gamingeek said:

There is some bizaare goings on in the cycling. There is this mass race but there is this motorised cycle at the front which everyone has to stay behind, then everyone just sprints the final 2 laps once the cycle leaves the track. It's completely pointless they may as well make it a 2 lap race.

Now am I watching a race between two people, the guy at the front rides at 2 mph and looks over his shoulder whilst the rider behind moves at 1mph both watching each other like watching a fat kid next to pudding. This goes on for a couple of minutes, then eventually one of the makes a move and they pummel to the finish line as fast as possible. Again they might as well make it a 2 lap race as fast as possible without any of this nonsense.

I guess the idea/philosophy behind that is so they are not competing on who can get the best start.  The point of the moped is to get them all going to a steady speed in its slipstream, and then leave them to it for the last 2/3 laps to see who can jump ahead, steal an advantage and maintain it to the end.

In cycling you get a clear advantage riding in someone's slipstream because you don't get as tired as the person ahead who deals with all the drag force because of air resistance.  So the later you overtake the better.  That's why it's like a staring contest between the two riders.  No one wants to ride ahead, because it's a disadvantage, but if they leave it too long and the other person jumps ahead, then it's too late.  I love it, I think it's a great contest because it's not just about who is the strongest athlete.  It's also about brains and tactics too.

bugsonglass said:

Am I the only person who thinks hearing Chariots of Fire during every medal-award ceremony is just a little too cheesy (for lack of a better word)?

Well, it's more efficient. Same length, no screw ups with giving the wrong anthem etc... It's a bummer for the athletes, I always think it must be one of the more touching moments in their lives to hear your anthem and realize a significant numebr of people "at home" were rooting for you and you've accomplished something not jsut for yourself but for a greater community.

We saw the first women's boxing here.  It was quite sweet.  Yeah the marathon ended a good couple of hours ago if not more.

Also, no more Ian Thorpe after last night since the swimming is all done.  I will miss him.  He wore a shiny skin tight t-shirt showing his swimmer boobs and one of his trademark blazer jackets, so he finished his stint here in style.  Maybe you guys will take a hint and get him on TV over there more often now you saw how awesome he was on the BBC.

Gold medals galore for GB over the last three days.  If they keep this up they'll be challenging China and the USA before the end.  I don't see it though since the cycling and rowing where the bulk of those medals was won is soon to be over.  Never know though.  Home advantage seems to have played a huge part in athletics yesterday with 3 golds, so maybe there'll be many more.

bugsonglass said:

I guess the idea/philosophy behind that is so they are not competing on who can get the best start.  The point of the moped is to get them all going to a steady speed in its slipstream, and then leave them to it for the last 2/3 laps to see who can jump ahead, steal an advantage and maintain it to the end.

In cycling you get a clear advantage riding in someone's slipstream because you don't get as tired as the person ahead who deals with all the drag force because of air resistance.  So the later you overtake the better.  That's why it's like a staring contest between the two riders.  No one wants to ride ahead, because it's a disadvantage, but if they leave it too long and the other person jumps ahead, then it's too late.  I love it, I think it's a great contest because it's not just about who is the strongest athlete.  It's also about brains and tactics too.

Everyone has to ride in a line though and then it's harder to overtake and the guy at the back is basically screwed. It's always the front 4 who go on to win it. With the two people it's usually the guy at the front who wins, he has a 5 metre headstart and just waits for the second guy to go. There is a clear advantage being first in both races.

aspro said:

Well, it's more efficient. Same length, no screw ups with giving the wrong anthem etc... It's a bummer for the athletes, I always think it must be one of the more touching moments in their lives to hear your anthem and realize a significant numebr of people "at home" were rooting for you and you've accomplished something not jsut for yourself but for a greater community.

Chariots of fire music is just while the medals are given out, then there is the flag raising where the national anthem of the winning country gets played.  

bugsonglass said:

Gold medals galore for GB over the last three days.  If they keep this up they'll be challenging China and the USA before the end.  I don't see it though since the cycling and rowing where the bulk of those medals was won is soon to be over.  Never know though.  Home advantage seems to have played a huge part in athletics yesterday with 3 golds, so maybe there'll be many more.

So awesome last night, this ginger dude just came out of nowhere to win the gold in the long jump. Mo was already the world champion in 10'000m I think and Ennis was always knocking on the door of gold or top three for ages now. Did not expect 3 golds within an hour last night, so cool.

Yeah though, rowing and cycling are where most of the golds are for us. Ben Ainsle got his 4th gold in sailing a few minutes ago, 4th olympics too I think, incredible acheivement.

OMG OMG OMG 100m dash tonight.  Bolt apparently not the favourite due to injury.  Hope he can still do it.  Come ON USAIN BOLT!!!

Was there ever any doubt?  History has been made.  Onward to the 200m and the relay my son!

Foolz said:

He may well have been doing coverage here if his bid to make it to another Olympics hadn't ended in such utter, crushing shame.

What's to be ashamed about?  He is getting older, he cannae hack it any longer, he didn't make the qualifying times.

Happens to all.

On the first day here he said to Gary Lineker how he really wanted to be here.  And how gutted he was he didn't make the qualifiers.  He didn't seem ashamed or uncomfortable, and there's no reason he should have been.  Maybe he was more uncomfortable in Aus because as you say the media made a big deal of his "return".

Well going by this random snippet in a television guide (ovbiously the most accurate guide to Australian social mores) this stint at the BBC is probably the best thing for his reputation here:

"First Ian Thorpe had to contend with critics of his ill-fated pool comeback this year. Now he's being slammed by the Twitterverse for his unconventional presentation in the BBC's Olympic coverage. The five-time Olympic gold medalist, who's half man, half fish, is a swimming legend and has earned the right to wear a chessboard-patterned jumper under a blazer and begin all his sentences with "Look.'"

Nothing better than an Australian who is hated by the British.

Yeah I'm with GG.  We love Ian Thorpe.  He was great on the BBC.  Everyone here loved him.  The Aussies will see the truth but it'll be too late.  A prophet is never welcome in his home town.