Olympic cycling

[baldy]

The Olympic cycling road race is literally coming past my house, anyone have any info about it so I can build up my hype?

[skoptic]

Oooh - you lucky b'stard!

So it's all happening 28th (mens) & 29th (womens) July ... link to the full route below. Men start at 10am Women at 12.. so not sure what time they come past yours....

http://www.london2012.com/mm/Document/D ... eutral.pdf

[xrodolfox]

lucky.
I am totally jealous.

[ColleenE]

SOOO JEALOUS!!!! ENJOY!

[JohnBarleycorn]

Mark Cavendish is one of the favourites, and the whole mens team will be built around getting Mark to the finish in the best condition, and controlling the race to ensure a bunch sprint. So cheer anything in a GB jersey, as they may well be on the front, chasing moves down, or controlling the speed to keep it high. The last lap, they will certainly be on the front.

Germany will be controlling the race too, hoping for a bunch sprint, as they have Greipel, who is very fast, and has already won two stages of the tour, in the last few days.

America may, if Farrar is in any condition, although he crashed three or four tomes on Wednesday and once, badly, yesterday, at the Tour, so who knows what condition he will be in.

Largely, it depends how tired everyone is after the Tour. And how badly injured.

Try to watch the Tour on Eurosport or ITV4 to get an idea of what is happening.

Mark is our man !

[Herbsman]

Sagan

[skoptic]

[quote="Herbsman"]Sagan

[Alistar]

Yeah too flat for Sagan if it comes down to a sprint and Cavs there. He's a pretty good allround rider though so is definitely a medal prospect! Needs Cav to fall off, or somehow get away from him to win gold.

With Froome, Wiggans, Millar working with other sprinters teams, can't see many getting away and staying away. The only weak link is Cav in the GB team on the 9climbs of box hill. But even then they should be able to tow him back to most breaks on the lead-in to the finish unless riders like Boonen, Cancellara, Thor and perhaps EBH somehow get a decent gap and work together.

Going to be a war of attrition with various "selections" occuring during the race. The field is going to get blown to pieces I reckon. Any country winning the gold will still have to ride the perfect race

[JohnBarleycorn]

Long way from top of Box Hill to the finish, so I reckon they can drag Cav to the finish, even if he gets dropped last time up.

And Cav works on passion......as they say, his figures aren't that good, he doesn't produce the watts of a world class cyclist. Yet, when he sees the line, he is possibly the greatest sprinter the sport has ever seen. Certainly the greatest of his generation. So the chance of a gold medal in his own country will get him there.

Depends a little on how well everyone comes out of the Tour. I'd guess Sagan will take longer to recover, being so young.

[Alistar]

Yeah Good luck to him!
A tiny frontal surface area seems to be Cav's main advantage. Short little arms, narrow shoulders, powerfull mid-section and powerful short legs. Couple that with fantastic technique, and uncanny ability to read a sprint. He seems to always make the right decisions, lead-out or not! He can be 30 riders back, boxed-in with 1km to go, with no leadout, and can still win!

Noticed in stage 2 when Cav went head to head with Greipel and won, just how much bigger and less aero Greipel was front-on in comparison. Griepel looked twice the size!
Also on the Champs-Elysees was interesting seeing Sagan make a late surge from way back in shelter. As soon as he went out into the wind his faster speed and greater momentum was instantly nullified. Within a split second he was no faster than Cav. Power - resistance = speed. With this equation Cav will always win.

Anyway a bunch sprint favours the NZ team (all 2 of them ) so I hope we can get a tow on the back of the major players. But I don't see them there at the end unfortunately.

[bob_summers]

Wiggins to deliver perfect lead out, doesn't pull off, TTs right to the line to win it. Now wouldn't *that* have the toys out of the pram!

[baldy]

everyone watching?

[Alistar]

Ha! It may be in Flemish but at least I'm watching! Everything in check so far. No need for anyone to panic back in the main peloton...Oooo! Except for those that have just crashed!

[baldy]

do we need to worry about two australians in the lead pack?

[baldy]

ok scrap that he didn't catch the lead group.