Rio

That is an unusual way to introduce your Olympic team. I approve wholeheartedly.

Is this our "Her name is Rio and she rides her bike on the sands" thread?

I'm taking this as the official Rio cycling thread, so here's the course I have no idea who is going to win.

2012 Gold - Alexander Vinokourov; Silver- Rigoberto Urán; Bronze - Alexander Kristoff
2008 Gold - Samuel Sánchez; Silver - Fabian Cancellara; Bronze -Alexandr Kolobnev
2004 Gold -Paolo Bettini Italy; Silver - Sérgio Paulinho Portugal; Bronze - Axel Merckx Belgium

wow...it looks like a cardiograph and the patient was initially struggling but with a bit of samba they've recovered well!
Six hours in the saddle! 1.30 to 7.30. Mammoth .

Good to see the teams being led out last night by bikes too.

Luckily they aren't swimmers or triathletes, being told not to open their mouths while in the water. Just have to deal with dodgy outdoor air which is bad enough.

fwiw there didn't appear to be a general OG thread for those who like it.

so here's one incl spelling error!

lljkk I have been guiltily following the apocalympics reddit sub

Zdenek Stybar shred this on instagram also www.reddit.com/r/apocalympics2016/comments/4wbrzd/it_is_raining_inside_in_the_czechs_part_of_the/

It's started and some of the jerseys (and sadly I have to say GB included are horrific), Denmark's however is gorgeous. www.cyclist.co.uk/in-depth/1535/the-good-the-bad-and-the-ugly-cycling-kits-of-rio-2016?_mout=1&utm_campaign=cyclist_newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter

And South Africa choosing to channel Phonak for those who remember twitter.com/LouisMeintjes/status/760931483183972353

This course looks extremely tricky doesn't it? The narrowness in parts, the cobbles, the dappled lighting, the kerb sides, so many cars/motos..

It's really winnowing them out. I hope the breakaway stays out to the end just to see the mayhem in the peloton when they realise.

Nuts, no cycling on Red Button & I can't get BBC live feed to load.

aha! Got feed now, wow, amazingly pretty scenery. Still 124 km to go, though...may doze off first.

Glad you got the feed, otherwise it's on channel 472 on Sky ( the start of the Olympic channel list)

Me no havey no skyey.

However, the sky guys must be the English accent commentators I can hear in background when Brotherton/Boardman run out of stuff to say .

Does poor Cummings get some kind of reward for being on the front so long? Why has Froome changed his bike? I am so glad you guys are here!

Not seeing the sense in Civil Engineer wasting himself on the front for so long.

No it's really annoyed me for some reason!

I think it was good of him to sacrifice himself for a team that dissed him originally. It annoyed me because its just a Sky based stitch up (though I may be biased because I am no great fan of Sky)

He's a hell of a man to do that for the team, well ALL the teams really. I have a bit of a crush .

Just joining in here because I have never watched a cycling race before in my life but really enjoying this.

Crumbs!!!

Well Best you started on a high if this is your first race. Hope it will be the first of many and you will join us for the Vuelta. That was a most exciting one day race, I hope it becomes a proper race. Gutted for Julian Alaphilippe, but Greg was amazing.
Now I have just over an hour to watch some highlights of the Vuelta A Burgos before segueing into the Tour of Utah.

Tomorrow is the women's road race, & Britain has 2 big hopes in there: Armistead & Pooley.

DH is chatting to someone who used to teach Pooley.