It's the final day of the Track World Cup - it's been a competition of incredible racing, with everyone loving the new London Olympic velodrome, full of happy fans and electric atmosphere. We're seen new world records, old rivalries, new talent, and races going right up to the wire. And there's still today left to go!
This afternoon you'll be able to have a choice of feeds - BBC2 from 2:45, where Jo Rowsell - Team & Individual Pursuit gold-medallist, and road cyclist with Matrix Prendas (aka DS Stef's Horizon Fitness!) - will be co-commentating, AND Eurosport too, from 3! The programme looks something like this - but check the programme if you'd like some accuracy!
15:00 Men's sprint semi-finals, race 1 (Chris Hoy v Robert Förstermann; Kevin Sireau v Max Levy)
15:10 Women's omnium race 5, 10km Scratch
15:30 Men's sprint semi-finals, race 2
15:40 Men's team sprint finals (Australia v GB for gold, Belgium v New Zealand for bronze)
15:55 Men's sprint semi-finals, race 3 (if necessary)
16:00 Women's keirin second round
16:10 Men's TP award ceremony
16:18 Men's sprint finals, race 1
16:28 Women's omnium final race, 500m TT
16:58 Men's sprint finals, race 2
17:08 Women's omnium award ceremony
17:16 Women's keirin race for 7th - 12th
17:21 Women's keirin final
17:26 Men's sprint finals, race 3 (if necessary)
17:36 Women's kern & men's sprint award ceremonies
17:52 London World Cup & World Cup series winners' award ceremonies
See below for how we got here, and where to watch!
It's been a busy Sunday morning in the Stratford Olympic Park, with the early sprint and keirin rounds taking up most of the track - with the Germans dominating the men's sprint once again, a surprising lack of Australians in the later rounds, thanks to the Brits (Scott Sunderland was beaten by Jason Kenny, and Shane Perkins by Matt Crampton in the 1st round) and, once again, a match-up worthy of the final, as Chris Hoy beat Gregory Baugé to get his place in the semis. The bunch race for 5th-8th will have taken place by the time we go live - Baugé (Fra), Kazanuri Watanabe (Jpn), Kenny & Crampton (GB)
The women's keirin will be nothing if not fast and furious, with 2 races full of stars to come in the 2nd round:
Race 1: Monique Sullivan (Can), Shuang Guo (Chn), Jess Varnish (GB), Lin Junhong (GPC), Simona Krupeckaite (Ltu) & Lyubov Shulika (Ukr)
Race 2: Anna Meares (Aus), Sandie Clair (Fra), Clara Sanchez (Fra), Vicky Pendlteon (GBr), Wai Sze Lee (HKg) & Willy Kanis (Ned)
The other women's event of the day, the women's omnium, looks to be a much tighter competition than the men's was. Yesterday we had the flying lap, points and elimination, and ended with Australia's Nettie Edmondson on 16 points, Tara Whitten (Can) on 17, and Laura Trott (GB), Sarah Hammer (USA) and Kirsten Wild (Ned) all on 20.
Edit! Whitten, the current omnium World Champ, won the IP, and the top 5 of the standings look VERY close, with 2 rounds to go!
1. Tara Whitten (Can) 18 points
2. Annette Edmondson (Aus) 21
3. Laura Trott (GBr) 22
4. Sarah Hammer (USA) 23
5. Kirsten Wild (Ned) 24
6. Tatsiana Sharakova (Blr) 38
7. Ausrine Trebaite (Ltu) 38
8. Leire Olaberria Dorronsoro, 41
9. Li Huang (Chn) 44
10. Jolien d'Hoore (Bel) 45
11. Pascale Jeuland (Fra) 45
For even more info, check out Sum of Marc's previews of the event, and you can see the startlists and results via Tissot and live results there too.
To watch, if you're in the UK, check out BBC2, the red button & streaming on the BBC website - everyone else, see CyclingFans and Sports-livez - and if you have other links that are country-specific, add them to the links!
0 recs | 186 comments
If you'd like to see some post-race interviews, here are...
