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MONTIGNY-LE-BRETONNEUX, France — World records are getting shattered in track cycling at the Olympic velodrome. The mark went down five times in the women's team sprint, and the victorious Dutch men's sprinting team lowered its own mark twice. The reason for so much speed is a perfect combination of track, technology and temperature. The Vélodrome National de Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines has a rather unique shape that promotes speed. The bikes that riders are aboard, in at least one case costing more than $100,000 apiece, use the latest in lightweight materials and aerodynamic design. And the warm temperatures inside the velodrome create less resistance from the air, allowing riders to go even faster than they would in cool conditions.
