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