Vicky Pendleton and the German men’s team after winning the Team Sprint
Chris Hoy after winning the keirin
Shuang Guo after winning the sprint
All with little bits of track centre and race footage!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
And tv will start in about 35 mins, racing in about 50!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
BBC is live!
(So is my new coffee grinder, Pigeons, you’ll be glad to know).
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Oh, and (spoiler alert) the 2012 Olympic Road Race Champ is doing colour commentary. Good to see you, Ms Armistead.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
NIce to see Lizzie A on tv!
Think we’ll have to score the Brit co-commentating riders for who’s the smiliest!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
She's good, actually
Clearer than the lovely Dani, has a natural tone for presentation. Coping with the patronising idiocy of Jake Humphries very well.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
All the young British track women seem really personable, friendly, enthusiastic
It’s good they get exposure like this, I have a little fantasy that when their riding careers are over, they can move into commentating
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Maybe the hosts will learn
That you can ask them about the sport. As well as chocolate.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Ha!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
+1
she did a great job
broerie - February 19, 2012
Heh, glad to hear about the grinder!
I was concerned about you – how would you manage without freshly-ground coffee? Not having to sue, gasp, instant? :-D
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Instant? Don't be revolting
I’ve been going out. Fortunately, I have a Moroccan cafe downstairs. The new machine is very shiny.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Ha!
Glad you weren’t too deprived! (I nearly typed “depraved”!)
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
No, I'm neither of those things
Chance would be a fine thing.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Tara Whitten won the IP!
So women’s omnium standings after 4 races:
1. Tara Whitten (Can) 18 points
2. Annette Edmondson (Aus) 21
3. Laura Trott (GBr) 22
4. Sarah Hammer (USA) 23
5. Kirsten Wild (Ned) 24
6. Tatsiana Sharakova (Blr) 38
7. Ausrine Trebaite (Ltu) 38
8. Leire Olaberria Dorronsoro, 41
9. Li Huang (Chn) 44
10. Jolien d’Hoore (Bel) 45
11. Pascale Jeuland (Fra) 45
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Oooh, Hoy v Förstermann sprint 1!
Hoy wins, beautiful race!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Silly question
Is the track symmetrical? That’s the second time I’ve heard them say “a long home straight”. I assumed that the straights were the same length, but I suppose there’s no need for them to be?
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
It is symmetrical - but different lengths on different tracks
Apeldoorn, for instance, has longer curves and shorter straights – I think longer straights make for faster racing? And different heights/steepnesses of banking make a difference, too
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
I think what they're talking about
Is moving the finish line to the very end of the home straight… so it is, in effect, longer on the last lap. If that makes sense.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Ha, snap!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
I was surprised that UCI didn't have rules for this
broerie - February 19, 2012
Oh, apparently the sprint finish-line is 5m further down the straight than in other tracks
so it’s a longer finishing straight for the sprinters than normal
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
and the reason why it's so easy to win here from the blue lane (or higher)
broerie - February 19, 2012
Levy beats Sireau in their 1st ride in the semis
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Damn, that elimination yesterday was SO good!
Still AMAZED Trott’s tactics paid off!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Seb Coe implying that they can rebuild the velodrome before the Games if necessary...
and bloody hell, he’s as slimy as ever!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Lizzie smiling and nodding politely
(Wish I could be reading her mind!)
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
"Hot air is a lot less dense"
Yup. Lot of hot air. I’ll go along with that.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Bwahahahahhaha!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
+shudder
Yeech. I’d rather watch whatever that is behind them (scratch race?).
One of these three isn’t a professional. The one with talent.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
The scratch race, with Laura Trott sitting in 3rd overall!!!!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
They're showing racing on E/sport
but’s it Tony Gibb over there…. can’t decide if I hate Porter’s Porterisms or Gibby’s misogyny more!
and oh god, he’s ranting about the omnium STILL!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
well, they showed the scratch, now showing Hoy looking stoic, pre-sprint!
and mocking his old single tactic of “ride very fast from the front”!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
I think Sarah Hammer won the scratch?
