Adidas have released a new YouTube video that features Keith Lemon from Celebrity Juice fame, meeting with the cyclists from Team GB. Sir Chris Hoy, Lizzie Armitsteadt, Becky James, Laura Trott and Jessica Varnish all get a chance to have typical Keith Lemon behaviour thrown their way while cycling on stationary bikes. A really good video to come out just ahead of the London Olympic Games.
Chris Hoy celebrating his Olympic Gold in his Team GB cycling kit
According to news reports British Cycling’s Performance Director, David Brailsford, has told the world (and more importantly his rivals) that all of the skinsuits worn by the British cyclists at the Beijing Olympics have been destroyed. This is to ensure that fellow rivals do not get their mitts on the technology used by the successful team.
According to Brailsford: “Our skin suits were sent out to Japan so that the person who put them together in Japan did not know where they were from and there was no link. Those suits were created by British Cycling and Adidas put the labels on. We got them back and they have been shredded because we believe that the technology will hold well for 2012.”
Unfortunately, this also means that none of the Olympic cyclists, including medal winners Hoy and Pendleton, could keep hold of their kit as ‘treasured momentoes’.
It’s an interesting move from the British Cycling team but one can’t help wonder that even though it might seem like a stupid idea, it’s this kind of attention to detail that makes the British Cycling team the best in the world!
Hoy vs Hamilton
Coming live to you this Sunday is the spectacular (well, it sounds like it definitely will be) annual Race of Champions at Wembley Stadium. As part of the action, Lewis Hamilton (in his Mercedes-Benz road car) will take on Chris Hoy (on his Dolan track bike). Starting side-by-side, the two world champs will race around the modified arena on a tight and twisty course (see image below).
And a HUGE thanks to our friends at Bikeradar.com as due to their efforts we can all watch this epic clash which is to take place this Sunday, 14 December 2009, for free.
So, in order to watch the action live, simply bookmark the page where this link leads to and the Race of Champions webcast will be brought to you live at 1.50pm (GMT) on Sunday. Now don’t forget!
Who do you think will take the title? My money’s on Hoy.
Wembley Stadium
Victoria Pendleton in her new Sky+HD team gear
So if any of you have been keeping tabs on Ms Pendleton, you will have seen this week that she has been banging her drum about equality in cycling. Now don’t get mistaken by thinking she wants to have equality by riding against Chris Hoy. It’s more to do with the fact that she wants there to be the same amount of races for woman as there are for men.
Reading through the various online news articles you can’t help but agree with what she has to say. At this year’s Olympics in Beijing, she spent most of her time just waiting around for her one event to take place, the individual sprint. To make things worse, the individual sprint was held over a paintakingly long three days when it could all have been done in one. Three events she has world titles in – the keirin, the 500m time trial, and the team sprint – were not included in the Olympic programme.
Good news is that David Brailsford, GB Cycling’s Performance Director, is backing Pendleton up on her concerns. He was supposidly meeting with Tessa Jowell, minister for the Olympics, with an intention to raise this subject with her again. As host nation, Great Britain can lobby the UCI, who in turn need to lobby the IOC for more cycling events in London.
Now I am in full support of this. More events for the girls, and more events overall for track cycling. I mean, what about more group events (for both men and woman). For example, at a local level we have ‘The Devil’ (last rider in the group to cross the line has to come off), the Scratch Race, as well as the 20Km. Back in the early 1990′s, we used to race the 1500 and 5km events too. Now by adding any of these events, I can guarantee it will create a lot more excitement for the spectators as well as for the riders.
For those of who have have been to local track will agree with me when I say that group racing is spectacular to watch on the track. Now if you’ve never watched track racing before, best get onto the phone to your local club and ask when the next event is on.
As WordPress have kindly started to offer a polling (or voting facility), I thought I’d take the opportunity and create a poll about having more events at the next Olympics. So, please cast your vote below. I’d be interested to see the response I get.
Less than half a day to go before the start of Cycle 2008 and I’m looking forward to it. To be honest, I’ve never been to a bicycle exhibition in all the time that I have been riding a bicycle. Am glad I have the opportunity to attend tomorrow so will be making the most of it.
So having a read through the press release section of the Cycle 2008 website, there are quite a few tidbits that seem of interest. One in particular is about cycling stars and the actual bikes they have been riding that will be available to see at the exhibition.
For cycling enthusiasts, this includes:
Tour de France Winner Carlos Sastre’s Cervelo R3-SL will on exhibit at the Sigma Sport stand.
Magnus Backstedt’s Felt AR Team issue bike from Tour de France and Tour of Britain can be seen on the Saddleback stand. Magnus himself will also be at the show every day on the stand.
The Giant belonging to the fastest sprinter in the world, Mark Cavendish, will be there for all to see on the Shimano stand.
For the mountain bikers:
Madison will proudly be hosting the Commencal World Championship winning bike of Gee Atherton. Gee will also be on the stand throughout the show.
On the Dirt Magazine Stand they’ll be showing off the bikes that normally carry Steve Peat, Dan Atherton, Tracy Moseley and Matt Simmonds, hopefully they’ll be clean, otherwise the Dirt stand will certainly live up to its name.
BMXers:
Shanaze Reade, who spectacularly crashed out of the final of the BMX event at the Beijing Olympics, will have her bike at the Shimano stand, alongside Mark’s Giant.
