Yesterday the Paris Olympics also on the track, at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines velodrome or National Velodrome, Since it's the headquarters of the French Cycling Federation, Italian hopes are focused primarily on the quartets, but obviously not only that. What's certain is that after their performances in Tokyo and their world record, a lot is expected of Ganna and his teammates.
But this time we're not talking about the kids so much as the velodrome itself.For great performances, you also need a “race field” that can offer excellent conditions. The equation would be too simple: a track, an indoor venue, equal repeatable performances. A bit like what happens in a swimming pool... so to speak. In reality, that's not quite the case. There are many external factors. Factors that concern the very structure of the competition "field."
Consider, for example, the super long and triple jump arena at the European Athletics Championships in Rome, and now the "less performing" one in Paris. A standard competition arena isn't always all that equal.
From Tokyo to Paris
So what performance can we expect from the Olympic Velodrome? In Tokyo we saw many records, one above all: that of the Italian quartet with that memorable 3'42”032, a record that no one has even approached in recent years. It's also true that aerodynamic studies have made great strides, and beyond the track, we've seen how much more important clothing is, the same goes for helmets and bikes. And even for preparation and nutrition.
But these are other factors. Let's focus on the track.
So what are the conditions that make one track faster than another? The main ones are four: the surface, the altitude, the internal temperature. and, it seems absurd given that it is indoors, even the external weather, pressure and partly humidity.
It is known that the lower the atmospheric pressure, the lower the air density and the better the riders' penetration into it. Usually atmospheric pressure goes hand in hand with altitude. (the higher the altitude, the smaller the column of air above the head, the lower the pressure), but also with humidity. Humid air is less dense than dry air. And finally, temperature also matters. The higher it is, the less dense it is, given that beyond a certain limit (usually 21-23 degrees), it becomes counterproductive to the human body's performance.
And in fact velodromes are usually kept at this temperature. Remember how much research went into the Pippo Ganna's Hour Record?
These environmental conditions were all present in Tokyo at the Izu velodrome, due to the tropical storm that hit Japan in those days. In Paris, both humidity and pressure are expected to rise in the coming days. This is a good thing for the former (though it remains constant inside the velodrome), but a bad thing for the latter.
Short straights
The Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines loop is 250 meters long, made of Siberian fir wood. It was built in 2014, but the parquet was redone in May, which isn't a good sign for any record-breaking moves. The old wood is smoother, but for the Games, everything had to be perfect.
From France they assure that it is still very fast.
While the shape of the ring is a plus. The two straights are in fact relatively short and this makes it easier to maintain speed and, in the case of the quartet, also the compactness of the train.
Furthermore, despite being a "short" loop, it is 8 meters wide, so the banks allow you to climb quite high. Just to make a comparison with the Izu in Tokyo, the track was 7,60 meters wide, so you could climb about 40 centimeters less. However, it is also true that the banking of the curves was 45°, one degree more than Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, which is 44°. The curve radius is 23 meters, so quite wide and It should be more fluid for endurance and team pursuit events.
Smooth track
Énergies & Services is the company responsible for the velodrome, and has been guarding the track for years to ensure it always performs at its best. Every morning the temperature and humidity are checked, before and after each run.The accuracy of the parquet's condition is so high that the track is constantly monitored. Furthermore, the adjustment of the wedges between the ground and the support beams is adjusted as necessary, as they move—imperceptibly, but they do—depending on the wood's drying and vibrations.
In short, maybe there won't be a hurricane like in Tokyo to create the perfect pressure, but all the other ingredients are there. The track is smooth and the athletes are satisfied. We close with a phrase from some time ago by Gregory Bauge, a former French track cyclist and current coach for the "Galletti", nine-time world champion in sprint racing and multiple Olympic medalist: "This track is like a billiards table: it's wide and fluid. On some tracks you feel some bumps between the straights and the curves, but on this circuit, nothing!"
