Olympic Tandem?

[rhinochopig]

How does it work - any ideas?

What's to stop someone tapping Sir Hoy to be the pilot and then sitting for 4 laps waving to the crowd?

Seems odd having an able bodied pilot - how do they select them?

[mrmr96]

rhinochopig said:

Seems odd having an able bodied pilot - how do they select them?

Well, if the other ride it blind then they kind of need someone who can see to do the steering. Same with the tandem running events.

I would imagine that the able bodied and disabled athletes work as a team, just as any other team would. Indeed it's just like the rowing, when you have two guys in a boat. Can be any tow guys really. So I don't think there's anything to stop a disabled athlete teaming up with Chris Hoy and then no pedalling, except for the fact that they wouldn't win because it needs BOTH the athletes to be trying hard in order to be fast enough. Sir Chris is good, but not good enough to carry a passenger who's no trying!

[Steve vRS]

I'd go behind Ms. Pendleton

Or even better, Pippa Middleton

Steve

[yellowjack]

rhinochopig said:

How does it work - any ideas?

What's to stop someone tapping Sir Hoy to be the pilot and then sitting for 4 laps waving to the crowd?

Seems odd having an able bodied pilot - how do they select them?

Can't find the article now (typical) but before the Able bodied Olympics started I read a piece about the pilots. They need to have competed at a certain level themselves, but also must have had a (3 year?) break from competitive cycling under (UCI?) rules. The info will be out there somewhere, but I'm damned if I can find it right now. You can volunteer to be a tandem pilot for a blind or partially sighted 'stoker' in a non-competitive capacity, but you will have to meet a set of criteria, and make certain minimum commitments to be available. Be aware that it does involve more than just pedalling and steering the bike, but it will give a blind or partially sighted person access to a sport that would otherwise be beyond their capabilities.

[rhinochopig]

yellowjack said:

rhinochopig said:

How does it work - any ideas?

What's to stop someone tapping Sir Hoy to be the pilot and then sitting for 4 laps waving to the crowd?

Seems odd having an able bodied pilot - how do they select them?

Can't find the article now (typical) but before the Able bodied Olympics started I read a piece about the pilots. They need to have competed at a certain level themselves, but also must have had a (3 year?) break from competitive cycling under (UCI?) rules. The info will be out there somewhere, but I'm damned if I can find it right now. You can volunteer to be a tandem pilot for a blind or partially sighted 'stoker' in a non-competitive capacity, but you will have to meet a set of criteria, and make certain minimum commitments to be available. Be aware that it does involve more than just pedalling and steering the bike, but it will give a blind or partially sighted person access to a sport that would otherwise be beyond their capabilities.

Ah, thanks for that. I'd assumed there was a reason why we weren't seeing the Olympic sprinters piloting the tandems.