Giro to the US?

[usedtobefast]

it is a cool enough race without gimmicks like that. it was my favorite this year.

 

[craig1985]

I thought America was getting their Grand Tour in the Tour of America? What happened to it? Back in the pipe dream it was dreamt out of?

 

[Big_Blue_Dave]

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..

Come on Dim, you know me, i'm looking at it from the point of view of the race organiser. A prologue route is about to follow.

 

[scribe]

I think it is a bad idea for simple logistics. If they are determined to extend out of the euro continent, maybe they should run a couple of stages in north Africa. Same time zone and a jump over the Mediterranean puddle.

 

[Anonymous]

Since when did GT organizers care what the riders thought? It'll happen! LOL!

Actually they Giro organizers and the ToC organizers are in negotiations right now to work together to introduce a global partnership to produce a Grand Tour in America. They both know that the growing popularity of the ToC cannot be denied and see this partnership as a chance to expand both Tours. This introduction of Wash DC and NYC is a bid to gain favor of the American businesses and fans as part of this partnership to expand the Giro's relevancy in the world of cycling. This new race they are working on will be called the Giro de Americas. And if you beleive that, I have some waterfront property for sale in the swamp lands of Florida!

 

[Big_Blue_Dave]

Prologue route:-

Starting at the North roundabout on 1st Street in front of the Capitol, and heading North West along Pennsylvania Avenue NW, then turning right onto 15th Street NW, and round the White House on H Street and turning left into 17th Street.

A right onto Constitution Avenue Before a left into Lincoln Memorial Park on 23rd Street, and around the Memorial Circle in a clockwise manner between the memorial and the Reflecting Pool. Then continuing down 23rd Street onto Ohio Drive past West Potomac Park and the Jefferson Memorial and onto East Basin Drive before riding up Raoul Wallenberg Place with a right onto Independence Avenue past the Smithsonian Institution.

This would continue to Maryland Avenue which they would turn onto and finish just short of the south side roundabout infornt of the Capitol.

If anyone can measure that distance, i'd be grateful.

 

[Bala Verde]

I'd like to see them do parts of the blue ridge park way, starting in Front Royal and the skyline drive... It's only 2 hrs from DC

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Considering the history of the Italian/American Mob, I'd rather see the race start in Brooklyn NY, or Cicero IL. Call it the "Capone" circut, or "La Corsa Nostra."

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

The problem I keep thinking of is traffic. Obviously a GT requires closed roadways. Not only that, but they also have to consider crowds and crowd control for an outdoor event spanning potentially hundreds of miles over a few days. A GT making way through DC, possibly Philly, NY, and Baltimore would create havoc for those living in and around those cities (many people commute from Baltimore to DC). Large portions of those cities would probably have to shut down completely. If they started in DC with a short prologue and went through more remote part of Virginia, MD, and upstate NY it would be plausible. Other than that, I doubt it would work out. Though it would be cool to see a GT peloton cross the Brooklyn Bridge.

 

[DonTickles]

Come on, you guys aren't thinking ambitiously enough. Here's how it will go. Riders fly into DC a few days in advance. Sat morning will be the prologue in DC, starting at 8am EDT. The following day each team boards their own jet, these jets have the riders bikes set up on trainers. The planes throttle is controlled by how many watts the team is putting out on their trainers. The DS sits in the cockpit with the pilot and makes tactical decisions like when to pass the plane in front of you and all that. Land in Portugal so hopefully it'll be a 6 hour ride or so. It would be like a team time trial across the Atlantic... Then a series of stages through Portugal, Spain, and France before getting back into Italy for your first rest day. Voila!

 

[Bala Verde]

So all the TT bikes have to be shipped to the US, and then back again, for a >12km prologue ride...

 

[Cartesian Centaur]

So all the TT bikes have to be shipped to the US, and then back again, for a >12km prologue ride...

Maybe they could just ban riders from using TT bikes in the prologue? That way teams who couldn't afford to do all the shipping wouldn't be placed at a disadvantage.

Plus, it would be a slight reduction in the logistics headaches, needless extravagance, environmental carnage...

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

I had another idea. Teams could get their bike sponsors to make aerodynamic carbon fiber paddle boats.
Here's how it goes down. Prologue through DC: Penn Ave, around the National Mall, etc, etc. Stage 1 could then be a transatlantic paddle boat ride!

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Here's another one:

Since DC is the murder capital of the US, combine the Prologue with a shooting gallery like they do in Biathlon.

 

[Cartesian Centaur]

Here's another one:

Since DC is the murder capital of the US, combine the Prologue with a shooting gallery like they do in Biathlon.

I'd totally watch that.

 

[Deagol]

Maybe the Giro could start with a cyclo-cross stage in Antarctica the next season if this works.. Seriously, though, this idea seems to be a huge waste from an environmental point of view, particularly the trans-Atlantic jet flight(s). It’s also a gimmick. At what point will the title ”Giro D’ Italia” start to lose it’s meaning? I’ve always preferred the Giro over the Tour for it’s scenery. What would you rather see a bike race through: the Dolomites of Italy or the crowded urban cityscape of the Atlantic seaboard?

Edit: I’m not trying to bash the east coast of the USA or anything, but this is supposed to be the Tour of ITALY. We had the Tour de Pont/Trump a few years back over this region, didn’t we?

