Cyclist popularity question?

[auscyclefan94]

Of course while this thread does paint a very bleak picture, one can cast ones mind back to the glory days in Italy of Bartali and Coppi. The country weeping when Coppi died. A song and numerous other stuff in his honor. Giro routes being decided in his honor 60 years on.

A national holliday in Italy when Bartali died, half a century after his onbike achievements. A plaza in florence named after him.

Pantain being Italys darling after success that spanned no more than 3 months. Tifosi still coming to races dressed as pirates years after his death.

Those where the days.

Something cycling fans can look back on with pride and tears in their eyes.

Oh and of course a big shout out to Belgium for the immense work it continues to do.

Mercx being named 3rd greatest Belgian ever. the kind of things history is built on.

The history of.

This thing of ours.

It does paint a 'bleak picture' but it doesn't mean that cycling isn't a very popular sport. A lot of people still love the sport and follow it. Just look at the crowds at bike races. They are still massive and will continue to be massive. Cycling is the people's sport. It is spectator friendly There is so much more to it than just the racing itself.

 

[jens_attacks]

c'mon guys you just watched her boobs and that made for you the whole point,tell me the truth

 

[dlwssonic]

As long as Michel Wuyts is still exclaiming "en nu ... met de versnelling" or "armvoll" every time anybody attacks/comes to the front/changes pace/forces a split" and "oeioeioeioeioei" everytime there's a crash/mishap/near-miss, Sporza is king.

Those phrases are just lovely to hear. Eventhough i dont understand a ****, I love to listen to sporza commentary. What to those mean btw?

You forgot about ooooolalalalalalalalala

 

[CobbleStoner]

In Holland the best known cyclist is probably Armstrong as well. Plus some other guys who have done well in the Tour or have been associated with doping (or both).

What???? the Netherlands is a very cycling crazy/knowledgeable place. Joop Zoetemelk and Eddy Merckx are way more popular than LA. Johnny Hoogerland has a song written about him that everyone knows and sings at his races, LA doesn't have that. there are fan clubs for every minor pro Dutch rider.
...and Sporza does rule! the best for me is watching American races (ToC, Pro Challenge) on Sporza over here, no commercials, at least the last 3 hours live of each stage, and their elegant commentary (that I don't understand) as riders race on roads I know intimatley.

 

[Frosty]

Asked a few friends yesterday to name cyclists. These are people who dont follow cycling at all. One person couldnt name a single cyclist, although this person is probably the least interested in sport i have ever met. Two others named Indurain first, followed by Boardman, then Armstrong. Others mentioned were Hoy, Obree and Pendleton. Pinotti was also hesitantly mentioned, i assume this was Pantani. Upon prompting, Wiggins and Cavendish were mentioned.

Cycling is not a sport that has a high public profile in terms of being shown on the news, people appearing on adverts, so unless you pay more than passing attention you wont get to know anyone. Am not sure how many watch the highlights of the tour, quite a few people i know do, and they will be able to identify the top GC guys and sprinters, although people who finish 8th but never show at the front will probably be unknown. Other sports fans (ie not just football fans) will probably know the British gold medallists, Indurain, Armstrong, Contador. Older people might have heard of Merckx, Hinault etc.

Rugby Union is quite a big sport in this country, although not as big as some Welsh people think it is - i watch quite a few of the internationals but can only think of a few current England players off by heart.

 

[Swabian Lass]

Tried asking a few people (who don't particularly follow cycling). All of them said Ullrich and Jens! A couple said Contador, also Cancellara, one knew Klöden. Only one person mentioned Armstrong which surprised me a bit, but maybe his profile is no longer so high. Two people know Cavendish and one guy said Gilbert. For people who aren'r really interested in cycling I don't think that's bad.

 

[daveinzambia]

There is a massive sporting culture in Australia so even the people who don't really follow the sport generally quite a lot of riders.

Yep reckon lots of Australians could name several top GC riders plus several lesser known Australians. Also because of their obsession with olympics they can name a lot of track riders, Australian and Brits (cause they are the enemy)

 

[Mich78BEL]

Well in Belgium, even more so in the Flemish region cycling is huge, its neck-an-neck with football/soccer for the most popular sport.

 

[RedheadDane]

Well in Belgium, even more so in the Flemish region cycling is huge, its neck-an-neck with football/soccer for the most popular sport.

I'd actually expect cycling to be ahead of football/soccer.

 

[El Pistolero]

I'd actually expect cycling to be ahead of football/soccer.

