velodrome

It’s hype season here in London. The 2012 summer games are coming this July and I am excited to see how they compare to the 2010 games in Vancouver (will there even be an Irish House?!?!)

Being an Olympic games veteran, I had my eye out for tickets to the Prepares series of World Cup events held at the new Olympic Park. Demand was high and almost all tickets sold out within minutes – but Alex and I got our hands on tickets to the first night of competitions at the UCI Track Cycling World Cup at the velodrome.

I got a little sentimental going through the massive security tents like Vancouver 2010 to get into the Olympic Park at Stratford. The lines moved very fast and I couldn’t have been more impressed with the logistics and organisation.

The velodrome from the outside looks like a big saddle and is made with reclaimed wood (not pine beetle though).

Alex was a bit over dressed. Did you know it has to be exactly 28* celcius on the track of any velodrome? The science of it all is pretty fascinating.

The athletes keep their heartrates high while other heats were going on.

We got there just in time for the Canadian women’s first heat. Where they set a Canadian record and were ranked first into the finals (where they lost to an amazing Team GB)

Apparently one of the world champion Team GB women only started cycling to keep her husband company. No word of where he was while she was racing IN THE WORLD CUP.

The men ride an extra few km and start with 4 riders and drop one about half way through the race.

Now, the best part was being in the crowd when Team GB came out. Not only are they massive favourites to win the gold in London 2012. They’re the home team, and anyone who has been to an Olympics in their home city knows the crazyneess of the crowd when their team competes.