Cycling in the 2012 Olympics (spoilers allowed)

[hebe]

I loved the womens race today, amazing riding and even more so given the dreadful weather. Such an inspiration.

I was watching the "live" coverage on my laptop, but still ended up getting spoilers as the video dropped and restarted a few times and I stupidly updated twitter on my phone a few minutes before the end. Of course everyone watching on the tv already knew the ending.

[malkin]

I liked seeing all the spectators who watched the road races "for free."

Then, I remember that for the LA Olympics I got to do the same thing!

[pll]

Just finished watching the women's road race. It took a lot of discipline to avoid looking at any cycling related web site (including this one)... loved the the outburst of emotion at the end. What crummy weather for a ride of any kind. Epic! Marianne Vos is a monster.

[Crankin]

What a finish! I wish Evie Stevens had been on the podium, but it was still exciting. I can't imagine racing in that rain.
Lovely Gamer, Stevens did just start racing, but she was a star player on a couple of HS sports teams and comes from a very athletic family. DS told me his whole HS Facebook group was abuzz w/ pride today when we spoke.

[lovelygamer]

What a finish! I wish Evie Stevens had been on the podium, but it was still exciting. I can't imagine racing in that rain.
Lovely Gamer, Stevens did just start racing, but she was a star player on a couple of HS sports teams and comes from a very athletic family. DS told me his whole HS Facebook group was abuzz w/ pride today when we spoke.

Oh that's right, her sister races too right? I think the story said her first race was with her sister. She's just too cute.

I was a bit confused keeping up with who was who in the road race. They didn't show enough pointers with the names on them for me and the riders didn't seem to wear the same outfit or helmet as their partners from the same country, or did they? Vos was aggressive the entire race, just amazing. This is my first women's road race I have watched-ever. I loved it!

[Koronin]

I wonder if the biggest reason there weren't as many people for the women's road was was the weather.

[Koronin]

Well they finally showed someone else's anthem. The French anthem for the men's 4X100 freestyle relay.

[lovelygamer]

I wonder if the biggest reason there weren't as many people for the women's road was was the weather.

I bet so. I know I am a 'no rain' kind of girl. I'll cancel most anything if it involves me being in the rain.

[pll]

I was a bit confused keeping up with who was who in the road race. They didn't show enough pointers with the names on them for me and the riders didn't seem to wear the same outfit or helmet as their partners from the same country, or did they? Vos was aggressive the entire race, just amazing. This is my first women's road race I have watched-ever. I loved it!

The coverage was bad. I posted a link to an article in The Guardian where the BBC blames a company affiliated to the IOC for it. That company was blaming Twitter for the lack of information yesterday...

The teams wear the same jersey and shorts, but the teams are smaller. In races and stage races, you would see teams of 9. In the Olympics, the format is more restrictive in the number and the criteria to qualify. Great Britain, the US, the Netherlands had 4 women each in their team. Other teams had 3 (e.g. Brazil), 2 and even just 1. Sometimes sponsors require the riders to use their team bikes (or a bike provided by the sponsor), and it seems the same goes for helmets. Most national cycling federations are probably poor, so this works well for most countries. In the worlds, you will see the same.

I was looking through the pictures from yesterday and it seems most of the riders of Lululemon Specialized were using red helmets and the bright red bike: Evie Stevens (US), Ina Teutenberg (Germany), Clara Hughes (Canada), Emilia Fahlin (Sweden)... Ellen Van Dijk (Netherlands) was not -- she had a black S-Worlks.