As a Dutchman, the idea of someone complaining about another Grand Depart 13 years after the last one and wishing it was the Giro (/Vuelta) instead is very funny to me.
You have also had two Worlds in the meantime so the UK is, if nothing else, getting a reasonably varied set of big events.
I dont see it so much as a complaint, more a lament, that the UK only sees the TdF (I doubt the TdFF was a choice they made feels more like an ASO move) as the sum total of cycling as a sport, when we should be looking wider than that to the Giro or the Vuelta as well.
and all whilst we do have a very fundamental problem with cycling in the UK, both now in the sporting side theres barely any domestic teams, barely any domestic races, barely any sponsors and as an activity in that to be a cyclist in the UK is to be part of an outgroup, who are pilloried, abused, often threatened just for riding a bike, we have terrible nationwide infrastructure, terrible government plans for cycling (I dont even think the current lot have published a cycling plan).
and yeah I get all the its the biggest race on the calendar. its prestigous, Ill absolutely be happy to see the races on UK roads, assuming I can get to see them, but I also know theyre one off events that dont move the needle forward in respect of cycling in the UK
it reminded me of a conversation I had with the people who picked the spot next to me in the middle of Yorkshire in 2014, right at the height of Wiggomania/post Olympics glow, we had about 6hrs to waste so might as well chat right. And it turned out they werent interested in cycling at all, either as a sport or a hobby, they were literally only there because it was the current next big event thing to happen sporting wise in the UK, and they wanted to be able to show their friends they were lucky enough to see it, post on their socials pictures of them being there, get likes for it and so on.
Thats all the TdF was to them, a chance to boast that they were there, they werent and their kids werent inspired to become cyclists or follow the sport more because of it.
and I suspect that was the same for alot of those people along the stage routes, because I dont think post 2014 there was anykind of mini cycling revolution in Yorkshire, hence why the TdY died a death, as a result, we didnt see a major boost to cycling either as a sport or activity, in fact since 2012 its been on a decline back to mid 90s levels
as for the worlds, the one in Scotland might as well have been held in a completely different country, for all the impact it had UK wide, it was tiny and barely covered, and Yorkshire, well the weather killed it, maybe if it had been sunny it would have had some impact. but I doubt most people even remember either of them happened.
and that would be my point really, its yep its great these races are coming to the UK, Im not churlish enough to criticise that its happening, Im looking forward to the TdFF, but theres more to cycling than these races, and actually their impact isnt really that big ultimately for cycling in the UK.
and post 2027, our domestic sport scene and cycling as an activity will still be stuck in the same hole it is, so what will we have achieved ? another notch on the bed post so we can say the next time in 2040, it will be the 6th time/2nd time.
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram