Calm before the storm - Pre Race Day in Beijing

In 24 hours time we will know the final outcomes of both women's (at 10am Saturday morning, local time) and men's (at 3pm Saturday morning, local time) Olympic MTB Races here in Beijing.

The women's race was re-scheduled from today until tomorrow, due to heavy rain yesterday, leaving parts of the course apparently unrideable. As most of you know there was an Olympic Test Event here last year (Christoph won, Lene was 3rd and Liam did not race), but the course has changed considerably since. The original course was deemed to be not technically challenging enough. Well the riders requests have been taken into account, because the modifications have resulted in a "true mtb course". More specifically two very steep descents have been added, coupled with other climbs including a switch back climb etc. One girl broke her colarbone in training on one of these descents - apparently there is nothing steeper featured on the world cup circuit.

We have been hoping for heat coupled with heat with more heat, plus of course humidity!!! We think this is going to favour our riders. The forecast and conditions have certainly not let us down and right now as I type it's pretty hot and sticky here in Beijing.

The form guide! Well our own camp are all well and full of positive spirits. The women's race is wide open with as many as ten women capable of winning including our own Lene. It's very hard to pick pre-race favourites, but appart from Lene watch for Premont, Spitz, the Chinese Duo, Fullana, Pendrel, Kalentyeva, Fullana and reigning champion Dahle. For many they see the women's race as being very evenly matched with no clear favourite.

The media predict a big battle between Julien and Christoph, but there are many more men to watch for including our very own Liam Killeen, Vogel, Schurter, Hermida, Stander, Kessiakoff and Paulissen.

The heat is expected to have a huge effect on both fields, especially the men given that they start mid afternoon.

Yesterday, we were once again to be found in our usual tech space outside the main venue and today was the same. It's quite funny to see many team's in the same position with riders coming outside the venue to get their bikes tweaked! Tomorrow, thankfully we have tickets in hand, so for the first time this week, we the background people can venture inside.