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The 'Official' Olympic thread - sub section - Cycling
- Thread starter Stat Brother
- Start date
Right, here we go.
Firstly, a world on the overall Olympics "experience". Right from when you arrive at Stratford station the volunteers and staff (including the PA guy at the station) are all doing their bit to be happy, helpful and get everyone where they need to go and in the right spirit. That continues right through the soldiers at the security checks (efficient and painless) and into the staff and police around the park. I posted this yesterdayy but it's worth saying again:
Anyone who claims there is no atmosphere in the Olympic park is talking absolute bollocks.
Wherever you looked there was someone with a different flag, there for a different team or a different sport, yet all enjoying the experience together. I suppose if you go in with a face like a smacked arse and determined not to have a good time then you'll probably get what you want. If, however, you go in there positive and prepared to get into it all you'll have a great time. On an organisational front, everyone involved has done London proud.
Right, onto the Velodrome. From the outside it's a stunning building and no less so inside. Being a Velodrome JCL I was surprised firstly by how steep the banking on the curves is and also how warm its kept in there (constant temperature of 28 degrees) but there is no denying it's a beautiful venue and one that gets bloody loud when required, particularly whenever Team GB were riding. To see Pendleton and Varnish break the World Record, even if the Chinese broke it again in the very next heat, in their opening ride just set the tone for the afternoon absolutely perfectly. Of course the Womens Sprint was slightly overshadowed by the relegation of the British team, which did leave the atmosphere for the Medal races just a bit flat, but rules are rules and there you go. Obviously the relegation of the Chinese team after the Final and subsequent delay of the ceremony while one of the Chinese had a strop did nothing to help, but it was fun nontheless and there was some great racing on show.
We also had the qualifiers for the Mens Team Pursuit which, particularly during the early heats, a lot of the audience seemed to take a as a bit of a piss/food/drink break, although everyone was back to cheer Team GB round the track all 16 times to set World Record number 3 for the afternoon, and then to cheer the Russians and Australians round just enough to make sure they didn't break our record.
Right from the qualifiers the Mens Sprint really felt like the "Main Event" of the afternoon and it certainly had its fair share of drama with the British team's little "incident" in the qualifiers. Once we got past that and got a time on the board, there was some absolutely cracking racing from all the teams, with the GB boys smashing the World Record (number 4 for the afternoon) in the semis to set up the perfect Final to end with. The atmosphere for the Final was as intense as pretty much anything I've experienced, I really hope it came across on TV just how LOUD the crowd were for those whole 43 seconds and beyond, really roaring the team every single bit of the way to Gold and yet another new World Record to just ice the cake that bit further. Fantastic effort from Hindes, Kenny and Hoy and a well-deserved win to send the crowd home very, VERY happy.
Overall, an absolutely incredible day: 5 World Records and a British Gold Medal....can't really complain at all.
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In effect, they were. But there are four 'semi-finals'.
- Thread starter
- #444
You've got to love our sense of fair play.
I wonder if the American's or Aussies would be wailing like we are.
I wonder if the American's or Aussies would be wailing like we are.
- Thread starter
- #445
- Thread starter
- #446
Arse I have 3 tickets in my shopping basket for today, and I can't buy them.
Unless he was there tonight, obviously, when he might see, um, multiple world records and a GB gold.
- Thread starter
- #448
... fingers crossed I'm wrong.
But in a week of competition I haven't seen anything to suggest I am.
But there have been loads of World Records. And Addlington is fastest qualifier for her final.
- Thread starter
- #450
Yeah great, Team Becky, I'll be jumping up and down with everyone else.
Once again I hope I'm wrong ...
- Thread starter
- #452
Great bring it on, do yourself and the country proud.
I'm not Kerrianne Payne. My name is Simon.
I'm not, but I shall be cheering the whole lot of them on televisually.
Horton's halftime iceberg
Blooming Marvellous
Wiggo in the house, looking the part in his Mod garb...
Bring on the derny and let the battle commence
Bring on the derny and let the battle commence
Horton's halftime iceberg
Blooming Marvellous
Sounds like Anna and Vicky in the same heat..
Horton's halftime iceberg
Blooming Marvellous
Go Vicky that looked easy
TotallyFreaked
Active member
- Jul 2, 2011
- 324
Still not sure she will beat Mears
As something of a cycling JCl I'm almost a bit dubious about asking this in case its blasphemy of some kind, but:
Why do they have to spend so long behind this bike? Surely one or two laps would be sufficient?
Why do they have to spend so long behind this bike? Surely one or two laps would be sufficient?