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Glenn and I will be doing the 4 km pursuit as a warm up for the road race and time trial.
Unfortunately, for us the road events are structured for the first time as an omni...meaning that only one medal is given for the the two road events. We would prefer having two opportunities at road medals instead of just one. However, we will only have one bite at the apple!
Road races are sometimes a crap shoot...you have to be at the right place at the right time...that is why I like our chances given Glenn's experience as a tandem pilot and our aggressive racing style in a road race. And the international tandem field races extremely aggressive. It goes guns out from the start, all the way for 2.5 hours until the end! At max speed and max effort the whole time!
So, the road race and road time trial willl be scored together for one medal. Each tandem gets the same point(s) for their placing in each race. So, if a team gets 3rd in the road race and 10th in the time trial (or vice versa), their combined scored is 13. Placing is then calculated by points, with the top placings having the fewest points. So, whoever does consistently well in each will be on the podium.
Over the past several years, Spain has dominated the Paralympic mens tandem road events. Spain has three mens tandems on their 2004 Athens Paralympic team of six! Their three are ranked in the top 5 of mens Paralympic tandems! They are able to use team tactics to battle and wear down contenders in a long 70+ mile road race. They usually do it with attacks and counter attacks until at least one or two of their tandems are in a breakaway - usually solo. That has been their calling card over the past several years. A few other teams have been up there battling them including Netherlands (2 tandems), Canadians (currently ranked #1 road race team with European Championship road race win in Sept 2003) and France (2 teams finished 2nd and 3rd in 2003 European Championships road race). England also has a strong road tandem team.
We will have to survive many attacks to be in the lead break near the end of the race. But we are confident we have the gumption, heart and physical skills to do it and be there at the end. We'll see.
I will refrain from saying more given that competition does have access to this and could possibly be reading it!
The time trial may be won or lost on several seconds. Based on past performances of the above mentioned tandems, we expect that a top three placement in the time trial will literally hinge on a few seconds. Will not be surprised to see 10 seconds or less separating the top three in the time trial. We just hope to be up there at or near the top!
So, that's the background information for the road events. Road race is first on Sept 25 with time trial two days later on Sept 27. This is the end of the Games. Closing ceremonies is Sept 28.
We like the road race first. That way, all will hinge on the time trial where no one can box you in or draft you. Will be just us against the clock, the road and wind as compared to our competitors. That is why they call it the "race of truth".
Wow! Getting excited here with three days left before we leave for Washington DC for team processing then fly to Athens on Friday. Can't believe it is here. This is what all the sacrifice has been about!
We are primed and ready!
- Jason
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