Black Cyclists

[La Pandera]

OMG. cycling is in dire straights. there aren't enough black riders in the peloton. come to think of it, there aren't enough Thai/Iraq/Iran/Nepalese/Samoan/Indonoesians either. What would president Obama think of us? Oh the humanity! Gnash teeth gnash teeth. Maybe we could make an apology to the UN or something. Oh wait we could all tax ourselves and give the money to TEAM AFRICA. we could get frank and andy to tell them how to set up their own team and we could give them an automatic bid to all races in order to make sure that blacks were represented in cycling.
Maybe you should take the advice of MLK and stop judging people by the color of their skin. Maybe you should just see people instead seeing white/black/brown/yellow people.

It is simply a topic presented for discussion. You seem to be taking the dialogue in an entirely different and nonproductive direction for what motivation I have no idea.

 

[mombus]

...because the Tour of Rwanda just isn't that exciting.

 

[stephens]

For the record, the Japanese cyclist mentioned above is named Arashiro, not Harashiro. He's quite a good sprinter. The Japanese, despite being quite wealthy as a society, have not performed well in international sports. In some sports I think they are just at a genetic disadvantage, and in other sports I just think their approach is flawed and their need to do things the "Japanese way" holds them back.

As for "white" people being offended by being called "white," I wouldn't say I'm offended, but I reserve the right to point out that although as an Irishman I may look white, I'm a different kind of white than the English!

 

[simo1733]

For the record, the Japanese cyclist mentioned above is named Arashiro, not Harashiro. He's quite a good sprinter. The Japanese, despite being quite wealthy as a society, have not performed well in international sports. In some sports I think they are just at a genetic disadvantage, and in other sports I just think their approach is flawed and their need to do things the "Japanese way" holds them back.

As for "white" people being offended by being called "white," I wouldn't say I'm offended, but I reserve the right to point out that although as an Irishman I may look white, I'm a different kind of white than the English!

Thats true.Gaelic people are actually pale blue. It takes 3 days in the sun to become white.

 

[simo1733]

Maybe it's because most people want to see cycling as a truly international sport so it should have people from different nationalities participating in it?

There are plenty of Iranian pro's by the way.

 

[rxgqgxnyfz]

Maybe it's because most people want to see cycling as a truly international sport so it should have people from different nationalities participating in it?

Yeah, and to achieve just that let us impose the justice and "true international-ness" (read: i want to see more people who look like me to feel good and get some fake feeling of being involved somehow) by positive discrimination!

The more obscure and underpresented your country is -- the more points and time bonuses you should get!

Yay! And this way the world would suddenly become into a fair and balanced world with happy riders coming from benetton ads riding 'round the globe and giving away nice flowers to hungry children everywhere!

Yay!



On the other hand i am afraid i might actually see this becoming a reality, judging by the current creep of PC-madness coming from eagleland.
________
How to build a vaporizer soldering iron

 

[Microchip]

Is that the whole movie on that site or is it only part?

Only a part. After contacting them earlier this year to ask if the film was finished, they replied that it wasn't quite yet done and hope to have it wrapped up some time next year.

 

[Thomsena]

Great reading.
http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/team-rwanda-in-rio-racing-a-world-away

 

[cromagnon]

Research answers questions.

Hypothesis: "It's a matter of probability"
Study: Research participation numbers grouped loosely by "race" by each level of cycling.

1) Owns a bicycle
2) owns a road bike
3) commutes on bike
4) rides casual solo/with a friend(s)
5) rides club group rides
6) rides sportives
7) category racer/timetriallist
8) sponsored amateur team
9) contracted to pro team
10) team leader
11) elite performer/champion

Imagine a possible set of results (the one I suspect you would discover in the UK for example) where participation of black cyclists falls sharply between 3) "commuter" and 4) "casual" and vitually dries up by group 6) "rides sportives".

People vary in their talent, free time and other circumstances, so common sense (and probability) states you need a significant number of participants in groups 5,6 and 7 to have any hope of having any in group 8 (and so on).

You will always get exceptional outliers.

 

[WindLessBreeze]

Le mesié

Watch out for Augusto Sánchez, a DR dude currently riding for GS Mengoni USA.
Out of humble origin, the kid could perform well at low altitude. Against any rouleurs. I could mention quite a few others, but that's enough for today

 

[daveinzambia]

Social, Cultural and economic i think

I think it is fair to ask why do so few cyclists come out of africa while they dominate long distance running. Surely it makes sense that they would also excel at endurance cycling.
In this case the reasons are largely split between,

the cost of riding (someone mentioned a bike for $175 but for many many people that is unobtainable),

the safety and quality of roads (yes people ride bikes if they can afford but the roads in many places are terrible and the driving even worse),

crime (in many african countries if you drive an expensive car you are massively increasing your chances of being car jacked, can only imagine that will be multiplied massively for someone on an expensive bike)

social pressures. Most africans know nothing of cycle racing. it is not on TV, if they see photographs there is a see of european faces. it is seen as a white person sport. for endurance athletes running offers a way out and large sponsorship deals. Running receives much higher coverage and there are structures in place to identify successful young runners and groom them for success.

all of the above massively reduces the number of people attempting to get into the sport. of course there are some that try and succeed but that number is so low it is hard for anyone to move to the top. and even if they do try and have talent there are no structures in place to assist and very limited races for them to compete in

this is changing now in some countries and hopefully this will result in more riders coming through from countries like Rwanda and Benin. I have to say in my time living in africa and travelling through i have not see a 'training' cyclist outside of south africa.

outside of africa i think it is harder to say. again it is likely to be similar reasons.

