Novice question about race timing

03-12.-2003, 06:40 AM	#1
hollowd Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 2	Novice question about race timing I'm an injured runner who's started to cycle at the beginner level and was wondering about the timing system used at large bike races like the Tour de France. At most major marathons the participant uses an electronic chip that plots splits and finishing times and are computer generated. After watching the tour day by day I'm confused how the announcers Liggett and Sherwin know how these hundreds of riders stand against the clock and against each other at just a glace! It's got to be computer generated but I don't know how they do it! Do the riders wear electronc chips like the runner's do? If not, how do they do it?

03-12.-2003, 07:09 AM	#2
Daremo Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Maryland Posts: 321	Re: Novice question about race timing Nowadays the motorcycles and race officials probably use GPS, and they can interpolate based on speed and such how far apart the riders are. At the finish, there are always time clocks that show the race time, and the announcers do a quick subtraction to get the differences. In a bunch sprint, everyone ends up getting the same time whether they finish first or last UNLESS there is more than one full bike length of separation in the field as it crosses, then the times are broken up between the different groups. Phil Liggett is constantly off in time gaps ........ the announcers are no different than us, they just have the time gaps that are reported to them on race radio during an event .......... __________________ '05 Aussie version Giant TCR C Zero ...... finally went over to the dark side and riding a carbon bike. But you can't beat a 17 lb. ride!! Eagleman 70.3 half ironman - 6/11/06 - here I come!!

03-12.-2003, 08:11 AM	#3
tafi Registered User Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 465	Any rider who finishes within one second of the rider in front will be given the same time as the rider in front. In terms of time gaps, you will notice that at the Tour, gaps and splits on the road are only given to the nearest second. This leads me to believe that the motor cycle time keeper just uses a stop watch and a fast motor bike! Time gaps are also measured at landmarks along the way (sprints climbs major towns etc) Fractions of a second only come into play in close finishes (where you can use a photo anyway) or in time trials. I'm not sure how you would use GPS when the bikes aren't fitted with any timing equipment.

03-12.-2003, 11:35 PM	#4
Daremo Registered User Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Maryland Posts: 321	The motorcycles and race official cars are ......... __________________ '05 Aussie version Giant TCR C Zero ...... finally went over to the dark side and riding a carbon bike. But you can't beat a 17 lb. ride!! Eagleman 70.3 half ironman - 6/11/06 - here I come!!

03-12.-2003, 11:44 PM	#5
ouzo Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2001 Location: South Africa Posts: 119	in SA we have to of the world largest timed cycling events w.r.t. the amount of cyclists (35 000 for the Argus and 25 000 cyclists for the 94.7) They use a timing chip like you described with timing matts at certain locations. Not sure if they'd use the same system in TDF. __________________ Passion is everything. without passion cycling is just exercise --------------------------- Road Bike : Cannondale MTB Bike : Giant Boulder se

04-12.-2003, 01:22 AM

Roy Gardiner

Registered User

Join Date: Sep 2003

Location: London, England

Posts: 120

Re: Novice question about race timing

Quote:

Originally posted by hollowd
It's got to be computer generated but I don't know how they do it! Do the riders wear electronc chips like the runner's do? If not, how do they do it?

Photo record of each rider as he crosses the line gives day's times, computer then take over to give the total time so far. All commentators have them.

During the day the time gaps are much more approximate, calculated by the race organisaition using magic

__________________
Roy Gardiner, Hainault Roads Club

10-12.-2003, 12:34 AM	#7
drewjc Registered User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Bathurst, NSW, Australia Posts: 327	im not 100% sure about the tour but u will notice in a lot of big races the riders have a small (usually red) object hanging off the side of one of their front forks. I believe this is used to convey a riders position as they cross a timing matt at the finish line. I do believe that cameras also do have an important influence on the timing of stages in tours aswell (especially if individual timing devices are not used)

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