People supporting sporting endeavour

[karena]

Kute Nurse our thread got eaten in the crash!

(Just to explain to everyone, Kute Nurse and I often discuss our cycling men, so set up a thread for it, but all are welcome to join in, hence the more general title )

So anyway, do you watch track racing at all? I am going to the world track championships over the next couple of days. If you watch it, I am near the start/finish straight but alas you don't know what I look like so that's no use :lol:. You can imagine someone is me. If I see the camera on me, I'll shimmy!

I'll update you with what happens....

x

 

[KuteNurse]

I think we lost our original thread! I have watched track racing before, but my son loves the road. Is your boyfriend racing in these races? I hope you have a good time and he WINS! lol Only 30 days before my son's first race of the season. Do you find yourself driving all over to these races also? The closest one is like 150 miles. Shimmy, Shimmy and I will look for a belly dancer! lol

 

[karena]

No he's not racing :lol:. It's the world championships, it's people who will be in the olympics who are racing
Here's a link
Track Cycling World Championships 2008
Maybe it's not so big in America. I don't recognise any of the american's names and I don't recall seeing them in the finals in the olympics or anything. Australia, France, Netherlands and the UK are all good (and I'm sure there are others but I can't recall of the top of my head)
I don't think we drive so far here. The very furthest away we once went was about 120 miles, and that's a long way for us.
I once visited America, and we went on a day trip that took us 4 hours just to get there! That distance would be a weekend away here :lol:
Keep me updated with your son's progress!

 

[KuteNurse]

Thankyou! I will look at the link. I know there is track racing in the Twin Cities. But not where I live. I do not know the popularity of track racing, because I do not know much about it. My son does I am sure. I will keep you up to date of my son's progress. I just paid his team fee of $30 and his USA license of $60 today. I am always blown away at how expensive the sport of cycling can be. With all the long drives and the price of gas, team kit, bicycle and repairs, tires, tubes, shoes, cleats, pedals, price for each race. I sure hope my son wins back some of his entry fee money this season! lol Let me know how your boyfriend does also. It would be fun to hear the updates on them. I will share with my son even.

 

[karena]

My fiance punctured one of his best tubs in just one outdoor track session the other week. That was expensive.
I once drove into a car park barrier with his bike on the top of the car :shok:. That was even more expensive. oooops!

Track is difficult as obviously you need a track for it. We have one here as they built it for the commonwealth games but there aren't many.

 

[KuteNurse]

Our bicycle rack is on top of my car. I drove through a fast food restaurant in Iowa last summer and almost knocked the bikes right off. It did not even phase me until the car behind me honked his horn. LOL My husband also cycles. More for fun. He just bought a new mountain bike he is going to start taking to work, starting tomorrow morning. He is actually right next to me in this room, putting the light on his bike so he can see at 4 AM in the morning! lol He does some races, but more for fun and the exercise. My son is the more competative spirited one.

 

[karena]

Had fun at the world track championships. GB now have 9 golds and 1 silver. I saw them get 5 of the golds. I did see a couple of Americans, there was one who got bronze today. But not so many

 

[KuteNurse]

Very cool! I bet that was exciting to see. I was talking to my son today about racing a bit. He is really excited to get moving! lol I bet watching the track races really motivated your BF!

 

[Dev]

I love watching a few sports live or on TV and play cricket now and then , other than that I never played any sports, I enjoy tour da France, First I love the intensity and excitement of racing for the jersey (I don’t usually find its an exciting game) secondly the beautiful country side of France and other European countries are just breath taking. I appreciate anybody who are into cycling, it’s a tough and very competitive sport and also quite popular in Australia.

Regards

 

[KuteNurse]

Dipali,

I am glad to see your enthusiasm towards cycling. I know it is quite popular in European countries and in Australia. It is becoming popular in the States, but football and basketball take precedence. Once you are into it, (cycling), you really get to appreciate the pain and suffereing these men and women tolerate. It is like a chess board on the road, on a bicycle. With the expenses of cycling, I can see why not many people try it. I have already paid a small fortune for my son this year.

