European Track Championships

[Rhys W]

I've just seen Team GB do a cracking sub-4 minute ride in the team pursuit... but there was no starting gate. It looked very amateurish, and I'm sure therefore the timing can't be that accurate.

The commentators have mentioned it, but not a reason why. Any idea?

[citoyen]

Not seen it yet but Will Fotheringham said on twitter they were using a timing tape instead. Don't really know what that means in practice. Sounds like a bit of a shambles.

d.

[David Martin]

IIRC the timing is the same whatever - the timing is taken off the pressure tape (the black strip in front of the riders.) there was some issue with riders wheelying the tape so the time was taken from the back wheel rather than the front..

 The starting gate is there to ensure the riders do not jump the start.

[Rhys W]

Timing is only part of it - it's the possibility of a false start, or a little push from the helper. The commissaires are having a hard time keeping an eye on this.

Apparently a GB pursuit rider had a problem with the gate releasing, so they decommissioned them - and don't have a spare. 

[David Martin]

And the team sprint was seriously hampered by it, so we failed to take a clean sweep.

Oh well, maybe it is a devious UCI plot to ensure GB doesn't win all the gold medals..

..d

[Biff]

And the team sprint was seriously hampered by it, so we failed to take a clean sweep.

Oh well, maybe it is a devious UCI plot to ensure GB doesn't win all the gold medals..

..d

Anything to do with the UCI makes my arse clench. Truth > Fiction  No trust.

[David Martin]

Of the olympic events, GB got 7/10 gold medals. Of the non-olympic events, they didn't even show up.


Not bad, except in the individual and team sprint (which may have been a gate error.)

..d