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Oops, no, Sharakova won, Hammer 2nd,
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Is our East London correspondent on site again today?
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
No, she only got 1 ticket
(1 more than me, and it’s so unfair, given that she didn’t understand track without me! Ha!)
:-D
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Hot air on Eurosport now too
The amount of energy on air is now 85%, was only 80% on BBC.
Whatever it is, Hoy shifted it. Way to make the final.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Indeed - I was a bit scared that he wouldn't be able to get past, then in that final corner.... WOW!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Levy through to the final to race Hoy!
Sireau will race Förstermann for bronze.
The Germans should be super-happy with their sprint men, after this weekend!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Belgium v NZ team pursuit for bronze on E/sport
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Kiwis are schooling the Belgians
Although they dropped to three quite early.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Tactics, apparently!
Bronze to NZ!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
But a good race for the Belgians anyway
we’re slowly getting better at this
broerie - February 19, 2012
Oh, absolutely!
It’s great to see the Belgians in the non-traditionally-Belgian track events!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Trying to watch racing
while also reinstalling Windows on one machine and set up a network with two others. She cannae take much more, Cap’n!
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
Ditch the technology, watch trrak with us!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Team Pursuit final - GB v Aus!!!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Brits very quick indeed
Overcooked it?
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Oooh, Aus slightly ahead!!!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
That's what lots of us thought yesterday in the Women's Elimination
And then look what happened!
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
Love watching the riders swoop up to swap to the back!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
so swoop-y!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Why do they swap so often?
I know why they change position, obviously; but why do they do it so much more often than in road races/TTT?
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
start of this interview with NZ riders
interesting on that
http://www.ridemedia.com.au/?p=4843
andrewp - February 19, 2012
Thank you!
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
It's a realtively short race, and in controlled circs
so the front rider can put in a maximum effort, then swing back and recover until their turn again – they work really hard on it, working out who goes where, when to change etc
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Ah yes – the short duration explains it. Suppose you do see the same in a short TTT.
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
Plus it's a lot easier to swap on the track - they know the conditions exactly, so less chance of a fuck up!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Aussies ahead at tha half-way point!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Look at those painfaces!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Gorgeously rode by Australia, winning the gold!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Wow!
That was some performance. Would rather we’d won, but you have to admire that.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
+1
they are some formidable TP team
andrewp - February 19, 2012
and they have about 10 riders who could also be on the team!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Bobridge is incredible
He must be even sorrier than the Brits that the IP is gone.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
and Rohan Dennis is an animal too
he beat Boardman’s “superman” time, only to see Bobridge go and out next and beat his minutes later
andrewp - February 19, 2012
An Aussie record time, too!
Superb!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
the standing ovation for the Aussies was great
broerie - February 19, 2012
Women's keirin 2nd round coming up!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Wondering if British cycling might be regretting the fact Brailsford wants wiggins on the road in the TdF
rather than on the track at the olympics….
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Mrs. Cyclopunk wants to watch Poirot (at least he’s Belgian), so that’s it for me for the time being – got way too much going on on the computers to watch it online at the moment. As a result, I’m relying on you to keep me posted, folks!
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
I'll let you know!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
She’s gone to watch in the bedroom instead. Hurrah!
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
Yay Mrs Cyclopunk!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Shulika, Guo and Krupeckaite through to the final!
Varnish, Sullivan & Junhong will race for 7th-12th
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
I like Guo
She looks great on the bike.
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
She was injured last year
Good to see her back
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Pendleton lined up nicely in keirin 2nd semi
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Kanis down!!!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Amazed she was the only one
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
She managed to fall really well, not taking anyone else out
BMX skills. I’m a big fan of Kanis, but for the last few years she seems to have lost her form, and hasn’t done as well as previously – or it could be that everyone else has stepped up, and she was at the top of her possibilities already
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
She was BMX world champion a couple of times, wasn’t she?
