KEY POINTS:
Cyclist Julian Dean has finally acknowledged what most can see and has admitted his race will be adversely affected by Beijing's pollution.
Dean, one of the first New Zealanders in action tomorrow in the 248km road race that takes riders from Beijing to the Great Wall and back, admitted he was not looking forward to riding through Beijing's air which, for the fourth day running, hung like a dirty, grey blanket over the city yesterday.
"It's going to be challenging, that's without a doubt," Dean said. "It's going to have a big effect on the race.
While Dean, 33, said the conditions would play a part in the times, it would not determine the winner.
"It's not like it's a disadvantage to one rider over another."
Dean's acknowledgement of the difficulties has been in contrast to various officials' attempts to make light of the problem. New Zealand chef de mission Dave Currie has gone to extraordinary lengths to avoid using the "smog" word, describing it as "cloud inversion" and "sea mist" at an earlier briefing. Beijing is about 150km from the Yellow Sea.
Yesterday's China Daily, the national English language newspaper, quoted the chairman of the IOC's medical commission, Arne Ljungqvist, as saying the pollution was not harmful and was in fact a media beat-up.
But that was nothing compared to the angry reaction of the United States Olympic Committee after some of its cyclists arrived in Beijing wearing filter masks that had been designed and distributed to athletes by the USOC. The four cyclists had to make a formal, grovelling apology for causing offence to the organising committee and the people of Beijing.
Dean said he was under no instruction not to mention the pollution.
"We've been told nothing like that and we've been given masks to wear by our medical staff if we choose to do so."
However he said he was unlikely to wear his. "I don't think I will. I haven't used it yet and haven't got any intention of using it."
As for his chances in the race, Dean said it was no secret the course was more suited to pure climbers and therefore less suited to him. If he can keep it close going over the final two climbs he feels he is in with a chance but otherwise fears the likes of Spain's Carlos Sastre and Alejandro Valverde, and Australia's Cadel Evans.
