General News Thread

[Red Rick]

Glad he's otherwise ok, Contador earned lots of street cred with this picture.

Contador Hola es todos updates >>> Nadal Hola es todos updates.

 

[Armchair Cyclist]

You thought the parking situation on the CIC Pyrenees race was bad: parking staff in Glasgow threatening to go on strike during the world championships.

Oh, and the staff at the Velodrome too....

Disruption warning for Cycling World Championships as Glasgow workers balloted for strike

Unite and GMB Scotland will be balloting Glasgow Life and City Parking employees for strike action over an ongoing pay dispute that could disrupt the 2023 World Cycling Championships.

www.glasgowlive.co.uk

 

[Netserk]

You thought the parking situation on the CIC Pyrenees race was bad: parking staff in Glasgow threatening to go on strike during the world championships.

Oh, and the staff at the Velodrome too....

Disruption warning for Cycling World Championships as Glasgow workers balloted for strike

Unite and GMB Scotland will be balloting Glasgow Life and City Parking employees for strike action over an ongoing pay dispute that could disrupt the 2023 World Cycling Championships.

www.glasgowlive.co.uk

Are Brits turning French?

 

[Rob5091]

Are Brits turning French?

Just wait until the Olympics next year!

 

[Izzyeviel]

Lance Armstrong has jumped on the trans moral panic to make a show about awful it is fair competition doesn't exist in womens cycling & that he was a victim of cancel culture.

 

[StryderHells]

Lance Armstrong has jumped on the trans moral panic to make a show about awful it is fair competition doesn't exist in womens cycling & that he was a victim of cancel culture.

Well in his defence, he is a moron.

 

[Monte Serra]

The 2024 Tour de France Femmes will start in the Netherlands, with an individual time trial in Rotterdam:

Tour de France Femmes start in 2024 definitief in Nederland

Rotterdam krijgt in 2024 Le Grand Départ van de Tour de France Femmes. De derde editie van de Tour de France voor vrouwen zal met een tijdrit in Rotterdam van start gaan. Meerdere bronnen hebben aan WielerFlits bevestigd dat Rotterdam deze zekerheid inmiddels van organisator ASO heeft ontvangen...

www.wielerflits.nl

 

[DNP-Old]

This infuriates me. Due to legislation about an x amount of present policemen required in order to organise a race it has become almost impossible for people to hold a race, even if it's just 2.2 level, but drop the word 'Tour', even if it's the Femmes edition, and all of a sudden anything is possible and there is almost carte blanche. No wonder the Netherlands is falling behind massively compared to other big cycling nations, despite there being millions more bikes than actual people in this country.

 

[RedheadDane]

The 2024 Tour de France Femmes will start in the Netherlands, with an individual time trial in Rotterdam:

Tour de France Femmes start in 2024 definitief in Nederland

Rotterdam krijgt in 2024 Le Grand Départ van de Tour de France Femmes. De derde editie van de Tour de France voor vrouwen zal met een tijdrit in Rotterdam van start gaan. Meerdere bronnen hebben aan WielerFlits bevestigd dat Rotterdam deze zekerheid inmiddels van organisator ASO heeft ontvangen...

www.wielerflits.nl

Is it still gonna start on the same day as the Men's TdF finishes, or will it be earlier, to avoid clashing with the Olympics?

 

[Ricco']

Is it still gonna start on the same day as the Men's TdF finishes, or will it be earlier, to avoid clashing with the Olympics?

According to the news, it will start on August 12th, one day after the Olympics finish

 

[RedheadDane]

According to the news, it will start on August 12th, one day after the Olympics finish

I guess that's the best solution. If the TdFF was held a week earlier - overlapping with the final week of the TdF - it could risk "drowning".

 

[lemon cheese cake]

What annoys me slightly the idea of starting it abroad. I understand the race is being like the men's version with foreign grand departs which is 21, however this is only currently 8 days. To make it worth while you'd have to have at least 2 days in the Netherlands, so unless they're planning on expanding next year it's almost as bad as when the Tour of Poland started in Trentino.