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
Oooh, not sure, let me look.... BMX World Champ 2006!
check out her AA Drink “Willy’s corner”! http://www.leontien.nl/rubriek/102/willys_corner/nieuws.aspx
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Speaking of which – that’s a site that needs to be on my bookmarks list.
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
I wish AA Drink-Leontien.nl would have news in English
It’s selfish, given they’re a Dutch team, but I’d love to read their news without the elves. But it shows how strong women’s sport is in the Netherlands, they just don’t need to publicise themselves because they have so much home support
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
I quite enjoy Google’s sometimes-bizarre attempts at translation, but yes – would be nice to have an English version. Maybe they’ll do so now they’ve signed so many British riders.
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
I have suggested they should pay Marijn to translate it!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Had a nice chat with her the other night about a saying that old people use here and apparently nowhere else in the UK: “If that were a bear, it would’ve bit me.” She says it’s used in NL too – so it looks like it might have been imported here by the Dutch engineers who came to help drain the Fens. I love how she chats with fans like that. :-)
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
Pendleton leads from front & wins the 2nd round - Meares 2nd and Lee 3rd to the final
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
So, one hell of a women's keirin final coming up!
Shuang Guo (Chn), Lyubov Shulika (Blr), Simona Krupeckaite (Ltu), Anna Meares (Aus), Wai Sze Lee (HKg) & Vicky Pendleton (GBr)
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
You were right about the grey skinsuits. From a distance, they look all silvery and cool. Close up, they’re actually quite horrendous.
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
UCI's fashion choice!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Figures. The UCI still think navy blazers with cream chinos are stylish.
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
Hey!
So do I. With a panama hat, for preference.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Oh, a panama makes a world of a difference!
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
Nice, Ed Clancy saying the other TPers should stop messing about on the roads!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
They play Trivial Pursuit?
What kind of weird track is this?
TheFigurehead - February 19, 2012
Well it *is* the London round!
They also play bike croquet…
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
I'll be here for the bike badminton
TheFigurehead - February 19, 2012
There's definitely a "fringe Olympics" to be run in Manchester
Second choice sprinters from GB, Aus, France and Germany, Madison, points race, IP.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
That would be bloody brilliant!
I’d definitely go!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Sireau beats Levy in the first sprint for bronze
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Wow! Hoy beats Levy in the first race for gold!
Did you see Chris Hoy’s dad in the crowd? He’s a lovely man! I remember in 2008, a few people making comments about Hoy’s enormous muscles (he was much bulkier then!) – but you can see that kind of build is in the family – Chris is his dad, if honed in the gym since he was a small boy!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
This is a re-run of the women's omnium IP, in case you're confused (like I was!)
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Well-timed
I have a horse race to watch, so not sorry they’re showing repeats for a few minutes. These horses seem quite slow, for once.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
They have trouble clipping into the pedals
That’s why.
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
Another chance to see Trott in the Elimination! Yes!
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
Anyone got the women's elim standings after the scractch?
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Best Guess
Hammer 25
Edmondson 27
Wild 29
Whitten 30
Trott 31
andrewp - February 19, 2012
except wild has 31!
andrewp - February 19, 2012
Ah, thanks!
1. Sarah Hammer (USA) 25
2. Annette Edmondson (Aus) 27
3. Tara Whitten (Can) 30
4. Laura Trott (GBr) 31
5. Kirsten Wild (Ned) 31
6. Tatsiana Sharakova (Blr) 39
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Any predictions?
Don’t have a clue about relative 500m skills of these girls.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
At Cali
Trott won, Whitten 7th Hammer 4th
andrewp - February 19, 2012
Lizzie A says Laura Trott is always in the top 3, if not fastest
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
New Zealand are current favourites for best kit of the event, I think.
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
they always are.....
bingo_little - February 19, 2012
well classiest kit anyway
I think the tattoo suit counts as “best”
bingo_little - February 19, 2012
If I hear that dim commentator saying ONE MORE TIME that the IP was taken out & the omnium added to make things equal for women, I may scream
seeing as the women rode the IP too in the ‘08 Oympics, so it’s just as much a loss for the women as the men! But somehow they think it’s worse for eg Brad Wiggins than it is for Jo Rowsell, Rebecca Romero, Sarah Hammer etc etc etc….
