Olympics Overview: Cycling
— -- The FactsWHERE: Fairfield City Farm, Fairfield (Mountain bike); Road CyclingCourse, Centennial Parklands; Dunc Gray Velodrome, Bankstown(Track).
WHEN: Sept. 16-21; 23-24; 26-27; 30.
MEDALS: Mountain — Medals for men and women.
Road — Men’s and women’s road race and men’s and women’s time trials.
Track — Time trial, sprint, individual-pursuit and points race are for men and women. The 4,000 meter team pursuit, madison, keirin and Olympic sprintinvolve only men. Medals awarded in team competition as well.
OUTLOOK: Mountain — There will be 50 riders in the men’s, 30 in the women’s. Men race between 40 and 50 kilometers, women 30-40. Exact distances are decided the night before the race, determined byweather conditions.
Road — Men race 239km, women 120. In timetrials, men race 46.8km, women 31.2.
Track — France tops the field,challenged by the United States, Germany and Australia.Professional riders, such as two-time Tour de France champion LanceArmstrong, will compete. Armstrong finished a disappointing 14th inthe road race in Barcelona before turning pro.
Who to WatchLance Armstrong, USA: Winner of two straight Tour de France races. Survived testicular cancer, which had spread to lungs and brain. Posted fastest time inhistory of the Tour. Winner of USOC’s Athlete of the Year award andJesse Owens Award. Has raised over $1 million for cancer researchthrough Lance Armstrong Foundation.
Felicia Ballanger, France: Most dominant women’s track cyclist in history. Four-time world champion in the 500-meter time. Will be heavily favored for goldmedals in that event and match sprint. Might also compete in theroad race or individual time trial.
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