Thousands
of spectators watched the world’s best riders compete in the Hadleigh
Farm Mountain Bike International on Sunday 31 July.
Spectators lined the route of the mountain bike course under sunny skies in Essex
As part
of the London Prepares series, the event allowed the London 2012 Organising
Committee (LOCOG) to test key aspects of its operations in preparation for next year’s
Games.
The sold-out
event attracted 5,000 spectators who watched 82 athletes compete at the Olympic Games Mountain Bike venue.
Reigning
Olympic champion Julien Absalon from France led from the start and went
on to
win the men’s race. Absalon stormed to the finish line a full one minute
and 20 seconds ahead of second placed Christoph Sauser from
Switzerland, and one minute and 46 seconds ahead of third place rider
Austria's Karl Markt.
In the women's race, Canadian Catharine
Pendrel took the gold after finishing 56 seconds ahead of Georgia Gould
from the USA. Third place went to
Julie Bresset from France who was one minute and 32 seconds behind
Pendrel.
Winner
Catharine Pendrel praised the Hadleigh Farm course and the spectators: 'I was
very happy with how it raced. If there were 80 girls on the course the corners
would be a little tricky, but it raced really well and the spectators were
awesome.'
Debbie
Jevans, Director of Sport at LOCOG, explained how well the event had gone: 'This
was an incredibly successful event. Putting on a test event is vital for us to
test key elements of our operations.
'The event went very smoothly today, but we
will still learn from the event and listen and work with the athletes to ensure
we deliver the best possible Mountain Bike event at the Games next year.'
Mountain Bike venue on course for the Games
04 Apr 2012
The
London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG) today announced improvements
and alterations to the Mountain Bike venue at Hadleigh Farm in Essex.
The Mountain Bike events at London 2012 take place over the weekend of 11-12 August, the final two days of the Olympic Games.
Following the
Mountain Bike test event last July and based on the feedback of riders and the International Federation, several changes have been made to the course.
Parts
of the course will be made wider enabling more opportunities for
athletes to pass, while new features have been added to increase the
technical difficulty of the course.
With the main climb extended,
riders will now cover 172 metres of climbing per lap. A new climb has
also been added into the start loop, which will be used on the first lap
of the races.
Elite athlete feedback
LOCOG Director
of Sport Debbie Jevans said: 'These changes to the course have been
implemented after feedback from the elite athletes following the test
event and from conversations with the UCI.
'We are confident that
the London 2012 course remains one of the most technically challenging
courses at an Olympic Games, whilst we have ensured that it is as
competitive as it can be by increasing the number of places where
competitors can pass each other.'
Today also saw Essex County
Council and The Salvation Army launch legacy plans for the Hadleigh Farm
and Hadleigh Country Park site, including new and improved cycling
trails and visitor facilities.
Read the full media release
Cycling – Mountain Bike
Rocky paths, tricky climbs and technical descents will provide plenty of challenges for riders in the Mountain Bike competition.
In
Mountain Bike events, riders may carry their own tool kits, and are
only allowed to receive outside assistance in dedicated assistance zones
should they have any mechanical problems.
Key facts
Venue: Hadleigh Farm, Essex
Dates: Saturday 11 – Sunday 12 August
Medal events: 2
Athletes: 80 (50 men, 30 women)
Much
like BMX, Mountain Biking is a young sport that has risen to worldwide
popularity at an amazing rate. Fast, furious and occasionally downright
terrifying, the sport developed in northern California during the 1970s.
However, it quickly spread from its low-key beginnings and now has a
huge following around the globe, which has only grown since its arrival
on the Olympic programme in the 1990s.
The basics
Cross-country Mountain Bike competitions at
the Olympic Games take place over rough and hilly countryside. All
riders start together and must complete a set number of laps of the
course, with races lasting around one hour and forty-five minutes for
both men and women. There are no heats: for both the men’s and women’s
events, all competitors start together, and the first rider to cross the
finish line wins the gold.
Bicycles used in Mountain Bike events
are built for speed, durability and comfort, no easy task given the
variety of terrain. They need to be quick and light enough to aid
climbing through uneven terrain, but sturdy and stable enough to handle
descents at extreme speeds.
Olympic Mountain Biking, past and present
The
first official Mountain Bike World Championships were held as recently
as 1990. A mere six years later, cross-country Mountain Biking made its
Olympic debut in Atlanta.
At London 2012, the Mountain Bike
competition will take place at Hadleigh Farm in Essex. The newly
constructed course, built especially for the Olympic Games, will provide
a tough test for competitors from all over the world.
Jargon buster
- Full sus: A mountain bike with both front and rear suspension.
- Hardtail: A mountain bike with no rear suspension.
- Kick-out: A technique used to shift the back wheel out to one side into a turn.
- Pinch flat: A flat tyre caused by hitting an obstacle so hard that the inner tube is pinched against the rim.
See the London 2012 Olympic Games competition schedule
Get involved
Cycling is a great way to keep fit, as well as an environmentally-friendly means of transport.
British
Cycling's club development programme, called Go-Ride, is aimed at
encouraging clubs to help young cyclists enjoy their cycling in a safe,
off-road environment.
For more information, see British Cycling and Union Cycliste Internationale.
منبع: www.london2012.com/cycling-mountain-bike
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