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Does anybody know?
I'm sure it's probably really simple and I might be revealing my stupidity here but I'm always curious about how they account for variations in terrain. How come the numbers don't get skewed when the chasers are barrelling down a descent at 50mph while the lead group are travelling a fraction of that speed up the next climb, rapidly closing the distance on the road?
I'm assuming it's an automated system rather than somebody estimating based on the footage.
How come the numbers don’t get skewed when the chasers are barrelling down a descent at 50mph while the lead group are travelling a fraction of that speed up the next climb, rapidly closing the distance on the road?
Because it’s a time gap, not a distance gap.
With a simple GPS tracker on each bike. Only needs to update every 5-10 seconds but allows the time gaps, position on the course and lots of other useful metrics to be calculated using a regular laptop.
In your example, the leaders will also have done the 50 mph descent, so you only need to know what time they passed any specific point. The difference in time between that and the chasers passing the same point is the time difference.
It'll all be calculated automatically nowadays.
In your example, the leaders will also have done the 50 mph descent, so you only need to know what time they passed any specific point. The difference in time between that and the chasers passing the same point is the time difference.
I think it confused me because I always assumed the time was based on the speed of the chasing group rather than the lead group, i.e. the amount of time it would take them to reach the point of the lead group at the speed they're travelling, which would result in considerable lag using this method.
This is a good simple explanation though and makes sense.
Nothing I just said makes any sense does it? I knew this thread would reveal my stupidity, numbers aren't my thing.
The difference in time between that and the chasers passing the same point is the time difference
all the top domestic races in the UK, except maybe the world tour ones are calculated like this. The comms will pick a landmark of some kind and start the timer over the radios.
The situation at the finishing line is that all riders finishing in a group get the same time as the first over the line proving there is less than a 3 second gap.
Explained better here https://inrng.com/2018/06/three-second-rule/#:~:text=More%20precisely%20the%20time%20is,group%20to%20be%20defined%20(1.2.
Sometimes it’s from the timing chips on the bikes and sometimes from the position of the motos.
The commentary teams will often also run an informal count from a fixed point if the displayed numbers start to look off. If the TV direction /camera angles are good or there is a long shot I count as the riders pass a notable point.
The 3 second gap rule isn't a "blanket" rule. Read the article.
The 1 second gap rule still applies (where the 3 second gap rule doesn't).
surely, as the chasing group pass each point of the race (every 5 seconds or whatever the GPS is doing), it just needs to know at what time did the leaders pass through that point.