(aaaaaaarrrggghhhh!)
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Oh, go and cook dinner
;)
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
steps WAY back…
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
looks hopefully around for my tea....
bingo_little - February 19, 2012
Ha!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Come on, Laura!
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
WHOOSH!
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Trott guaranteed an omnium medal!
Fastest ride so far!!!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Gold Medal goes to countback
andrewp - February 19, 2012
I like countback
Thought she had a good competition.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
I don't understand why countback on timed events only
It doesn’t really make sense – I think Nettie would have won if it was on all of them/bunchy races
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Wow!
Hammer & Edmondson tie, Trott on bronze!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
I really like omnium.
Excellent addition to the Olympics in my opinion.
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
Yay! Me too!
It’s an unpopular opinion, in general, but i LOVE it!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
me three
elimination is definately my favourite race….
bingo_little - February 19, 2012
I like the way an all-rounder could win against someone who specialises in one or two of the races, that adds an extra layer of competition.
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
+1
the level of the performance is very high. The better IP times would medal at most worlds, 500m times be top 10, etc and the elimination race a major crowdpleaser
andrewp - February 19, 2012
I LOVE the elimination!
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
I've enjoyed it
I think they should do something about the order of the events, though. Seems like a bit of a shame to end with a pursuit event. The heptathlon, decathlon, medal pentathlon, etc all finish with bunch events. For a reason.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
+ 1
Definitely – and as someone who finds the early rounds of any of the TT events pretty dull, it’s better for the crowds too (unless giving us time to relax is intentional!)
I guess they do it like that, as it’s easier to get the final result out quicker? Not that it’s hard, with computers & computer tracking and the like
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Final omnium results
1. Sarah Hammer (USA)
2. Annette Edmondson (Aus)
3. Laura Trott (GBr)
4. Tara Whitten (Can)
5. Tatsiana Sharakova (Blr)
6. Kirsten Wild (Ned)
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Förstermann beats Hoy in Sprint final race 2!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
?
Did he?
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
No, I was losing my mind!
Levy beat Sireau in bronze!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
aaaargh, FÖRSTERMANN beats Sireau!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
: -)
andrewp - February 19, 2012
Gold for Sir Chris.
Marvellous
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Ahem, let's try that again!
Chris Hoy beats Max Levy to take the sprint gold medal
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Sarah Connolly, the John Peel of cycling commentators: right time, right race, wrong rider. ;-)
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
Ha!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
A bit of a bald spot on the veteran champ?
Or just helment head? I’d feel happier with more bald olympians. Now, if we could just get a few with a beer belly and arthritis, I’ll be right back in that thing.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
I hear there are ongoing attempts to get darts into the Olympics, so you may just get your wish.
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
It's much more accurate than archery
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
I grinned, at the suggestion from whatisname that the World Cup isn't that important a competition
Seeing that the trackies generally only ride a couple of World Cups and World Champs every year, and Euros/Panamericas/Oceania Champs etc, they’re what, the 2nd most important annual event? And it’s a hell of a lot harder for the sprinters here, rather than the Olympics, where riders who are in the world top 10 won’t be able to compete, given the limits on participants….
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Keirin 7th-12th final!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
I’d quite like a derny for nipping down to Tesco and stuff like that.
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
The expressions that derny riders have are so funny – the face of Action Man on a bike that looks like it was made for Barbie.
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
Keirin minor final results
7. Clara Sanchez (Fra)
8. Lin Junghong (GPC)
9. Willy Kanis (Ned)
10. Sandie Clair (Fra)
11. Monique Sullivan (Can)
12. Jess Varnish (GBr)
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
I think you should count as fourth or fifth if you win the minor final
Not that it matters much. But seems fairer.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Can't watch! So tense!!!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Very bizarre really
That only four of the quarter finalists in the mens sprint at this world cup can even line up for the mens sprint next time back at this velodrome (with practically no one missing off the start list). Less marked in the womens sprint this time around, but still has an effect.
