Olympics 1908

Add a Comment

Comment by DavidR on June 4, 2008 at 2:36pm

I think some of them need to take a lesson in tactics...

"The pace, as it was bound to do, told at last, and when over a hundred laps had been done, the leaders were taking refreshments and breathers."

More tea, Vicar?

Comment by Tom on June 4, 2008 at 10:11am

It was true a hundred years ago and it's still true today!

"In view of some descriptions published of this race afterwards, it may
be added that if any riders had been guilty of deliberately “pocketing”
another, they would have been disqualified. In cycle racing finessing for
positions is permissible : more races are won by clever head work than by
sheer speed. “ Cutting in or out ” when going at full speed is not permissible, but when “crawling” and “finessing” the question does not
arise. Riding up the banking and slowing down is a tactic imported from
the Continent, the object being to force the other riders to go in front and
give a lead before a finish."

Comment by Steve Sorba on June 3, 2008 at 3:58pm

And the 100km race had heats. So if you were lucky you got to do it two days in a row.

Comment by Steve Sorba on June 3, 2008 at 3:23pm

And there's more...I particularly like the first sentence...
Cycling Pages from 1908 Olympic Report.pdf
and the winners are...
1908 Cycling winners.pdf

Comment by Tom on June 3, 2008 at 2:36pm

I didn't have my glasses on - its a 100km race, ie 210 laps of the track!

Comment by Richard Black on June 3, 2008 at 12:56pm

We must thank Steve for hanging on to these photos for so long, and for keeping up his cycling at such a ripe old age.
R.

Comment by DavidR on June 2, 2008 at 11:09am

Those were the days, when they raced on into the rain and the lap board went to 3 digits!

Comment by Tom on June 2, 2008 at 10:45am

200km? Dizzy.

Is the track wet in the bottom pic? The Comms wouldn't like that!

Look at the crowds!