"THESE mountain bike people are crazy," muttered the Yale baseball-capped buggy driver, the words barely escaping his lips when confirmation arrived by the kerbside: a cycling fan, obviously born in the USA, painted from head to toe in stars and stripes with just denim shorts to spare his dignity.
Mountain biking, a sport devised in California in the early 70s when guys rode chunky, balloon-tyred bikes down steep logging roads in that state's Marin County, arrived yesterday as a fully-fledged Olympic sport, the first to go straight into the world's greatest sport's show without having to endure a demonstration period.
The horsey folk have owned the area around Georgia International Horse Park, some 40 miles east of Atlanta, since the Games started. Yesterday, the mountain bike hoards - all 30,000 of them - invaded their space. The music of the Eagles and Bruce Springsteen belted out from amplification systems placed around the 6.6 miles long cross-country course, which tested the cyclists for four and a half grueling laps.
It was very much an American occasion. Everywhere, except for when the medals were distributed. Giant viewing monitors aptly named "Big Mo" were strategically positioned to keep on-course spectators up to date with the race, availing of the 35 cameras, including two in helicopters which constantly blazed across the sky making it feel like a war-zone, and others on monorails around the dirt tracks. Impressive stuff.
For a sport devised in the United States, however, the homesters didn't fair too well at all. The dread-locked and exuberant David Juarez, in 19th place, was the best `home' cyclist. For Ireland, things were even worse. with former Tour de France Stage winner Martin Earley finishing in 25th place, a bitter disappointment to him after his months of intense preparations.
Still, it was more than a little ironic that the sport which originated in America was totally and utterly dominated by continental Europeans. The only minor concession to the United States came from winner Bart Brentjens. The 27-year-old market gardener from Holland - the history-maker by becoming the first man to win an Olympic gold medal in the mountain bike race - rode an "American Eagle" bike (albeit painted in fluorescent orange) in his successful quest for gold.
To achieve his dream, Brentjens had to contend with climbs, jumps, water crossings, narrow single tracks (which left no room to manoeuvre, with ditches and trees awaiting the foolish), granite downhill tracks - and even snakes.
But cope he did, the flying Dutchman overcoming the tough conditions and rough terrain to complete the 30 miles course in two hours, 17 minutes, 37 seconds, 2:35 clear of silver medallist Thomas Frischknecht of Switzerland, with teenager Miguel Martinez of France, at 19 the competition's youngest entrant, 22 seconds further back in third.
Brentjens was the quality man in the field. He won the World Championship last year and the World Cup in 1994, and, as Earley, with sweat and grime combining to give him a temporary tattoo on his face, said: "The best man won. Brentjens is coached by former world class road cyclist Gert Jan Theunisse.
The Irish challenge never materialised. Alastair Martin finished 32nd while Earley was in 31st place at the end of the first half of the circuit and improved his place at the finish after some competitors ahead of him blew up in the heat and conditions. "I was like a donkey," said Earley.
was one-paced from the start, and I just don't know why. I was riding around but just couldn't open up at all."
How did it compare to the Tour de France? "You can't compare the two. Here, you just get knocked about and it is an all-out marathon for the duration," he said. "I didn't really do myself justice, though."
Earley, however, at least had the distinction of cycling in two separate Olympic Games on the same continent, Los Angeles in 1984 and now Atlanta. Brentjens, however, has the distinction of making a piece of history. And he also has the gold medal around his neck.