This infuriates me. Due to legislation about an x amount of present policemen required in order to organise a race it has become almost impossible for people to hold a race, even if it's just 2.2 level, but drop the word 'Tour', even if it's the Femmes edition, and all of a sudden anything is possible and there is almost carte blanche. No wonder the Netherlands is falling behind massively compared to other big cycling nations, despite there being millions more bikes than actual people in this country.

I wasn't living in the Netherlands when the race started in Utrecht or Rotterdam, and I didnt watch other grand tour starts like the Giro and Vuelta in Utrecht or Gelderland in person, however when the Tour started in Yorkshire, there was a massive presence of Gendarmerie there. That might ease some of the pressure?

 

[theyoungest]

This infuriates me. Due to legislation about an x amount of present policemen required in order to organise a race it has become almost impossible for people to hold a race, even if it's just 2.2 level, but drop the word 'Tour', even if it's the Femmes edition, and all of a sudden anything is possible and there is almost carte blanche. No wonder the Netherlands is falling behind massively compared to other big cycling nations, despite there being millions more bikes than actual people in this country.

Yes, these GT starts in the Netherlands are starting to get annoying. They paint a picture of a cycling crazed nation that fully embraces the sport, which it is really not. These aldermen getting a GT start to their city just want the prestige and the tourism, they don't care about cycling.

That being said, to start a women's GT in this country is probably a little less ludicrous, because if there's any side of the sport where we are most definitely not falling behind, it's the women's side.

 

[Devil's Elbow]

The obvious solution is to only allow foreign GT starts in municipalities that also frequently host smaller races, but that would require the UCI seeing this as an issue...

Or just put a 10-year moratorium on GT starts in the Netherlands, would be very happy with that as well at this point.

Also very much not a fan of eight-day races starting with at least two (and three if there's a transitional stage through Belgium) stages abroad, ASO had better up the length if they want the foreign grand départs.

 

[tobydawq]

This infuriates me. Due to legislation about an x amount of present policemen required in order to organise a race it has become almost impossible for people to hold a race, even if it's just 2.2 level, but drop the word 'Tour', even if it's the Femmes edition, and all of a sudden anything is possible and there is almost carte blanche. No wonder the Netherlands is falling behind massively compared to other big cycling nations, despite there being millions more bikes than actual people in this country.

The country has won four of the last eight monuments and has the best team in the world. How are they falling behind?

 

[DNP-Old]

The country has won four of the last eight monuments and has the best team in the world. How are they falling behind?

Because results is not what makes an infrastructure good or bad.

First of all, Van der Poel is a case of blind luck, having someone oozing with talent riding for your country. He would have been great if he was born in Zimbabwe or Uganda too. Secondly, even if he became good due to some sort of infrastructure, Van der Poel is a Belgian product, where he was born, grew up and raced.

Secondly, it's not about the top tier talent. They will find their way because they get picked up by the big programs abroad, often in Belgium. Those who are less fortunate, and who have to rely on infrastructure and a system are in the mud. There are little to no races in the Netherlands. Nieuwelingen, juniors, espoirs do not get to race here at all. The Benelux Tour is just the Belgium Tour without Baloise, ZLM Tour is just the same stage over and over again because there are only one or two regions willing (are able) to host stages and the Dutch nationals are just VAM Berg rinse, repeat.

Yesterday, ironically not on the VAM berg, was a great example of why the Dutch system is falling behind, and his name is Frank van den Broek. He should be on a good, most likely PCT team. There is one problem: there is no Dutch PCT team. Now, Van den Broek can count his blessings, since he was invited to a DSM training camp and apparently smashed it, but the majority are not so lucky and have little to no hope of ever making it to the pro's.

This is all worked beautifully by the KNWU too, which is just a mess of an organisation.

 

[Netserk]

Because results is not what makes an infrastructure good or bad.

