August 7, 2008 (Beijing, China) – It’s nearly upon us, the massive Olympics piñata bursts open this Friday, August 8, with the Opening Ceremonies, always a spectacle of dance, music, pyrotechnics and more. After the confetti settles, Canada’s 15 Olympic cyclists will be poised to pull off their best possible performances on the world’s biggest sporting stage. For viewing events live, note Beijing Time is 12 hours in advance of EST, so prepare for two weeks of early mornings, late nights, and odd sleeping hours – but it will be worth it!

Road
It’s down to business on August 9 for Canada’s Men’s road cycling team, as they hit the tarmac at 11:00 a.m. local time / 11:00 p.m. (August 8) EST for the 245.5km road race. The 145 riders will probably be too busy to notice as they pass by sights like the Temple of Heaven, Tian’nanmen Square and the Great Wall. Representing Canada are Michael Barry (Toronto, Ont.), Ryder Hesjedal (Victoria, B.C.), and Svein Tuft (Langley, B.C.).

The women’s road race rolls out the following day, August 10, at 2:00 p.m. local time / 2:00 a.m. EST. Sixty-seven competitors will be gunning for gold over the 126.4km race, including Canada’s Leigh Hobson (Cambridge, Ont.), Erinne Willock (Victoria, B.C.), and Alex Wrubleski (Regina, Sask.).

The planet’s elite road racing women and men are back at it on August 13 for the individual time trial events, at 11:30 a.m. local time / 11:30 p.m. (August 12) EST and 1:30 p.m. local time / 1:30 a.m. EST, respectively. The course will be a 23.8 km circuit between the Great Wall Badaling and Juyongguan sections of the road course. The men will cover two laps and the women will complete one lap. Twenty-five women and 40 men will participate, including Canada’s Wrubleski, Hesjedal, and Tuft.

Track
The Olympic track cycling events run from August 15-19 at the Laoshan Velodrome. Nicknamed the “Flying Saucer” for its oval, silver, dome-roofed construction, the velodrome houses a 250m wooden track and seating for 6,000 spectators. August 15 will include qualifying rounds in the Men’s team sprint, Men’s individual pursuit, and women’s pursuit. The Men’s team sprint medals will be the only hardware awarded that day. The final starts at 6:40 p.m. local time / 6:40 a.m. EST.

August 16 hosts the first rounds of the Men’s Individual Pursuit, Men’s Keirin, Women’s individual pursuit, and gold medal final in the Men’s points race (5:40 p.m. local time / 5:40 a.m. EST), which Canada’s Zach Bell (Watson Lake, YK) will tackle. Finals in the Men’s individual pursuit (6:50 p.m. local time / 6:50 a.m. EST) and Men’s Keirin (7:15 p.m. local time / 7:15 a.m. EST) are also scheduled.

On August 17, riders will qualify for the Men’s team pursuit, and women’s and men’s sprint. Only one gold medal will be awarded that evening – in the Women’s individual pursuit. The final starts at 5:05 p.m. local time / 5:05 a.m. EST.

Gina Grain (Burnaby, B.C.) will go up against a very select women’s field in the Women’s points race final, which starts at 4:30 p.m. local time / 4:30 a.m. EST on August 18. Women’s and Men’s sprint quarterfinals also run that day, as well as the Men’s team pursuit finals, which start at 6:15 p.m. local time / 6:15 a.m. EST.

The Canadian men are at the rails on August 19, with Bell and Martin Gilbert (Chateauguay, Que.) teaming up for the Men’s Madison final, which starts at 5:30 p.m. local time / 5:30 a.m. EST. Other finals include the Men’s individual pursuit (6:50 p.m. local time / 6:50 a.m. EST) and the Men’s Keirin (7:15 p.m. local time / 7:15 a.m. EST).

BMX
The Men’s and Women’s BMX seeding runs, quarterfinals, semis, and gold medal finals are all condensed into a single day of exciting, two-wheeled racing as this cycling discipline makes its Olympic debut at the Laoshan BMX track on August 21. Sixteen men and 32 women will take to the course, which measures between 300 and 400m in length, and includes three hairpin corners, lots of jumps, tabletops, and other obstacles. Canada’s Samantha Cools (Airdrie, Alta.) will rock the women’s race, and hopefully represent Canada in the final, which starts at 10:30 a.m. local time / 10:30 p.m. (August 20) EST. Scott Erwood (Surrey, B.C.) is Canada’s male entrant, and his fans will cheer him on as he gives his all to make the final at 10:40 a.m. local time / 10:40 p.m. (August 20) EST.

MTB XC
The Olympic MTB races wrap up the cycling events with the women’s and men’s races, on August 22 and 23, respectively. Marie-Hélène Prémont (Chateau-Richer, Que.) and Catharine Pendrel (Kamloops, B.C.) are two very real medal threats, as both have won World Cup medals this season. Geoff Kabush (Victoria, B.C.) and Seamus McGrath (Duncan, B.C.) are both Olympic veterans that have what it takes to shine on in the men’s race. Riders will navigate multiple laps of the 4.6km Laoshan MTB course, which is likely to be fast, hard-packed, and hot. It includes many tight corners and manmade obstacles, as well as lots of short, power climbs. Both the women’s and men’s events start at 3:00 p.m. local time / 3:00 a.m. EST.

Olympic Cycling Schedule
—————
Aug 8 – Opening Ceremonies
—————
Aug 9 – Men’s Road Race
Aug 10 – Women’s Road Race
Aug 13 – Men’s and Women’s Time Trial
—————
Aug 15-19 – Men’s and Women’s Track Events
– Aug. 16 – Men’s Points Race
– Aug. 18 – Women’s Points Race
– Aug. 19 – Madison
—————
Aus 21 – BMX – Men’s and Women’s
—————
Aug 22 – Women’s MTB cross-country
Aug 23 – Men’s MTB cross-country