Nope, football is bigger. Even though we can't even win from Azerbeijan(sic)

 

[Tigerion]

I would not be surprised if more Aussies knew who Wiggo and Cav were than Brits. And maybe Martin Johnson too.

As a succesful Pom you can at least be sure Aussies will know who they need to beat

As an australian I think more people would know Cav than Wiggins. Until Wiggins because a real threat to Cadel in a tour where Cadel is doing well he has a chance in most wouldn't even know.

Yep reckon lots of Australians could name several top GC riders plus several lesser known Australians. Also because of their obsession with olympics they can name a lot of track riders, Australian and Brits (cause they are the enemy)

Realistically the man in the street would be able to name Cadel and that's about it. And that is just post this tour.
Through livestrong most people are likely to know LA

Getting to people who are new fans or people who watch the TDF ("It's such lovely countryside") they would be able to name the Schelcks and Contador as they were the ones mentioned who could beat the Aussie this year. Even Satre wouldn't rate a meantion.

As for the other Aussies I don't think many of them would be able to be name any of them. Winning Milan-San Remo hardly rated a mention for Goss. You might get some older fans who know McEwen and O'Grady. I can't think of any other Aussies that people would recognize.

 

[Spare Tyre]

Yep reckon lots of Australians could name several top GC riders plus several lesser known Australians. Also because of their obsession with olympics they can name a lot of track riders, Australian and Brits (cause they are the enemy)

This. Australians usually do well in cycling at the Commonwealth Games and Olympics so many Aussies know the names of Australian track cyclists and even roadies if they're particularly successful.

Even 20 years ago we used to get short news reports about the TdF across a range of media. I knew Phil Anderson's name, for instance, well before I became interested in the sport myself. .... Now that I think back on it, though, I suspect there was an anglophone angle on the news items as well as a bias to Australians: the names Lemond and Armstrong were familiar, but not, eg, Pantani or Ullrich.

 

[jordan5000]

Ok so clearly it's much different than here where people only know Armstrong, he was Nike's posterboy, just look up ads on youtube and you'll see what I mean.

 

[Spare Tyre]

Ok so clearly it's much different than here where people only know Armstrong, he was Nike's posterboy, just look up ads on youtube and you'll see what I mean.

Sadly, I think most of us know what you mean even if we are not from the US.

 

[Arnout]

Just to report, in todays Volkskrant (Guardian is I think most comparable), not by favourite newspaper but that's not the point, the first sports story was about Mollema and that other guy of Vacansoleil I can't remember the name off, cover photo was Usain Bolt in the 4x100m though.

But the cycling story was the only story which got a follow up later on, with a story about Angliru and Cobo conquering it (so more the race summary, whereas the first story focused on the Dutchies doing well).

Then again, we didn't have football this weekend (apart from that 11-0 win against some amateurs).

 

[HL2037]

In Denmark most people know the Schlecks and Contador because they were/is on Bjarne Riis' team. Also Bjarne Riis, Jesper Skibby, Rolf, Nicki and Chris Anker Sørensen, Michael Rasmussen, Jan Ullrich, Lance Armstrong and Indurain are household names. Danish riders will frequently show up in gossip magazines and quiz shows etc.

Cavendish and Gilbert I doubt people have heard of unless they follow cycling. But then again many danes do follow cycling. I would say it is the third biggest sport after (european) football and handball.

 

[El Pistolero]

In Denmark most people know the Schlecks and Contador because they were/is on Bjarne Riis' team. Also Bjarne Riis, Jesper Skibby, Rolf, Nicki and Chris Anker Sørensen, Michael Rasmussen, Jan Ullrich, Lance Armstrong and Indurain are household names. Danish riders will frequently show up in gossip magazines and quiz shows etc.

Cavendish and Gilbert I doubt people have heard of unless they follow cycling. But then again many danes do follow cycling. I would say it is the third biggest sport after (european) football and handball.

I've heard the Sporza commentators say that too.

But when Boonen and Gilbert went to Oslo this year to recon the course a lot cycling tourists followed them around. So if they know them in Norway chances are big a lot of Danish people will know them as well.

 

[Michele]

In Italy cycling probably is around the 3rd/4th sport and so the ones not into cycling would just know some random names heard from the news.

 

[RedheadDane]

I've heard the Sporza commentators say that too.

But when Boonen and Gilbert went to Oslo this year to recon the course a lot cycling tourists followed them around. So if they know them in Norway chances are big a lot of Danish people will know them as well.

What course? What race?