Cycling Thread #3 - BMX & MTB

[twistedAM]

Not my fave disciplines in cycling but deserves its own thread I suppose and Shanaze Reade is worth watching.

 

[stavros]

Never had the opportunity to watch it, but I will do all I can to, especially after seeing Reade's great performances on the track.

 

[Psychonaut]

Is that the biggest BMX track ever?
(Apart from the replica(s) obviously)

I heard something about more modern sports being brought in - skateboarding etc. Id like to see some mtb 4X & DH.

Make the most of the XC if thats your thing - cos 2012 isnt likely to blow you away!

 

[mauvais]

I heard the 2012 XC is going to be in the mountains of Essex

 

[ScallyWag II]

Are they not going to use eastway then for 2012

I've seen a few of Shanaze Reade's races on tv. She's pretty awesome

I love watching the downhill races, madness

 

[Part 2]

Is that the biggest BMX track ever?
(Apart from the replica(s) obviously)

I heard something about more modern sports being brought in - skateboarding etc. Id like to see some mtb 4X & DH.

Make the most of the XC if thats your thing - cos 2012 isnt likely to blow you away!

There have been far more dangerous/gnarley/exciting tracks. The downhill bmx tracks at the Xgames a few years back were way faster and plenty of the jumps were as big as the biggest on the olympic track. When the first race was run some riders turned up, had a look and went home. The problem with those tracks was they didn't produce much in the way of racing as it was all a bit follow the leader, just hang on for dear life really.

The Olympic track is a compromise between what racers want and what the IOC wanted. The UCI bloke sold them BMX on the back of 'freestyle'. There were no worldwide organisations for BMX freestyle which was first choice and skateboarding which was second. They've ended up with bmx racing but it has to look as exciting as possible so they've gone for a big high start hill and big jumps. Riders complain the jumps aren't big enough to match the speeds of the start hill and that the strength training they've done has been wasted because the start hill does a lot of the work.

The Olympic riders wouldn't jump the first jump on the replica track in Manchester and had to be shown by my mate 3 days later there were 14 year old doing it.

If there's any gamblers about there's some good each way odds on the mens race and I heard this morning that you can get 2/5 odds on Shanaze.

 

[t4fal]

Anyone know the dates for the bmx?

 

[E.J.]

Cycling Bmx

Anyone know the dates for the bmx?

The Cycling BMX starts on the 21st August -Laoshan BMX Venue. I found it on the official olympic 2008 site i.e. Here - Cyling BMX

 

[Psychonaut]

thanks for that E.J.

Thatll be beijing timezone i suppose?

So we subtract 7hrs which means 'thurs 9am' start there means 'thurs 2am' here. etc.

 

[twistedAM]

From the BBC site, with BBC times:

Wednesday 20 August
0200-0548: Men's and women's BMX seeding runs, men's BMX quarter-finals
Thursday 21 August
0200-0418: Women's BMX semi-finals, men's BMX semi-finals, women's BMX final, men's BMX final
Friday 22 August
0800-1015: Women's mountain bike race
Saturday 23 August
0800-1030: Men's mountain bike race

 

[ScallyWag II]

And the highlights are on at 6pm and midnight for the BMX seeding runs and mens QFs on 20/8 and the finals are on only on highlights programme at 6pm on 21/8. That might be a bit tight on timing for a lot of people to get home from work to see it

 

[Part 2]

pics of the track and stuff here

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/site/BC/gbr/OlympicGames2008/20080818_bmx_training_pics.asp

 

[Melinda]

I've seen a few of Shanaze Reade's races on tv. She's pretty awesome

I love watching the downhill races, madness

Im so excited about seeing her race.

 

[ScallyWag II]

Men's MTB on now. Disastrous start for GB's Liam Killeen, wiped out not long into the 1st lap of the race. Didn't look bad at first, just sort of fell off the edge of the trail but he didn't get up, at least when the cameras where still on him. Unlucky, he was starting to show a bit of form as well.

 

[ScallyWag II]

Frances' Assalon has made a move on th 2nd lap and is running away with it atm. Classy rider!

 

[ScallyWag II]

Gold for Julian Absalon of France and looking like silver for his teammate, Peraud. Total dominance by the French. And Switzerland's U23 world champion has beaten his teammate (the current elite world champ) for the bronze!

Liam Killeen was in 11th last i heard with Oli Beckingsale in 15th. Shame about that crash, he was back in 48th after it, so he's not done too badly.

 

[ScallyWag II]

Killeen's just finished in 7th place.

eta: and Beckingsale comes in 12th

 

[twistedAM]

urggh...just got up. have i missed it all?

 

[ScallyWag II]

Yes! Dominant performance by Spitz of Germany in the womens race and Absalon of France in the mens. A crash put Liam Killeen out of contention in the early part of the 1st lap. He managed to get back up to 7th.

Great looking course, included a "mini Alp d'Heuz"!

 

[twistedAM]

damn...just been really busy this past two days so missed BMX too but what a great Olympics

 

[ScallyWag II]

Still is! It's really kicking off in the taekwondo atm

 

[twistedAM]

Still is! It's really kicking off in the taekwondo atm

tbh i haven;t watched much other than the cycling but the security guards are in the arena at the taekwondo...it's kicking off