Cycling; a strange mixture of Solidarity and Competition
As a mountainbiker I am more Yak than Gazzelle, but that is not to say that I can not appreciate the graceful stride of that thin wirey (sometimes frail) creature. There are many aspects of the Roadie culture that intrigue me. Some so much that I dabble in them myself, Cyclocross has become part of my fall routine and I have always been curious about the Velodrome.
The HOUR RECORD in the velodrome has always been an aspect of road cycling that has struck me with great fascination. Eddy Merckx held that record for 12 years, his record was set in a different world on different terms. The equipment had not hit its high tech aerodynamic heights, training had not hit the same scientific heights, and doping was not such a prevelant part of the sport.
The VELODROMS are still out there. Track bikes are not just the tools of the courier trade and the fashion of the college coffee drinking culture, they were designed to be the efficient machines raced on the track (hence the name.) Pursuit is an aspect of the cycling racing culture that goes on with little recognition.
In track cycling Track cycling is a form of bicycle racing usually held on specially-built banked tracks or velodromes (but many events are held at older velodromes where the track banking is relatively shallow).
Track racing is also done on grass tracks marked out on flat sportsfields. Such events are particularly common during the summer in Scotland at Highland Games gatherings, but there are also regular summer events in England.
..... Click the link for more information. , the individual pursuit is an event where two cyclists begin their race from a stationary position (held by gates) on opposite sides of the track. If one cyclist manages to catch the other, the successful persuer is declared the winner, otherwise, the first one to complete the required distance (usually eight laps of the 500-metre track) is declared the winner.
Competitions are decided on a knockout format, with the competitors with the best recent results seeded so that they do not meet each other until later rounds. preview not available. Click the link for more information.
time for me to do some work before I have to start looking for another job!
As a mountainbiker I am more Yak than Gazzelle, but that is not to say that I can not appreciate the graceful stride of that thin wirey (sometimes frail) creature. There are many aspects of the Roadie culture that intrigue me. Some so much that I dabble in them myself, Cyclocross has become part of my fall routine and I have always been curious about the Velodrome.
The HOUR RECORD in the velodrome has always been an aspect of road cycling that has struck me with great fascination. Eddy Merckx held that record for 12 years, his record was set in a different world on different terms. The equipment had not hit its high tech aerodynamic heights, training had not hit the same scientific heights, and doping was not such a prevelant part of the sport.
The VELODROMS are still out there. Track bikes are not just the tools of the courier trade and the fashion of the college coffee drinking culture, they were designed to be the efficient machines raced on the track (hence the name.) Pursuit is an aspect of the cycling racing culture that goes on with little recognition.
In track cycling Track cycling is a form of bicycle racing usually held on specially-built banked tracks or velodromes (but many events are held at older velodromes where the track banking is relatively shallow).
Track racing is also done on grass tracks marked out on flat sportsfields. Such events are particularly common during the summer in Scotland at Highland Games gatherings, but there are also regular summer events in England.
..... Click the link for more information. , the individual pursuit is an event where two cyclists begin their race from a stationary position (held by gates) on opposite sides of the track. If one cyclist manages to catch the other, the successful persuer is declared the winner, otherwise, the first one to complete the required distance (usually eight laps of the 500-metre track) is declared the winner.
Competitions are decided on a knockout format, with the competitors with the best recent results seeded so that they do not meet each other until later rounds. preview not available. Click the link for more information.
time for me to do some work before I have to start looking for another job!