The Official Olympic Thread

[dom9]

We need someone who understands cycling to explain what is going on here.

[dom9]

What the **** is a peloton?

[Fredo]

We need someone who understands cycling to explain what is going on here.

What the **** is a peloton?

Peloton is the main field, where team GB are at the moment.

[Fredo]

Another attack, Niboli that time. Fantastic race this is becoming.

[Muddled]

Well ... It's a pleasant sea of colour in the cycling.

They're now being handed goodie bags.

[Muddled]

I'm gonna watch the womens football seen as there are no crashes in the cycling - more entertaining.

[Shaggy]

Well ... It's a pleasant sea of colour in the cycling.

They're now being handed goodie bags.

I know I'm a total noob with this but I find a lot of it weird. Pedalling along, waving at the crowds, chatting, taking drinks off men in cars. Surely all that pratting around doesn't help? What if one bloke loses by half a second? The time lost pratting around and waving at the crowd could ultimately cost someone the race.

It's all pretty weird.

[Shaggy]

Been out for a couple of hours and put it back on. Where are GB?

[Shaggy]

Fancy going along to watch this

A mass of cyclists whizz past in about 10 seconds in that's it

[dom9]

Fancy going along to watch this

A mass of cyclists whizz past in about 10 seconds in that's it

There's 10 laps or something isn't there?

[Fredo]

I know I'm a total noob with this but I find a lot of it weird. Pedalling along, waving at the crowds, chatting, taking drinks off men in cars. Surely all that pratting around doesn't help? What if one bloke loses by half a second? The time lost pratting around and waving at the crowd could ultimately cost someone the race.

It's all pretty weird.

Surely that's an exaggeration? It was certainly that way at the start but I can't see anyone doing this at this stage of the race.

Taking drinks off people has always been the case in most races, it doesn't slow them down or make them lose seconds, unless you're riding a 10 kms race. Normally when a rider is in difficulty or is a bit behind, you will have his team mates (or one of them) waiting for him to drag him back in the peloton.

Riders have to keep eating or refuelling along the way as it's a long and gruelling race. So there'll be points when they'll all be slowing down for a few metres to grab some nutrients.

[Shaggy]

A couple of hours ago I saw cyclists chatting to each other and waving at the crowds.

Seems to be hotting up now

Where are GB

[Muddled]

Agreed Shaggy. It's like a super fit jaunt through the countryside minus the traffic.

And they all ride *so* close! I guess it's like a racing line, but surely it's not *that* important to follow each other everywhere. And I'm with you - the glancing round, riding one handed and getting their chat on, could be the difference between first and thirty first.

Super fit guys, obv, but it's not my bag.

[Fredo]

Been out for a couple of hours and put it back on. Where are GB?

Team GB are in the main field, chasing a leading group of around 7/8 riders. They are 5 or 6 minutes behind at the moment and there is still around 3 climbs (?) of Box Hill to go. After that the terrain up to the final is a bit flat and favours Cavendish and the GB team more.

[Shaggy]

Agreed Shaggy. It's like a super fit jaunt through the countryside minus the traffic.

And they all ride *so* close! I guess it's like a racing line, but surely it's not *that* important to follow each other everywhere. And I'm with you - the glancing round, riding one handed and getting their chat on could be the difference between first and thirty first.

Super fit guys, obv, but it's not my bag.

Team GB are in the main field, chasing a leading group of around 7/8 riders. They are 5 or 6 minutes behind at the moment and there is still around 3 climbs (?) of Box Hill to go. After that the terrain up to the final is a bit flat and favours Cavendish and the GB team more.

Five or six minutes??? Surely they'll never make that up.