The one rider per nation rule, while appreciate the thinking behind it, will weaken the fields considerably, and selection for team in several nations likely to be more difficult than reaching an Olympic quarter final may prove to be
andrewp - February 19, 2012
We need the fringe Olympics
Let’s make this happen!
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
It's bonkers, and makes no sense!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
I imagine that we won't see many riders in multiple events
Pendleton and Mears both looked to have lost a kick there. Hard to justify leaving one elite rider at home and having another race in three events in six days.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
I reckon Vicky P will ride all three, as she's the top one there
but it’ll be damn hard to justify putting all the men’s sprint eggs into the Hoy-shaped basket. I guess Kenny & Crampton will be doing their damnedest at the Worlds, to beat Chris in the sprint & keirin….
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
and when it comes to the TP and omnium, that'll be another interesting decision
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Yeah, that's why they pay Brailsford the big bucks.
You could make a case that the GB girls “B” team and the Aussie boys “B” would both be likely silver medallists if they were given the chance. Wouldn’t want to leave people on the bench for those events.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Well, not so much this year, re Brailsford
seeing as he’s more interested in Wiggins in the TdF than getting the optimum TP team, and Clancy in top shape for the omnium….
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Mind you, this was Cav's argument re the madison in '08
that BC were more interested in giving Wiggins a chance for 3 medals than they were in trying to win the madison…
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
I don’t get the 1 rider per nation at all, unless they are going to bring that rule in for swimming, athletics etc…
bingo_little - February 19, 2012
wow, wow, wow!
Krupeckaite wins the keirin! Superb race from her! Such a fun rider to watch!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
1. Simona Krupeckaite (Ltu)
2. Wai Sze Lee (HKG)
3. Shunag Guo (Chn)
4. Lyubov Shulika (Ukr)
5. Vicky Pendleton (Gbr)
6. Anna Meares (Aus)
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
ha Förstermann!!!!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Wow! Forstermann turning this into a pursuit!
Fun fun fun!
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
That was hilarious!
Didn’t he do that to Chris Hoy last season/season before? And Felix English caught Chris Hoy out like that too! I LOVE it when that happens – riders not paying enough attention! Well-deserved bronze!
can’t stop laughing out loud!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Yes, he did! Beat Hoy like that last year - so Sireau should have known to watch him!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Thoroughly enjoyed a bit of track this weekend
Thanks for the company and the education!
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Thanks right back at you!
I’m still giggling over your firstworldproblem!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Ironically
As you were typing that, I was on the phone complaining to majestic about a delay to my wine and beer delivery. Yet the miners thought they had problems.
EdredonBrowny - February 19, 2012
Ha! You're really suffering this weekend!
I feel your pain!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
I have, too.
I will watch again. Maybe even go to an event – the Olympic velodrome isn’t far, after all.
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
I know I keep saying it, but it's even more exciting in real life!
Definitely try to catch the World Champs in Melbourne!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Ha, Lizzie's politeface is cracking me up!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
Consummate professional.
John Cyclopunk - February 19, 2012
I haven't seen everything, but the elimination won by Trott was amazing to watch
(even with a crappy Jolien D’Hoore)
broerie - February 19, 2012
It was my favourite race of the weekend, I think!
Sarah Connolly - February 19, 2012
I have had the most awesome weekend
All day in the Velodrome, Saturday and Sunday. Taken plenty of photos, so if anyone has any requests for a rider/event, shout away, and when I have the time, Ill upload them and link to them! Ill have a FanPost up to review it as briefly as possible, and going to stick a Fan Shot up now of a particularly dramatic photo of mine, involving the Keirin, and a crash.
Sum_of_Marc - February 19, 2012
Fantastic! Look forward to it!
Personally, I’d love to see some shots of the actual velodrome/atmosphere etc, to get an idea of what it was like as a punter – thankyou!
Sarah Connolly - February 20, 2012
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