Bradley Wiggins to attempt Hour record on Mallorca next summer?

andyp wrote:

I *suspect* crazy-legs is a bit more up-to-speed on the situation than you or I

That's very possible, I'm certainly not an expert, just someone looking at a timetable and saying it *can* be done.

I don't think it will be done, but it could be done.

crazy-legs wrote:

farrell wrote:

Would there? The velodromes are council-run sports facilities, as 'Flying Scot' says, the schedules are packed months in advance. You don't just turn up and ask to use the track for a bit to practice for The Hour - you need the full training team, coaches, conditions etc in place, it needs to fit in with the athlete's training and you don't just bump 40 paying customers off it cos Brad wants to use it for a bit.

Training sessions at all the indoor tracks now are packed out, Manchester is in use 8am - 10pm 7 days a week...

Nice to see all the support for cycling in the UK but when that takes the form of whinging that an event isn't in the UK or a British athlete isn't taking part in [event] it just looks like sour grapes.

Given that British Cycling are based at the Velodrome, having the support team there really shouldn't be too much of a stretch.

The velodrome is in use quite a lot, I agree, but as big chunks of this time are taken up by British Cycling I'm reasonably confident that British Cycling could come to some arrangement with British Cycling in order to let a member of the British Cycling team attempt the hour record on behalf of British Cycling.

Here is the timetable for Manchester: http://www.nationalcyclingcentre.com/media/12771/Velodrome-Timetable-Sep...

That does look pretty full but obviously they can't be set in stone,because those sessions will all get shunted whenever there is an event on at the Velodrome, like they will for the Revolution events.

I reckon British Cycling and the NCC would be happy to miss out on a few hundred quid a week for a few months in order to assist Wiggins' hour attempt. It's something slightly different to a few tasters sessions or a corporate jolly/team building guff. The NCC would be even happier if meant that they would get the chance of knocking out a few thousand tickets at £20 a head if he attempted it there.

Flying Scot wrote:

For anyone who does track riding, you will know that no major UK velodrome has enough time to allow this event to take place in the next 12 months.

The schedules are jam packed months in advance.

I suspect, if this story is true, that Mallorca have the space and are willing to accommodate things, without BC and SC sticking their neb in.

There would be plenty of time at Manchester, I'm fairly sure the velodrome staff, British Cycling and a few others wouldn't have their noses put too much out of joint if Wiggins wanted to use the track for a few hours to build up to an hour record.

I'd imagine London and Glasgow would be similar.

Bontie wrote:

Perhaps I have the logic flawed, but why would record attempts be at altitude as opposed to at sea level? More O2 at sea level is surely more conducive to better performance?

There is also a theory that riding at altitude is an advantage because the air is thinner and therefore less wind resistance. As long as you are acclimatised to the reduced oxygen at altitude.

The thinner air at altitude means less air resistance, which at 50km/h is pretty substantial.
Obviously there is a balance to be struck between this benefit and the reduced O2 available for respiration at higher altitude, but the science suggests that the decrease in drag means more speed despite the small reduction in power output.
The sweet spot appears to be a few thousand feet above sea level.

Bontie wrote:

Perhaps I have the logic flawed, but why would record attempts be at altitude as opposed to at sea level? More O2 at sea level is surely more conducive to better performance?

That was my thought as well. But once acclimatised the 02 difference may have no effect but the drop in air density might offer less resistance?

usedtobefaster wrote:

WHATS WRONG WITH LONDON OR GLASGOW !!!!!

Aside from the choice of cycling venue - quite a lot

andyp wrote:

yeah, and that Chris Hoy went to *BOLIVIA* for his record attempts. And Jens Voigt didn't do his hour in Germany. booooo

Honestly, have a listen to yourselves.

Hoy went to altitude. There isn't anything at altitude in the UK

Both Jens and Matthias did they records in Switzerland, home of the UCI.....and I'll bet there was something in it for the teams for doing that.

Bradley can do the record wherever he wants for all I care, I'm just laughing that he wants fans to be there, but is passing up the world class facilities in the UK to go abroad and do it

Gkam84 wrote:

There are 3 perfect locations in the UK to do it, London, Manchester and Glasgow....but he'll do it in Mallorca.....nice one Bradley....I hope no British fans go out and support you.

What about Newport?

Welsh boy wrote:

Gkam84 wrote:

There are 3 perfect locations in the UK to do it, London, Manchester and Glasgow....but he'll do it in Mallorca.....nice one Bradley....I hope no British fans go out and support you.

What about Newport?

Nothing wrong with Newport, but it only seats 500. That is why I left it off my list, London seats 6000, Manchester 3500 and Glasgow 2500.

By the time you take into consideration the media that will want seating, along with sponsors. Newport doesn't quite have capacity for many fans aswell

Notsofast wrote:

How many times will it fall before then?

More times than it will fall afterwards!