Olympic track cycling *with spoilers*

[citoyen]

So, what went wrong for Vicky and Jess? Can't really argue with the commissaire's decision, but why did it happen? Looked to me like Jess Varnish eased up slightly too soon. Or was it Vicky Pendleton winding up her speed too early?

d.

[padbeat]

Well done Jill Douglas.

Vicky is clearly on the edge of tears, but putting a brave face on it. Jess won't come out of the changing room.

Jill's questions:
What went wrong?
Why?
But you've done this loads of times, why did you cock it up?
Well you've ruined Jess Varnish's life? How do you feel about that?

FFS

There has been FAR too much of this across all post-event interviews by the BBC.

[citoyen]

Really feel sorry for Varnish - guaranteed silver, possible gold, down the toilet for a stupid minor technical infringement that didn't even give them an advantage. But rules is rules and it did look like it was probably her fault.

At least Pendleton has two more events.

d.

[citoyen]

Three world records for GB so far - men's team pursuit, men's team sprint, women's team sprint. Shame the last of those only stood for a matter of minutes.

This track is fast.

d.

[Rhys W]

It must be heartbreaking to lose at the Olympics because of a blazer's decision. I hope Chris Hoy (15 years her senior) will have a few words of encouragement and try and get her to take a long term view.

[Ewan Houzami]

Well done Jill Douglas.

Vicky is clearly on the edge of tears, but putting a brave face on it. Jess won't come out of the changing room.

Jill's questions:
What went wrong?
Why?
But you've done this loads of times, why did you cock it up?
Well you've ruined Jess Varnish's life? How do you feel about that?

FFS

There has been FAR too much of this across all post-event interviews by the BBC.

She is pretty awful isn't she? Just another one of the blondebot presenters. She interrogated Vino immediately after he'd won the gold in the RR about what went wrong with team GB's tactics. He didn't care - he'd just won the gold FFS. The least she could have done would have been to have congratulated him first and ask him about his tactics. Then again, Cav ain't exactly up to much as a pundit either.

[Martin109]

With Vicky bowing out this year, at least Varnish has a future ahead of her, and will win future gold medals.

[Rig of Jarkness]

So what was all this about ?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19104330
I did it just to get a restart.  Yes I pulled a fast one ?

Jill D has tweeted that she thinks it was a 'lost in translation' thing.  I'm not sure I'm convinced.

[red marley]

No, Jill said "you pulled a fast one" and he replied after not hearing her the first time "Yes, I was trying to get a fast time". Quite a different meaning. Lost in translation seems like a reasonable explanation.

However it is interesting to watch the body language of the much more media-savvy Hoy during that bit of the interview.

As I understand it, his original start set him off wobbling uncontrollably. He ~may~ have been able to recover from, but went for the fall just to ensure they had a restart (all within the rules).

[Rig of Jarkness]

As I understand it, his original start set him off wobbling uncontrollably. He ~may~ have been able to recover from, but went for the fall just to ensure they had a restart (all within the rules).

Are you sure about that ?

[red marley]

Fair point. I was going on what Chris Boardman was saying during commentary, although at that point, they thought there might have been a problem with the bike rather than the rider.

[peterc]

<tech geek moment>
The GB forks for both the sprints and pursuit look radically different to every one else and to last time I saw them.
Easiest to see from the front on, they look wide enough for MTB sized clearances.



I assume that is to get the fork blade turbulent flow away from the wheel turbulent flow.

As a Church of Burrows darksider of course I'd ask why not just have a single blade and half the drag but someone in a blazer might have a moment...

[LEE]

It must be heartbreaking to lose at the Olympics because of a blazer's decision.

That's nonsense.

It's a clearly defined rule that they WERE aware of and failed to practise for adequately.

No different to a bad change-over in the 100m relay or the offside rule in football.

Poor execution, end of.

Sounds to me like Varnish, as lead-out, should move over at a precisely defined moment.  Pendleton can't be expected to watch for the zone from behind.

As for the Men's team.  Awesome.  What comes after Sir Chris Hoy?  Is Emperor Hoy a valid title?

Wiggo seemed to last a surprisingly short time as Emperor of everything Olympic.  If Hoy gets another Gold then Wiggo will become "that sideburns bloke".

[Valiant]

I'm a bit confused, the rule is that they can't over take before the lap is over right?



There's the line and it seems to me that Vicky hasn't overtaken or am I missing something?

[spesh]

From pages 32-33 of the UCI Cycling Regulations, concerning the team sprint:

3.2.153 A team shall be relegated to the last place in the stage of the competition if one of the following
infringements has been committed:

1) if a rider draws away by more than 15 metres before the end of the lap that he is to lead
2) if a rider does not draw away by more than 15 metres after the end of the lap that he was supposed to lead
3) if one rider pushes another.

