a 12k euro frame. Canada all rode Argon 18’s. An off the peg Canadian frame that’s decent value.
Some nice velobike bars on the NZ bikes that have copied the design for aero coach Lann (I have those).
In the team pursuit, some riders have different aero bar set ups. Belgium riding stock bikes with Deda stock extensions. Team GB are all on custom set ups with 3d printed stems and Wattshop Anemoi custom extensions and arm cups from Dan Bigham’s company.
Campag Ghibli track disk wheels have been sold out for over a year, they’re all at the Olympic velodrome!
if you want any more geeky bike details, just ask. The riding is pretty good too!
Re pole vaulting my last school did it as part of the summer sports. They started with short poles, 2m(?) and vaulted over what was effectively a high jump. Then onto a proper pole vault bar and mat but again shorter poles.
I'm sure that it's very very fast, but good god that Lotus Hope looks awful.
Very emotional watching Sophie Capewell, I remember her, and her dad when I rode with Lichfield CC.
They look better in the flesh. By contrast the Look P24 looks worse! But it’s a third of the price!
https://www.lookcycle.com/fr-fr/produits/velos/piste/look-p24
There are a few T20’s at track league, but I’ve yet to see a P24. Plenty of Argon 18s around too. The original Lotus was expensive but achievable. This new one looks the same but is 3D printed and unavailable.
For bike geeks, see if anyone rides a new Dolan DF5. The older DF4 is very popular at Lee Valley but the DF5 is brand new.
The Australian Factor is as unobtainable as the Lotus.
Any wheel gaps of less than half a wheel diameter is impressive. Thats a huge amount of time spent following a wheel.
Just caught up on iplayer, incredible team sprint. Outstanding. Marchant is local and we have some friends of friends whom are out there watching, must have been emotional.
Laura Kenny was suggesting they had different ratios – certainly the one starting
You can see it on the first lap - the leader always drops the following two for about 3/4 of the lap as it takes them longer to get up to speed, and they time it so as they are fully wound up as they go into lap 2. Rider 2 and 3 are always in much closer contact and presumably are running the same (or closer) ratio. The timing of the whole event is incredibly precise, it's beautiful to watch.
The kayak cross has been superb.
Mrs Slow says it's like It's a Knockout.
I’m sure that it’s very very fast, but good god that Lotus Hope looks awful.
By comparison to what? It’s a custom built track bike created to do one thing - go as fast as possible as efficiently as possible, form follows function. It doesn’t need to look pretty, it has one job to do, and being a glamour puss isn’t it. However, I think it’s a stunning piece of design.
The sprint team and Keeley’s run were stupendous, and Duplantis’ pole-vault, was just astonishing, I just can’t understand how someone can propel themselves up and over a bar 20 feet up, using a bendy pole! And he makes it look so bloody easy! Going back and having another go just to get another world record, and so easily is almost taking the piss!
The kayak cross is just nuts!
By comparison to what? It’s a custom built track bike created to do one thing – go as fast as possible as efficiently as possible, form follows function. It doesn’t need to look pretty, it has one job to do, and being a glamour puss isn’t it. However, I think it’s a stunning piece of design.
You could just make it so everyone has to use the same bike, like in Keirin in Japan. There shouldn't be competitive advantage in the Olympics because one country can spend £60K per bike versus another being able to spend £1K.
Compare it to shooting for example, never watch it but would guess that everybody has to use the same gun and you can't turn up with some very high tech gun that is way better than everyone else's?
For shooting it looks like specs are set to some degree but they don't have to use the same equipment:
https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/shooting-101-olympic-equipment
The shooting rifles are in the same league as track bikes for expenditure. Pistols are about the same as a disk wheel, and there is little customisation other than the grip.
Cycling is a sport where you can buy speed, and there are meaningful gains to be had. Time in a wind tunnel, together with time practicing on the track, will be a strong predictor of success. For reference, you can get the most up to date Look bike, with twin disks, skinsuit, helmet and aero socks and shoe covers for under £20k per rider. Accessible for a national cycling body (e.g., China). Switch to a Dolan and you’ll spend half that. The bill for the Silverstone Sports wind tunnel will be vastly higher! British Cycling have unlimited access to a wind tunnel. By contrast, there is no indoor velodrome in Ireland. Which country has the better track squad?