Trekkies (not of the ‘Star Trek’ kind):
The last bike to ever beat the flying Scotsman, Chris Hoy, which was ridden by Theo Bos will also be on the Shimano stand throughout the show.
So, not sure what to do this weekend? Get yourself over to Cycle 2008 at Earl’s Court in London. Sounds like heaven to me.
According to a press release from London Freewheel, Beijing cycling heroes Chris Hoy, Victoria Pendleton, Ed Clancy, Jamie Staff and Shanaze Reade, as well as Sky One’s Gladiators Enigma and Predator, will join Mayor Boris Johnson and tens of thousands of cyclists at this weekend’s Sky Sports London Freewheel.
The hugely popular free family event takes place this Sunday, September 21st, and is set to attract some 50,000 cyclists of all ages and abilities to cycle round a traffic-free central London for the day. Participants will be able to enjoy some of London’s most famous roads and landmarks, including the Tower of London, Houses of Parliament and Buckingham Palace.
In addition to traffic free streets, there will also be a series of bike related activities and entertainment taking place throughout the day. British Cycling coaches will help the public build their confidence in the saddle and teach new cycling skills – from learning how to limbo on a bike, to testing yourself against the GB Cycling Team in the Sky Sports Sprint Challenge. Those who take part will also have the chance to win a signed Great Britain Cycling Team jersey.
Sky Sports London Freewheel is free to attend, but participants must register in advance at www.london.gov.uk/freewheel. Last year, over 38,000 bikes descended on the city’s streets and this year’s event promises to be even bigger.
Following Chris Hoy’s triple gold success in the Laoshan Velodrome at the Beijing Olympics, news is making its way round that Scotland’s Commonwealth Games velodrome is to be named after him.
According to the news reports, Glasgow City Council announced that the new National Velodrome being built for the 2014 Commonwealth Games would be named in Hoy’s honour.
However, Hoy’s local training ground, the Meadowbank Stadium, is going to be demolished by the Edinburgh City Council and replaced with a “downsized” sports venue. Apparently Hoy has joined the campaign to stop this from happening.
Still, having a velodrome named after oneself must be a welcomed honour for Hoy. Plus what better role model to choose for aspiring yourng athletes.
Chris Hoy celebrates his third Gold. (Photo credit: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Reigning world Champion Chris Hoy crossed the line first to claim his third gold medal of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games with victory in the Men’s Sprint at the Laoshan Velodrome yesterday. He also became the first British athlete for 100 years to win three gold medals at a single Olympics with victory in the men’s individual sprint.
Hoy, Scotland’s most successful Olympian, earlier won gold in the men’s team sprint and keirin. In the men’s sprint final Hoy rode against fellow Brit Jason Kenny, who received the Silver for his efforts.
Britain also confirmed their status as rulers of the Olympic velodrome by finishing with seven out of 10 Gold medals on offer at the event.
I’m sad to see the cycling come to an end at this year’s Olympics. All the riders have been awesome in their endeavours and it has just been a fantastic time watching them.
Rebecca Romero celebrating her winning performance
Another superb day of racing at the Laoshan Velodrome. What more can I say than truly exhilarating!
Today Rebecca Romero became the first British woman to win Olympic medals at two separate sports and only the second British competitor ever alongside Cardiff-born Paulo Radmilovic, who won gold medals at waterpolo and in the 4x200m freestyle. What a great achievement! You have to take your hat off to this girl for what she has just accomplished.
Romero took Gold from fellow teammate Wendy Houvenhaghel in the final of the 3km pursuit. Houvenhagel took Silver for her performance.
And speaking of making history, Great Britain set a new Team Pursuit world record of 3:55.202 in qualifying which helped them to advance to the gold medal round. Great Britain, two-time defending world champions, are favored to win their first Olympic gold medal in Team Pursuit since the London 1908 Olympic Games. Another historic moment waiting for Team GB if the boys pull this off. I know they will!
Last but definitely not least, the men’s and woman’s sprint heats were superb with some stunning performances. One very notable ride was from Mohd Azizulhasni Awang of Malasia who in his 1/8 men’s repecharge final wheelied (yes peeps, you didn’t read that worng), he wheelied across the line. A very determined ride and a great performance all round.
I cannot wait for tomorrow!
Chris Hoy and Ross Edgar celebrate their victory in the Kierin Final
What an unbelievable day of success on the second day of track cycling at the Beijing Olympics! Two Golds, one silver and two bronze medals won for Team GB. I was on the edge of my seat watching the racing today – simply incredible. I love cycling!!
To summarise the results from the incredible performances seen today, Chris Hoy and Bradley Wiggins took first places in the keirin and the individual pursuit, respectively, ensuring Great Britain’s gold rush continued at the Laoshan Velodrome.
Wiggins riding for Gold
And by no means forgetting that there was also a silver medal for Ross Edgar in the keirin, a bronze for Steven Burke in the pursuit and a bronze for Chris Newton in the points race.
And in the women’s pursuit final tomorrow, Great Britain are again guaranteed another gold and silver after Rebecca Romero and Wendy Houvenaghel reached the final.
I cannot wait for the rest of the race programme to take place. Pendleton, Hoy, Wiggins, Cavendish, Clancy, Kenny, Manning, Thomas, Romero and Houvenaghel are sure to deliver some amazing rides for us!