 

[aarnold517]

Come on, you guys aren't thinking ambitiously enough. Here's how it will go. Riders fly into DC a few days in advance. Sat morning will be the prologue in DC, starting at 8am EDT. The following day each team boards their own jet, these jets have the riders bikes set up on trainers. The planes throttle is controlled by how many watts the team is putting out on their trainers. The DS sits in the cockpit with the pilot and makes tactical decisions like when to pass the plane in front of you and all that. Land in Portugal so hopefully it'll be a 6 hour ride or so. It would be like a team time trial across the Atlantic... Then a series of stages through Portugal, Spain, and France before getting back into Italy for your first rest day. Voila!

haha, id watch that race!

 

[ImmaculateKadence]

Maybe the Giro could start with a cyclo-cross stage in Antarctica the next season if this works.. Seriously, though, this idea seems to be a huge waste from an environmental point of view, particularly the trans-Atlantic jet flight(s). It’s also a gimmick. At what point will the title ”Giro D’ Italia” start to lose it’s meaning? I’ve always preferred the Giro over the Tour for it’s scenery. What would you rather see a bike race through: the Dolomites of Italy or the crowded urban cityscape of the Atlantic seaboard?

Edit: I’m not trying to bash the east coast of the USA or anything, but this is supposed to be the Tour of ITALY. We had the Tour de Pont/Trump a few years back over this region, didn’t we?

I have lived in the Baltimore/DC area and spent several months traveling throughout Italy, so I would say both create an interesting backdrop with certain charms. It would be incredibly difficult to pull off, but it would create an interesting contrast. Ultimately though, you're right it is the Giro d'italia, the tour of Italy.

All this talk has got me thinking about a GT finishing in DC. Think about it: the National Mall is essentially the Champs-Élysées. A GT could end with a mass sprint similar to the Tour with the White House, Washington Monument, Capitol Building, and numerous museums in the background.

 

[Francois the Postman]

Excellent, some cunning Glaswegians went to Italy and sold them "a trip to the States for a new life abroad" and they appear to have swallowed it hook line and sinker.

So soon the Giro will follow several ice-cream making fellow Italians who took a similar plunge a century ago. And come off the boat in bonnie old Scotland, realizing they got conned good.

And they'll have to set up prologue camp in Glasgow, stuck for alternatives.

Just hope it doesn't result in ice-cream wars, the local incarnation of gritty Mafia turf fights.

 

[yakko!]

Giro to America talks confirmed, course talk

Yesterday when I read the story on Cyclingnews I had a lot of doubts about whether it would even be possible and it was a "off the cuff" remark. Well, apparently the Government (and the Giro) actually think it's doable:

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/2160/Giro-dItalia-A-2012-start-in-Washington-DC.aspx

The other discussion on this was all over the place (but entertaining), so now that this looks like it could *really* happen, it would be cool to see what everyone thinks about the course.

There were a couple of good ideas posted in the other thread, but I don't want to claim your ideas, so I'll leave it to you to re-post. The prologue would be very cool through DC, although it won't have the history Rome did...there are some pretty good mountains all the way up to New York, where I guess people can assume it will then transfer (nightmare?!) to Italy. Maybe they can find some reconditioned SR-71s?

A Pittsburgh finish could possibly include some of the Tour de Toona course (and probably early for mountains), but Philly would also be good because of it's US racing history. Wouldn't it have to be more that 3 days to even be worth the efforts? I'd say a minimum of 5...

 

[yakko!]

I just started a new thread about possible courses, but on the serious side - hopefully that's okay...if not, just delete it. Apparently both sides are keen on the idea and talking....that's nuts!

 

[Anonymous]

I heard that the 2013 Vuelta is starting in Wellington, New Zealand...

Nah just kidding, interesting article as it sounds like the organisers are genuinely serious about this one.

I think you're right, it would have to be at least 5 days in the states, the 5th being a short morning stage perhaps, so the riders can leave for Italy that afternoon/evening, then have a rest day in Italy, and begin stage 6 the day after that.

I wonder how the Italian riders will feel about this one, given many of them peak in May for this race, they may not be too keen on the lengthy transfer across the atlantic?

 

[yakko!]

I don't think anyone will like the tranfer process, including the organizers. Cargo jets might be in order....it's basically insane, but cool at the same time. Perhaps oxygen in the planes can address the jetlag concerns.

I think ending with a criterium in NYC would be a good call to get things packed and on their way, but then there was the "Milan Show" which turned out to be a nightmare... my guess would be that NYC streets are no better than Milan, so perhaps a time trial could achieve the same thing? (or the riders signing a release that they won't boycott the crit or they pay 5 times their annual wages! )

 

[avanti]

Giro TTT in USA

Here's an idea:

The USA stage would be the TTT.
The teams would be allowed use riders other than used for all the other stages (the multi-stage riders).
The TTT could be held when the multi-stage riders have a rest day.
The TTT counts toward the team category but not necessarily the general classification/point/mountain categories.

Yes - a weird idea but if it helps the Giro get more publicity then go for it.

If adopted then similar stages could be located in other distant countries such as Australia or Argentina.

 

[craig1985]

The Tour tried to go to Gaudeloupe (which is still a French terriority and cycling is the national sport) for the start of the 2000 edition, but ASO scrapped it when they realised it was logisitically impossible. Such constraints were an 8 hour flight and a 6 hour time difference. If they could though, they probably would. The Tour would love to start in Corsica as well, although it would probably be like sending the Vuelta into the Basque Country, not a wise idea.