The problem is that the line marking the start/end of the lap is obvious, being the white line crossing the lane marker lines, but the start and end points of the takeover zone are not so obviously marked. The riders are travelling at almost 20 metres per second, the marks as they are (the foam blocks placed below the sprinters' lane?) won't be at all easy to spot, so a timing error in the takeover of just a couple of tenths of a second equates to around 4 metres on the track.

[mr magnolia]

So what was all this about ?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/olympics/19104330
I did it just to get a restart.  Yes I pulled a fast one ?

Jill D has tweeted that she thinks it was a 'lost in translation' thing.  I'm not sure I'm convinced.

I tend to think this may bounce around a bit unless the media join up to not examine it. The translation excuse doesn't cover the fact that he clearly said he deliberately put the bike down to get another shot. Bet Chris hoy gave him a kicking behind the scenes.

[hubner]

As reported on http://sports.yahoo.com/news/china-set-second-world-record-team-sprint-162037283.html

But Britain's victory, for some, could be soured by the gamesmanship used by teammate Philip Hindes in the first round, which gives access to the gold medal match.

After a bad start, and faced with losing just a crucial fraction of a second, the 19-year-old German-born Briton crashed deliberately in order to be allowed a restart, in accordance with the rules.

"So I crashed, I did it on purpose just to get the restart, just to have the fastest ride. It was all planned really," said Hindes.

"When that happens you can lose so much time... my only chance was to crash and get the restart."

[Valiant]

Oh dear

[hubner]

From pages 32-33 of the UCI Cycling Regulations, concerning the team sprint:

3.2.153 A team shall be relegated to the last place in the stage of the competition if one of the following
infringements has been committed:

1) if a rider draws away by more than 15 metres before the end of the lap that he is to lead
2) if a rider does not draw away by more than 15 metres after the end of the lap that he was supposed to lead
3) if one rider pushes another.

The problem is that the line marking the start/end of the lap is obvious, being the white line crossing the lane marker lines, but the start and end points of the takeover zone are not so obviously marked. The riders are travelling at almost 20 metres per second, the marks as they are (the foam blocks placed below the sprinters' lane?) won't be at all easy to spot, so a timing error in the takeover of just a couple of tenths of a second equates to around 4 metres on the track.

Those rules don't say anything about a takeover zone.

And why is the takeover zone not obviously marked?

[Deano]

As reported on http://sports.yahoo.com/news/china-set-second-world-record-team-sprint-162037283.html

But Britain's victory, for some, could be soured by the gamesmanship used by teammate Philip Hindes in the first round, which gives access to the gold medal match.

After a bad start, and faced with losing just a crucial fraction of a second, the 19-year-old German-born Briton crashed deliberately in order to be allowed a restart, in accordance with the rules.

"So I crashed, I did it on purpose just to get the restart, just to have the fastest ride. It was all planned really," said Hindes.

"When that happens you can lose so much time... my only chance was to crash and get the restart."

According to the comic he corrected himself later on. His rear wheel slipped in the frame and he went down:

http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/articles/show?id=534213

[Jakob]

As reported on http://sports.yahoo.com/news/china-set-second-world-record-team-sprint-162037283.html

But Britain's victory, for some, could be soured by the gamesmanship used by teammate Philip Hindes in the first round, which gives access to the gold medal match.

After a bad start, and faced with losing just a crucial fraction of a second, the 19-year-old German-born Briton crashed deliberately in order to be allowed a restart, in accordance with the rules.

"So I crashed, I did it on purpose just to get the restart, just to have the fastest ride. It was all planned really," said Hindes.

"When that happens you can lose so much time... my only chance was to crash and get the restart."

Bah, hopefully the UCI will show some balls and strip them of their gold...because that's certainly not what the rule is there for.

[Rig of Jarkness]

BTW I don't agree with the criticisms of Jill Douglas upthread.  I suspect her first love will always be rugby - she's from Hawick, nuff said - but she has developed a genuine passion for cycling and contrary to the comments above my view is that she has an excellent rapport with the GB riders.  You only have to see the Twitter exchanges between her and members of the the team to see that.  Her tweet after Wiggin's TT gold says how much she cares about the sport  -

Thank you @bradwiggins for 1 of the greatest days ever. & sorry to lady on tube who asked if I'd had a good day & saw me burst into tears

[mattc]

Well done Jill Douglas.

Vicky is clearly on the edge of tears, but putting a brave face on it. Jess won't come out of the changing room.

Jill's questions:
What went wrong?
...

What else was she going to ask about? As you say, VP didn't have to give the interview - the likely topic was pretty obvious.

[padbeat]

Yes, but it's not Newsnight, JD isn't Paxman and VP isn't Michael Howard.
She asked the question, and got a fairly full answer, then she asked it again in a fairly unsympathetic manner. She could have experessed sympathy for Jess Varnish and then asked VP how she felt rather than going in hard with studs showing.

Her post-race interview with Cav had a fairly similar tone.

[Wowbagger]

Ah, but the viewing public has a right to expect medals and if they aren't forthcoming, Name and Shame.

Just taking part isn't good enough. It's the winning that counts.