First of all, Van der Poel is a case of blind luck, having someone oozing with talent riding for your country. He would have been great if he was born in Zimbabwe or Uganda too. Secondly, even if he became good due to some sort of infrastructure, Van der Poel is a Belgian product, where he was born, grew up and raced.

Secondly, it's not about the top tier talent. They will find their way because they get picked up by the big programs abroad, often in Belgium. Those who are less fortunate, and who have to rely on infrastructure and a system are in the mud. There are little to no races in the Netherlands. Nieuwelingen, juniors, espoirs do not get to race here at all. The Benelux Tour is just the Belgium Tour without Baloise, ZLM Tour is just the same stage over and over again because there are only one or two regions willing (are able) to host stages and the Dutch nationals are just VAM Berg rinse, repeat.

Yesterday, ironically not on the VAM berg, was a great example of why the Dutch system is falling behind, and his name is Frank van den Broek. He should be on a good, most likely PCT team. There is one problem: there is no Dutch PCT team. Now, Van den Broek can count his blessings, since he was invited to a DSM training camp and apparently smashed it, but the majority are not so lucky and have little to no hope of ever making it to the pro's.

This is all worked beautifully by the KNWU too, which is just a mess of an organisation.

The situation is worse here in Denmark, yet we have our best cohort.

 

[yaco]

I doubt the TDF Femmes needs an ITT, especially when you consider the limited climbing in the race.

 

[DNP-Old]

The situation is worse here in Denmark, yet we have our best cohort.

I can't comment on the situation in Denmark, for I know very little about it.

That being said, looking from the outside in, Denmarks main rider was a fisherman who got signed by the best team because some guy recommended him to Zeeman, when they were actually trying to sign Julius Johansen. That doesn't seem like a good long term strategy, is it?

 

[Samu Cuenca]

I'm not a fan of a start abroad either, but if the Dutch are willing pay, then hopefully there'll be money enough to include some big climbs and a cobbled stage around Roubaix.

 

[Netserk]

The difference is that our national federation is decently competent and that the track program works well. The rest is a vast network of Danish staff across several foreign teams.

But there's been next to no Danish professional teams in the past decade, and Uno-X have not had an impact on the current cohort. And professional races here are a complete joke.

But cycling is popular. There's a broad cultural support, and the biological substrate is good enough here, so we produce talents.

 

[SafeBet]

But there's been next to no Danish professional teams in the past decade, and Uno-X have not had an impact on the current cohort. And professional races here are a complete joke.

Isn't there a sh*tload of youth / jr races though? I've heard Hellemose talk about that in Italian podcasts.
Of course they're probably all the same race over and over again but there's a competitive environment for kids to learn.

 

[theyoungest]

I can't comment on the situation in Denmark, for I know very little about it.

That being said, looking from the outside in, Denmarks main rider was a fisherman who got signed by the best team because some guy recommended him to Zeeman, when they were actually trying to sign Julius Johansen. That doesn't seem like a good long term strategy, is it?

You'd have a point if they did end up signing Julius Johansen instead of Vingegaard, and Vingo returned to the fish factory. Now it's an example of why the system (apparently) does work.

 

[ciranda]

First of all, Van der Poel is a case of blind luck, having someone oozing with talent riding for your country. He would have been great if he was born in Zimbabwe or Uganda too

I don't think so. Talent needs to be nurtured with competition, training plans, coaches that know what they're doing, support to go to races, family environment, money etc. Those who don't have these things don't go anywhere. It's rare now to see cyclists in big races/teams from outside the usual countries. It's a much more inequal sport than just a couple of years ago, in particular with the development teams so far ahead of normal under 23s now that that's one more barrier for outsiders.

van der Poel is the most privileged cyclist around wrt opportunities, background and support system, the richest of all rich kids.

 

[Lequack]

New Lemond documentary

https://twitter.com/x/status/1671926701960339457

View: https://twitter.com/MichaelWarbur17/status/1671926701960339457