find_bruce wrote:
Happy to be corrected by the numerous people who know more than I do. Anyone game to step in before Marcus gives the correct answer ?
haha cheers mate. I didn't see the first 2 either but I can guess what happened. The derny was going too slow.
When I am in control of a keiren my speeds go like this;
I approach the riders at 35kph and build to 40 by the backstraight. You need to do this to allow the riders to slot into a spot. If the derny is too slow everyone ends up next to each other and get stuck 2 abreast.
So thats 40kph at 5 and a half to go.
Build to 45kph by 4 and a half to go.
Then 50kph at 3 and a half laps to go.
Then 55kph at 2 and a half to go.
As I hit the back straight I accelerate off the track on almost full throttle. Im doing 60 when I hit the brakes on the infield. Its my job to get out of their way at that point.
These guys are the fastest and best in the world. Its not a sprint, its a keirin, which is a loooong sprint. Keirins do not suit riders with a fast jump. They suit guy like Sid Patterson, like Chris Hoy, who can go LONG. I mean like 600 metres, not a flying 200. The exit speed has to be FAST. The idea of the derny is to control the speed and build the pace. If a couple of riders want to jockey for positions at 5 and a half or 4 and a half to go, thats fine, but in my world you need to get that sorted quick because you are going to cop some serious wind resistance sitting out of the line at 50 or 55. And thats how its supposed to be.... get into line before the speeds get serious!
I dunno how you qualify to be a derny driver at these championships. This guy was too slow at the start of the 7-12 final where Glaetzer basically ran up the back of someone, and was too slow with his exit speed (maybe the electric bike is gutless). But yes I think it was probably his fault.
I went to the Austral the year before last and (among other things) watched all the keirin races there, at a huge championship at a sold out standing room only Hisense Arena. After watching the first keirin I pulled out my stopwatch and started getting lap splits for the derny driver. His first lap was 40 and his last lap was 40, in every keirin from D grade right up to the best elites in the country. I could have thrown my hot dog at the guy. I would have given my right arm to do that job and do it properly, differentiating the speeds slightly slower for the lower grades, faster for the better guys. Frustrating.
Look the Rio guy wasnt too bad. But its the Olympics so it has to be perfect. And it wasnt (in my opinion).