Cost still remains an issue in developed countries whether we like it or not
Social pressures more so. again it seen by a lot of people as a white person sport. Ask my wife and she will say cycling is a sport invented by white people who cannot run fast enough. There will always be exceptions but so long as young kids are not being drawn into the sport in numbers then the numbers making it to the top level will also remain low.

 

[RipTRAIN]

It costs a hell of a lot less money to go out and run in the Ethiopian highlands than it does buying a carbon bike and getting all gear-ed out. I think it was Bekele that literally ran barefoot. Plus less sponsor money/interest in Africa and I'd hazard to guess less paved road to ride on. But remember Rahsaan Bahati is straight outta Compton.

 

[dirkprovin]

A lot of factors in play. Obviously economic in many places where the sporting powers that be choose to predominate thr (limited) dollars into a very limited number of sports.

Track cycling has been somewhat different. In my lifetime, I can recall the likes of David Weller (JAM - bronze 1km T/T 1980 Moscow); Nelson Vails (USA - silver Sprint 1984 LA) & Gregory Bauge (FRA - recent WChamp Sprint).

 

[Juan Pelota]

There is a difference between distance running and the body type needed for cycling. Cycling requires much stronger legs.

No one with these legs is winning any bike race.

 

[cromagnon]

There is a difference between distance running and the body type needed for cycling. Cycling requires much stronger legs.

No one with these legs is winning any bike race.

Lies. You've photoshopped his bike out of the picture.

Nice try mate

 

[Astana1]

Lies. You've photoshopped his bike out of the picture.

Nice try mate

He looks fat compared to Rasmussen.

 

[Spaniard]

There is a difference between distance running and the body type needed for cycling. Cycling requires much stronger legs.

No one with these legs is winning any bike race.

Probably this guy riding a bike during several years would have stronger legs, in general terms a ryder has stronger legs than a long distance runner.

 

[Winterfold]

 

[daveinzambia]

Probably this guy riding a bike during several year would have stronger legs, in general terms a ryder has stronger legs than a long distance runner.

it was my understanding (and i could be completely wrong) that cycling is such an inherently unnatural thing for our bodies to do that everyone has to train their body to do it.

it means there is not really such a thing as a 'natural' cyclist and those physical abilities that may make some individuals more suited to cycling than others are similar to those that make someone suited to long distance running

 

[Spaniard]

Well, there are many ryders with skinny legs, mostly climbers ,for example: schlecks bros, Contador, The chicken, Samu, ...

 

[Winterfold]

I suggest that the 'black' physique is capable of delivering the full rnage of cycling bodyshapes from Rasmussen to Hoy and that the reasons are socio-cultural.

In London there is a stigma attached to riding a bicycle in the lower paid groups (irrespective of skin colour) and ethnic minorities are disproportionately represented in those groups. TFL did the research, i'll see if I can find it if anyone is interested.

Basically the posher you are, the more confident you are, the less you are worried about a bike suggesting you are poor.

 

[patterson_hood]

Lets remember that a lot of the best distance runners in Europe are from Spain, Italy and Portugal, as do many of the best GC riders. The natural talents are there and may even be slightly better. I've always thought that the African distance runners have done so well because being a successful athelete offers them a much better life than they would otherwise have and while many of us would love to ride a bike for a living, I think most of us know that we're more comfortably off not doing it. If the opportunities were there I'm sure they'd be challenging the rest of the peloton.

It's purely down to participation and obviously several factors affect this.

 

[Spaniard]

Lets remember that a lot of the best distance runners in Europe are from Spain, Italy and Portugal, as do many of the best GC riders. The natural talents are there and may even be slightly better. I've always thought that the African distance runners have done so well because being a successful athelete offers them a much better life than they would otherwise have and while many of us would love to ride a bike for a living, I think most of us know that we're more comfortably off not doing it. If the opportunities were there I'm sure they'd be challenging the rest of the peloton.

It's purely down to participation and obviously several factors affect this.

In the spanish case is just matter of tradition, Spain has a great tradition in the middle distance: 1500 and 800 meters but I think it's because we don't have spanish black guys here to compete with the black men from France or UK in shorter distances for example.

I practised athletics during several years when i was a child, I liked very much the long jump and I wasn't bad at all but my trainer didn't care about that, he was just focused in the long distance.

 

[Bavarianrider]

Cause cycling is not "cool" or "fancy" Cycling is just about hard work not about style.
Another reason of course is that young blacks in Africa can't aford bikes. If they had bikes there surely would be great climbers from Kenia or Athopia.

 

[Spaniard]

Cause cycling is not "cool" or "fancy" Cycling is just about hard work not about style.
Another reason of course is that young blacks in Africa can't aford bikes. If they had bikes there surely would be great climbers from Kenia or Athopia.

Yes of course they would be great climbers, but the main physical advantage of the black african men are their long legs in proportion with their heigh, I don't know if that is a great advantage on a bike, another point is the recovery skills is related with the race?. I heard somewhere that the african runners' s career is usually short they are cooked at an early age, not in the case of guys like Bekele, Gebreselassie or Paul Tergat.