Giro to the US?

[yakko!]

okay, so how are they going to work this out:

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/giro-ditalia-considers-start-in-washington-dc

it seems like there would be way too many hurdles.

 

[Bag_O_Wallet]

What phrase would be uttered more often if it does happen?

The Gyro de what?

or

Is Lance here?

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

I don't think it's possible. Wouldn't they have to stay in the states for about a week to allow a for a rest/travel day?

Who wants to race a bike hours after a transatlantic plane ride?

Way too many hurdles.

 

[brianf7]

The Giro is now a triathlon with an extra long swim leg in it.
Hope the Sharks dont get em.

 

[pedaling squares]

What is it with the Giro and long transfers? Well kudos to them for thinking outside the box. Not sure how well this will be received by the teams and riders. They might be just testing the waters at this point.

 

[Cogombre]

That's impossible. The riders neutralized a Giro stage because they said that an urban circuit was dangerous, so I wonder what they'd do if they were asked to make a +6h flight, ride a prologue (I suppose) with a 6h jet lag, and then come back to race in Italy. Insane.

 

[Walshworld]

Zomegnan thinks big. Too big.

You gotta love this guy for his out-of-the-box thinking. Trouble is, he's also out of his mind. Great idea if you could freeze the riders and thaw them out when they land but the 8 hour flight and 6 hour time change isn't going to go over well with any of the riders. But at least the man is thinking-- the tour de France is starting to feel a little predictable.
Twisted Spoke
http://walshworld.wordpress.com/

 

[Psalmon]

I wouldn't discount it totally.

I interpret this as a response to ASO's alignment with the TOC and the TOC's move to May.

Since there is a competitive strategy and brand name awareness effort at work (folks in the US know the TdF but not the GdI, and the GdI has no US partner), this may actually become a reality.

I'd also look for the Giro to seek some more stable US TV distribution with an attractive offer to someone like ESPN or maybe VS or U-NBC.

Accessable live TV is key. I thought I read here that the 2010 TOC would be on Eurosport, so they and ASO have that cross continent awareness concept in mind. It seems also the the TOC guys want to become bigger over time, expanding to 10 days, 2 weeks and maybe a GT. All of that would be in May, so the GdI would be threatened.

Such globalization seems great. It could be hard on the riders if it goes too far. However it would seem to attract more money, so that could make it tolerable. It's a great time to be a cycling fan and see how this develops. Things sure have come a long way from waiting for mags to publish results after the fact.

 

[Digger]

We in Ireland benefitted from the Tour de France starting here in '98, but in my opinion that shouldn't have happened. But at least it was in Europe and basically only a hop over the English Channel. But to the US would be a farce.

 

[Cartesian Centaur]

Only the Giro

What other race organisers would a) come up with such a random idea and b) be even remotely likely to go through with it.

 

[Skip Madness]

Well, it might just be possible with a bit of creative thinking...

...what about holding both rest-days together to give the riders a bit more of a chance to get over the jet lag? Although for that to happen the race would need to spend the best part of ten stages in the States.

Or what about having the one rest-day between the States and Italy, then following it with a succession of short stages? A sub-5km time-trial, and a few easy stages on the road of, say, 30-60km? Then the next rest-day, then back to business as normal.



No, it really isn't possible.

 

[Big_Blue_Dave]

Actually, I think it is possible.

People talk of thinking outside the box then don't really do it themselves to the full extent. How about this:-

Thursday - Opening at the White House with Barack Obama meeting the cyclists on the lawns in front of the house, followed by dinner afterwards.

Friday late afternoon so it is shown before 11pm in Europe. A prologue time trial or team time trial no longer than 20km around the sights of Washington DC.

Saturday - A stage between Washington and Baltimore, heading inland on a loop to make the stage about 140km - 160km.

Sunday - Baltimore to Philidelphia an almost straight route with 3 laps of the old USPRO laps, like the Giro loves at the end making a stage of around 200km - 220km.

Monday - Philidelphia to New York City (Central Park) scenic ride coming over Brooklyn Bridge to enter Manhattan, the a ride up Broadway past Times Square finishing in Central Park exactly where the NYC marathon finishes. Stage length about 180km.

Monday night - Begin transfer to Rome

Tuesday - Rest day

Wednesday - Rest day

Thursday - Stage start in Rome to l'Aquila of 150km.

Then continue from there with one more rest day, and finish in Milan.

 

[usedtobefast]

dave has thought it through, but i would say the riders will not go for it.
but you never know.