1. Repairs to bicycle, tires, tubes. $250

2. Clothing-$300/year

3. New cycle shoes and pedals-$400+

4. License and team registration fee-$90

5. Gas to races-$60 per trip, give or take

6. Hotel expenses for stage races where we need to spend the night.

7. Food-cyclists are bottomless pits because of all the calories they burn. Not to mention fresh fruit and gatorade.

8. Registration fees for each race, approximately $35+, that is per one race. Some of the races are 4 day stage races which would maybe that price about $150.

It is getting to be quite an expensive hobby, but I see so much potential and positive energy in both my son and husband, that I can't say no. I guess it could be comparative to belly dancing in the respect that we pay for classes, private lessons, costumes, makeup etc...Maybe no sport or hobby is without expenses, so I should not complain.

 

[karena]

Yay Dipali welcome!

Yes there are quite a few good aussies. They are usually pretty good on the track, but weren't so good at the World Champs I went to last week. There's a few that feature on the European tours though. And you have your very own tour down under.

Kutenurse, an America called Jenny Read beat one of our gold medals into silver at the track world champs yesterday. Victoria Pendleton had already won two golds, was the current world champ, people would have bet their houses on her winning, and then your jenny read won! I was pleased for her in a way, as the commentators were saying she is getting on a bit and had got loads of 4th places before, so it's nice she can retire with a medal.

But, not to brag too much, here is the final medal results. GB got more golds than anyone else got medals! Roll on the olympics
Team G S B Tot Britain 9 2 0 11 Netherlands 3 3 2 8 Belarus 2 0 1 3 France 1 3 3 7 United States 1 1 1 3 Cuba 1 1 0 2 New Zealand 1 0 0 1 Denmark 0 2 1 3 Lithuania 0 2 0 2 Germany 0 1 4 5 Australia 0 1 3 3 China 0 1 0 1 Ukraine 0 1 0 1 Greece 0 0 1 1 Italy 0 0 1 1 Russia 0 0 1 1

 

[KuteNurse]

Awesome! I bet that was really cool to watch! I wonder if any of the track racers also do road races like Tour de France? I have heard that there are many great track racers in the UK. It is freezing here...snowing even...Brrr! I am going to snuggle under the blankets and watch dancing with the stars. Night

 

[karena]

There was Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish. Wiggins now rides for Team High Road, that used to be T-Mobile and used to ride for Cofidis. Cavendish is also High Road. There was also Brad McGee of Team CSC. We think that none of the American track riders had ridden the Tour though.

 

[KuteNurse]

I was looking for this thread. I watched Tour of Flanders with my husband and son on Sunday. I am looking forward to watching my son race again in a couple of weeks. The weather has been awful, so his riding has been limited. Another snowstorm is supposed to hit this weekend...YUCK! When will it ever end?

 

[karena]

i didn't see any tour of flanders, i was out on Saturday and Sunday and then we were watching the F1 we had recorded. I think my fiancee did though as he mentioned it. And he was watching maybe tour of breton yesterday. I might be making that name up as I was out and wasn't really listening

Yesyerday he went out MTB and when he got home he declared he wasn't fit enough to race this year, and he has recently gone self-employed and his car (which he needs to lug round tools) has just broken in a big way so he decided it was too expensive too . Maybe he will anyway though...

When does your son's racing start? It must be really soon now?

 

[KuteNurse]

I bet he will race...Cyclists are obsessed about cycling! My son is having lactic acid build up in his legs from all the biking, so he has taken much of this week off. His first race is next weekend...April 16th. I hope he feels well enough to race by then. I know what you mean, half of the stuff my son tells me about cycling, I do not understand and it goes right over my head. lol So I chose not to listen.

