GB Track Team

[JimmyFingers]

Clearly they "train harder" and "work harder" , if so why does is Ed Clancy so bad at all the technical races. Clearly their so called superior training only affects pure power and muscle...

Ed Clancy is a sprinter by trade so suffers in the endurance events, hence his poor showing in the Scratch, Points and Devil: he ran out of steam.

But oh wait that doesn't happen if he's juiced, my bad

 

[JimmyFingers]

As JimmyFingers already pointed out, home ground advantage allows you to switch between Type I and Type II muscle fibres at will...

Ah you're one of those, good to know

 

[the big ring]

Ah you're one of those, good to know

Seriously. Another 5 seconds off his omnium time (8% more power) and he could go on to win the Tour de France.

 

[roundabout]

I am surprised that with all the "money poured in" GB can only field a guy who is almost specialist level in 3 events and midfield against the "allrounders" in the other 3.

 

[JimmyFingers]

I am surprised that with all the "money poured in" GB can only field a guy who is almost specialist level in 3 events and midfield against the "allrounders" in the other 3.

He has been world champ, so he's not without form. In an interview he talks of looking for catching a break in the longer events, getting into the right move for example to take a lap. He certainly can't take one on his own, cycle off the front of the peloton and catch them again, like the gold medalist Hanssen did, but we not here to talk about anyone but the Brits, are we

The Omnium is about maximising, well minimising your score in your strongest events and limiting loses in the weaker ones. The most consistent rider wins. Clancy made a good fist of it

 

[mb2612]

He has been world champ, so he's not without form. In an interview he talks of looking for catching a break in the longer events, getting into the right move for example to take a lap. He certainly can't take one on his own, cycle off the front of the peloton and catch them again, like the gold medalist Hanssen did, but we not here to talk about anyone but the Brits, are we

The Omnium is about maximising, well minimising your score in your strongest events and limiting loses in the weaker ones. The most consistent rider wins. Clancy made a good fist of it

But Clancy is the best over 250m, 1km and 2nd best over 4km. that's ridiculous, he's the 4th best sprinter in the world apparently, yet is also competitive in the 30km points race.

The muscles required are completely different.

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

But Clancy is the best over 250m, 1km and 2nd best over 4km. that's ridiculous, he's the 4th best sprinter in the world apparently, yet is also competitive in the 30km points race.

The muscles required are completely different.

Well, in the 4K he is no where near the top guys like Bobridge. He is nearly 10 secs (?) off that time.

 

[the big ring]

Well, in the 4K he is no where near the top guys like Bobridge. He is nearly 10 secs (?) off that time.

Clancy rode 4:20 - so only 5 seconds slower than Wiggins, TdF winner, and (ETA 10) seconds slower than Bobridge.

You're right - my last memory was a 4:13, but he's done 4:10 now.

 

[the big ring]

Omnium results can be viewed here:

http://www.london2012.com/cycling-track/event/men-omnium/phase=ctm010300/doc=results.html

 

[JimmyFingers]

But Clancy is the best over 250m, 1km and 2nd best over 4km. that's ridiculous, he's the 4th best sprinter in the world apparently, yet is also competitive in the 30km points race.

The muscles required are completely different.

Didn't he come 10th in the points? Other riders took 2 laps, he won three bunch sprints, hardly using two lots of muscles. You're tryingto make something fit that just doesn't.

 

[mb2612]

Didn't he come 10th in the points? Other riders took 2 laps, he won three bunch sprints, hardly using two lots of muscles. You're tryingto make something fit that just doesn't.

In the points he won plenty of sprints, in the elimination, he was sprinting every lap, beating people every time until he ran out of steam.

Clearly he is an excellent sprinter, as evidenced by his being the 4th quickest man in the olympics.

He then also cleans them all up over 4km, despite apparently being unable to put in a sustained effort in any mass start event. It's very odd.

 

[JimmyFingers]

He then also cleans them all up over 4km, despite apparently being unable to put in a sustained effort in any mass start event. It's very odd.

Bad recovery? He's a massive lad

 

[JimmyFingers]

He then also cleans them all up over 4km, despite apparently being unable to put in a sustained effort in any mass start event. It's very odd.

How odd? 4k of time trialling against 30k of frequent sprinting? Is that comparable?

 

[Don't be late Pedro]

In the points he won plenty of sprints, in the elimination, he was sprinting every lap, beating people every time until he ran out of steam.

Clearly he is an excellent sprinter, as evidenced by his being the 4th quickest man in the olympics.