 

[Big_Blue_Dave]

dave has thought it through, but i would say the riders will not go for it.
but you never know.

Actually that was a five minute type up, looking at Multimap on the way. If I put some thought into it, i'd send it to RCS and see what came of it.

 

[usedtobefast]

Actually that was a five minute type up, looking at Multimap on the way. If I put some thought into it, i'd send it to RCS and see what came of it.

i was impressed with your course layout on short notice.

 

[yakko!]

dave has thought it through, but i would say the riders will not go for it.
but you never know.

well, the riders won't really have a choice is my guess. if some teams decide not to do it, there will always be another to take their place....

if it happens the course will probably be a lot like that.

 

[Big_Blue_Dave]

i was impressed with your course layout on short notice.

I'll do a detailed course route of a prologue sometime after I get up in the morning.

 

[Anonymous]

dave has thought it through, but i would say the riders will not go for it.
but you never know.

i think the jet lag would have too much impact... unless they had dawn racing in the US from like 5am till lunchtime.. its too ridiculous...

and besides,. its america.. i think its bad enough the veulta started in holland this year, that was ridiculous..

if they want to do something different there are plenty of other opportunities.. austria, croatia, bosnia, albania, greece to the east, tunisia, algeria, egypt to the south, but ameica is ridiculous..

thats nearly as stupid as the tour starting in japan...

the UCI need to step in and nip that one in the bud before the grand tours lose their identity.. next thing you know paris roubaix will be starting in futurescope..

 

[Skip Madness]

Actually, I think it is possible.

Strangely enough I was considering it a bit more earlier, it's kind of a fun challenge to try to think of ways of making this feasible. Ultimately, though, I can't see it as anything more than a flight of fancy.

A minimum of three rest days would be necessary, and four wouldn't be out of the question. If you started on the Saturday and had five stages in the US, then two rest days for the transfer. A short time-trial on the following Saturday (less than 10km), a 60km sprinters' stage Sunday then another rest day on Monday to allow one more readjustment to the time zone. Then carry on as normal, with one more rest day to break up what would otherwise be 13 consecutive stages. Another suggestion might be to make it a one-off two-and-a-half week race as opposed to three weeks, starting on a Wednesday. As above, but without the fourth rest day.

It does all sound ridiculous and would probably end up being the worst Giro ever, but on the understanding that it would be a complete one-off I wouldn't be against trying it. My only worry, as dimspace suggests, would be the idea catching on and spreading. Whoever gets there first gets to do it once, I say, just so that we can have it confirmed that it really is as utterly stupid as it seems. After that it's consigned to the history books.

Another issue is that it would frankly look a little bit desperate (no, very desperate) on the part of RCS, as though they are really worried about the Giro being surpassed by California and want to do something zany to remind everyone they're there, which is totally unnecessary. Zoncolan, the Finestre and Plan de Corones are crazy enough for most people, I think.

Speaking of the Finestre... when's that coming back?

 

[L29205]

Actually, I think it is possible.

With a major sponsor being Fiat/Chrysler, bring Italy and the US together

 

[The_Z_man]

First off, the "Old USPRO" course is the course of the current TD Bank Philadelphia International Cycling Championship.

Second, I disagree with the folks who say this can work. While the race schedule that the above poster came up with is interesting, I just don't see teams going along with this. Even with two days rest, that's going to be a big time difference to get used to. Plus you've got to get bikes, riders, busses, and all kinds of equipment form one side of the Atlantic to the other.

It would be an cool idea, but I just don't see it being a practical way to go.

 

[scott42138]

I think they are just testing the waters to see the reaction. They ultimately are aiming for a lunar team time trial.

 

[Anonymous]

i dont even think it would be cool.. and dont think its workable, i think the riders will refuse, the fans will refuse..

people who think these ideas up just want to take the whole history of cycling, put it up against the wall, and beat the hell out of it to be honest..

 

[L29205]

i dont even think it would be cool.. and dont think its workable, i think the riders will refuse, the fans will refuse..

I think in the US that there are enough fans that would go for a year or two to see a grand tour on the US soil. However, I think everything else that you said is true. Completely undo-able. Unless you have big big money behind it, which was the basis of my Fiat post earlier.

 

[badboyberty]

I think hosting the TdF prologue inside Dubai's Mall of Emirates and finishing uphill on the indoor ski hill made a lot more sense than having the Giro go to the US (and that story was published April 1 2007).