To be honest, we felt a little uneasy after the track walk. The course seemed to be extremely difficult. The second we rode it, however, we realized that this track is great. It is very challenging but there is also a lot of flow to it. It’s going to be a great Olympic course.
Our goal was to simply get a feel for the track and the environment here. We put most of our energy into training laps rather than the race. At the end of a long and successful season, we felt that a relaxed approach was needed – focused on learning.
We empowered the athletes to decide whether to race hard or easier on this one. We let them know that it was even okay not to finish the full distance. We simply wanted them to experiment out there. I think this recon mission was successful for our team. It’s about process rather than results at a Test Event. It’s a test of track and venue – not the athletes. The lessons learned here will help Canada perform better at the Olympics.
Full article: http://canadiancyclist.com/dailynews.php?id=35350
Canada Sends Team of 5 to Tokyo MTB Test Event
“The Test Event is a great opportunity to learn about the Olympic course and the Olympic environment in Tokyo. The focus is on learning rather than results. We’re investing most of our time and energy into the training days on [the] course this week. The race on Sunday is simply a fun opportunity to see how the course rides at speed. We’re certainly not expecting results from our riders here. This event is about planning for success in 2020.”
Full article: http://canadiancyclist.com/dailynews.php?id=35340
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