He then also cleans them all up over 4km, despite apparently being unable to put in a sustained effort in any mass start event. It's very odd.

Well, the points race is 30km and the scratch race is 15km(?) so a fair bit longer than 4km and raced at a pace not of his choosing. The length of the elimination race is obviously dependant on hold long you stay.

 

[mb2612]

How odd? 4k of time trialling against 30k of frequent sprinting? Is that comparable?

Given that all the best pursuit riders have decent road careers as well, so yes, they correlate much better than 4km does to 250m.

 

[Avoriaz]

French commentators were mentioning that the Brits were hiding their bikes between events.

It's the wheels - apparently they might be rounder than everyone elses

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/aug/05/london-2012-wheels-gb-cycling?newsfeed=true

 

[Mellow Velo]

Very impressed with young Norman Hansen.
1-02" for the Kilo
4-19" for the 4K IP
Took a lap all on his own in the scratch, after hitting the deck hard.
Oh and back on his bike in under a minute.

Real gutsy riding.

 

[the big ring]

Very impressed with young Norman Hansen.
1-02" for the Kilo
4-19" for the 4K IP
Took a lap all on his own in the scratch, after hitting the deck hard.
Oh and back on his bike in under a minute.

Real gutsy riding.

4:20.674 for the IP

 

[the big ring]

Very impressed with young Norman Hansen.

Took a lap all on his own in the scratch, after hitting the deck hard.
Oh and back on his bike in under a minute.

Real gutsy riding.

I did miss the scratch race. Are you saying he had laps out and then took a lap

Suddenly makes a whole lot of sense. Mid-race adrenaline rush and then off-bike recovery.

 

[Wallace and Gromit]

Given that all the best pursuit riders have decent road careers as well, so yes, they correlate much better than 4km does to 250m.

You need to distinguish between TP riders and IP riders. The modern TP rider is more likely to be a sprinter than an endurance type.

Clancy's likely endurance of longer distance is far better predicted from his sprint and kilo efforts than his pursuit performance. It's nigh on impossible to be good at long distances if you are a kilo/sprinter type, and surprise surprise, Clancy isn't.

What everyone's view of the two guys who actually beat Clancy? How can they beat the world class sprinter and endurance machine that some folk claim Clancy is?

 

[stampedingviking]

I did miss the scratch race. Are you saying he had laps out and then took a lap

Suddenly makes a whole lot of sense. Mid-race adrenaline rush and then off-bike recovery.

Have a nice rest for a few laps and get some strength back, maybe that's the new tactic for doing well.

When will the clinic start on this non-British rider for his outstanding achievement in beating a confirmed British doper?

 

[mb2612]

You need to distinguish between TP riders and IP riders. The modern TP rider is more likely to be a sprinter than an endurance type.

Clancy's likely endurance of longer distance is far better predicted from his sprint and kilo efforts than his pursuit performance. It's nigh on impossible to be good at long distances if you are a kilo/sprinter type, and surprise surprise, Clancy isn't.

What everyone's view of the two guys who actually beat Clancy? How can they beat the world class sprinter and endurance machine that some folk claim Clancy is?

Clancy came second in the IP though, that's my point.

The other riders were worse than Clancy in the sprints, and in the IP, they just beat him by being tactically better in the endurance, and then not losing much ground in the timed events.

 

[the big ring]

Have a nice rest for a few laps and get some strength back, maybe that's the new tactic for doing well.

When will the clinic start on this non-British rider for his outstanding achievement in beating a confirmed British doper?

Ask now what your clinic forum can do for you.

 

[Mellow Velo]

4:20.674 for the IP

Was it?
I thought it had come up sub 4'-20" on the screen.
Anyhow, still excellent.
I'm not implying anything other than admiration, btw.

I know it's not the norm around here!

Re: The scratch. Hansen touched Clancy's back wheel and came down hard. Picked up some track rash.
Got back on his bike within a minute.
A few laps later, rode away on his own, chasing a bigger bunch and made it across to take a lap, by himself.
Quite astounding.

 

[Wallace and Gromit]

...they just beat him by being tactically better in the endurance, and then not losing much ground in the timed events.

B*llocks.

In the scratch race, a bunch went off the front containing some of the main contenders, but not Clancy and Hansen. Hansen and Clancy set off in pursuit. Clancy gave up after a few laps, whilst Hansen carried on and took a lap off the field on his own. Nothing to do with tactics - Clancy simply didn't have the legs, whereas Hansen did.