 

[Dev]

Hello Kareena and KuteNurse .
You guys are really into cycling arnt you? I dont understand all the rules and regulations specially the sprint event. This year Australian team hoping for a few medalS in Beijing Olympic ,They supposed to be very good at BMX . Thats the small mountain bike I think/

By the way as we are talking about sporting endeavours, what do you all think about the Olympic torch relay, the protest against the Chinese treatement in Tibet should not be brought into this , thats what I think. I am waiting to see what China has to offer during the Olympics, This is going to be the best Olympics of all.Have you seen the main stadium or what they call Birds nest, briliant engeneering.

Thats what its going to look after final touches

Presently being build

 

[KuteNurse]

Hi Dipali!

I am a cycle mom geek! lol that looks like quite an interesting building. Is it for the velodrome in the Olympics? I have to admit I love watching cycling...Road racing and criteriums...My experiences are mostly watching local races. I am familiar with the international professional cycling and cyclists also. Tour de France etc...We watch the big tour in July and other races on versus on cable television.

I do not know much about the carrying of the olympic torch other than it should not interrupted and that people are making a fuss about nothing. The tradition has been carried on for years and years. It is a harmless tradition that doesn't cause any trouble. The people who are protesting are the ones who are causing trouble.

Ohhh...My son's first race is next Saturday in Durand, WI. It is a 70 mile road race in Amish country. I have not been to this race yet, but I am excited to take pictures. I am hoping for good weather after the blizzard we had Thursday night into Friday. Here is the website of the race.

The 2008 Durand Road Race | Chippewa Valley Cycling Club

 

[KuteNurse]

I am exhausted! I was up at 3:45 getting ready for a cycle race. It started off with bad weather. It was pouring outside when we loaded up the car, my son attempted to put his grease covered wheels in the backseat of my car and now the back seat has a grease stain on it My pretty brand new car! It is ok, I will find something to take out the stain.

We drove 3.5 hours, one way to Durand, WI. Amish country. It was beautiful and scenic. Rolling hills. Amish children playing outside and Amish women hanging clothes on a clothing line. An elderly Amish man was outside plowing a field with an old plow and a horse. I waved to him and he waved back. They are friendly people.

The race started at 11:00 AM for my son. At the start line, it was quite chilly outside. A whopping 43 degrees. Brrrr! Brisk. The cyclists got off to a good start riding their first lap of 13 miles around quiet countryside where the Amish live. (5 laps around...I believe it was 68 miles total.) All was going well for my son...He was having a great race, challenging other riders to keep up with him. Creating break-a-ways. He heard talk in the field, that he was the rider to win this race. The rider to beat in his category.

Then, on the final lap. Kapoot! He was 2/3 of the way on the final lap, when his tire blew! There was not a wheel truck in this particular race to carry spare wheels, so his race was ended!

What a bummer! He felt bad, but I reassured him that there are plenty more races for him to do. Next weekend as a matter of fact. I also reminded him that these things happen in cycle races all the time. They are referred to as having a "Mechanical". It is a good way to remind him that even the best of athletes are not perfect and have bad days or accidents.

I think he is really a strong rider this year and I will bet money on it that he will win many races this year if he keeps riding the way he has been doing. I will keep you posted. With this being said, I am wiped out! It has been a long day and I am certain I will fall asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow.

 

[karena]

Hey Kutenurse that's such a shame. But at least it sounded like he must be in good form for the future races.

For what it's worth, does he use clichers or tubular tyres? My fiance said he always carries a spare tub and a pressurised gas cannister, as then you can whip it off an put a new tyre on, and the tubs are quicker (less than a minute for the whole thing). But that probably would have been no help 2/3 into the last lap. My fiance says its more common to carry a spare like that in time trials, particularly as there is no support cars and if you are 25 miles away from HQ you're pretty stuck if you can't change the tyre and get home. Maybe some quirky English practice could give him the edge

And wheels in the back of the car sounds very familiar. That was the saving grace when I drove the bike on the car into the car park barrier. No wheels to damage. He needs some wheel bags for xmas :lol:

Keep us posted. Still no racing at this end.