Magnificent Flying Machine

An Avro Anson, heading over the house on its way to the East Fortune Airshow.

Watched the Olympic Men's Road Race in growing disappointment, and frustration, as the rest of the riders in the peloton seemed quite content to let the GB team do the work, and simply tag along for the ride. Presumably none of them came to London even considering the opportunity to win a medal. Big break got away, and stayed away, with Vinokourov (Kazakhstan) and Uran (Columbia) popping off the front of that.

Now Vino broke his thigh in the Tour de France last year, and this was to be his very last race before retiring. So you'd think there would be a bit of good feeling about him getting the jump on Uran (who proved himself a hillclimber and not a sprinter as he completely cocked up the last 100 yards) to get gold. But no. Vino, you see, is a former doper. Pointing out that David Millar on the GB team was as well on Twitter I was informed by a number of people that Millar was at least repentant, whereas Vino wasn't.

This, it seems, casts doubt on his current cleanliness, despite passing current dope tests. And it's reason to hate him. Granted, I wanted Uran to win when they popped off, but that's mainly because I like Uran, and dislike Vino's personality, completely separate to his history as a doper. I've abided by my "don't get into arguments on the internet" and left the haterz to it.

Jill Douglas, interviewing Vino at the end, managed to emulate Sue Barker's post-Wombledin final Federer interview in which she asked him at length about how Andy Murray had played and would be feeling, and got Vino's thoughts on all the other riders gunning for the GB team as the strongest team and that was why they'd found it tough. Honestly, just congratulate the guy.

My feeling were more those of sympathy towards primarily Cancellara, falling while looking really strong in the break, and possibly breaking his collarbone (and yes, he did finish the ride) so probably out of the time trial (which was his main event). He came over the line in tears. Heartbreaking stuff. Sympathy also for Cav, sacrificing his Tour de France stage wins (though let's face it, 3 wins is still a fantastic achievement) to help Brad win the race, and make sure he was in the best shape for the Olympics. A minute down on the winners. Gutting (but so magnanimous in defeat, there's a guy who has grown up a lot in the last year or so).

One thing the race did confirm - not being allowed race radios, and having smaller sized teams, make it really hard to control and dictate a race, and that makes for some really interesting racing.

Women's roads race tomorrow. Time trials next week. And the track still to come. Let's not be too downhearted. And while we're about it, remember the Olympic ideals of unity and the like, and therefore try to see the best in others.

Except the Daily Wail. Which has managed to print a ridiculously racist and ill-considered article on the opening ceremony. It refers to the smaller nations as 'banana republics'; expresses disbelief that it would be easy to find a happy mixed race family; bemoans the fact that there were so many ethnic minority faces on show; and utterly disgustingly uses the death of a young man, and the pain of his family, as the basis for an attack on the NHS portion of the ceremony. This newspaper is a vile, hatred-driven, openly-racist, pessimistic stain of a publication and I hope the PCC (toothless though it is) receives a raft of complaints about this article.