Olympic Roadrace

This is a repost from another thread. Olympic RR is on the 14th and I'm in
Athens and will be watching. Any predictions? I don't think the course is
tailor made for sprinters but I have limited experience.

REPOSTED BIT

I'm here in Athens working on an aspect of the Olympics. I have been over
all of the course and watched the U23 European RR Championship which was
held last August on the same course. Some insights. 1. It's hot in August.
Last year on the first lap of the men's race (held in the afternoon) the
Irish team was all together. The next lap there was one Irish rider. The
next lap, none. 2. There is a section of marble cobbles as the course
passes near the Acropolis. As everyone in Athens knows marble has ice like
qualities when wet. If it rains forget it. In addition, it is not as
smooth as pave (think about that). Nasty stuff and they'll have to do it
every lap (approximately 800m slightly uphill with a crest). 3. There is
not a lot of flat as the riders are going uphill or downhill most of the
course. There is a sharp uphill for about 300-600 meters. It was at the
start of this uphill where I made my base last year to watch the race as I
figured (correctly in women's race) that a winning move would start. 4. The
finish is a quarter mile straight slightly uphill and narrow.

There were a lot of complaints about the course following last years race
and calls by the cycling federation to change it. What the Greeks did was
to repave everything but the cobbles. There was a section on the sharp
uphill that was especially bad as it was grooved concrete. That has been
paved over with asphalt. I saw a poster on the shop windows near the finish
that was
recently printed and shows the same course so it looks like a go.

In article ,
"doublenatural" wrote:

This is a repost from another thread. Olympic RR is on the 14th and I'm in
Athens and will be watching. Any predictions? I don't think the course is
tailor made for sprinters but I have limited experience.

REPOSTED BIT

I'm here in Athens working on an aspect of the Olympics. I have been over
all of the course and watched the U23 European RR Championship which was
held last August on the same course. Some insights. 1. It's hot in August.
Last year on the first lap of the men's race (held in the afternoon) the
Irish team was all together. The next lap there was one Irish rider. The
next lap, none. 2. There is a section of marble cobbles as the course
passes near the Acropolis. As everyone in Athens knows marble has ice like
qualities when wet. If it rains forget it. In addition, it is not as
smooth as pave (think about that). Nasty stuff and they'll have to do it
every lap (approximately 800m slightly uphill with a crest). 3. There is
not a lot of flat as the riders are going uphill or downhill most of the
course. There is a sharp uphill for about 300-600 meters. It was at the
start of this uphill where I made my base last year to watch the race as I
figured (correctly in women's race) that a winning move would start. 4. The
finish is a quarter mile straight slightly uphill and narrow.

Weather forecast for Athens in August:

lows, 30 C overnight, high of 39 C. Muggy, but probability of
precipitation? About as close to zero as you can get this side of the
Gobi desert.

There were a lot of complaints about the course following last years race
and calls by the cycling federation to change it. What the Greeks did was
to repave everything but the cobbles. There was a section on the sharp
uphill that was especially bad as it was grooved concrete. That has been
paved over with asphalt. I saw a poster on the shop windows near the finish
that was
recently printed and shows the same course so it looks like a go.

Enjoy the race!

--
Ryan Cousineau, http://www.wiredcola.com
Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.

snip



Weather forecast for Athens in August:



lows, 30 C overnight, high of 39 C. Muggy, but probability of

precipitation? About as close to zero as you can get this side of the

Gobi desert.

Not quite true. Two years ago in August in rained quite a lot. Already there
have been scattered thunder showers. Average for the month of August is .3
inches. Some dry years some wet.

snip

Enjoy the race!



--

Ryan Cousineau, http://www.wiredcola.com

Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.

Thanks I will.