McQuaid: Cut Down the Giro and Vuelta, Embrace California

[mastersracer]

I'd guess the North American demographic is more favorable for the sport and more appealing to advertisers - a 'lifestyle' audience that earns/spends more than the European audience. Its about following the money.

 

[Mellow Velo]

He is just saying what I've been saying all the time - Tour of California is the future.

"The Amgen Tour of California is one of the best races in the world for cycling fans" - CyclingNews

CyclingNews has just been announced as official media partner for ToC = less Giro coverage, more ToC Coverage

Ah, I wondered when you'd turn up.
Funny how the vast majority of cycling fans on here, don't consider the TOC to be a good race, never mind one of the best.

If the sport is ever to truly globalise, then the season is going to have to extend, rather than simply cram a few more races into the allotted 8 months.
Chopping down the GTs is a ridiculous concept.
Forget all the dodgy training camps and race during October and November.
The weather then, is certainly not an issue, when compared to February or March.

Trouble is that far too many folks think that the season has to begin to wind down from the end of July.

 

[Angliru]

Glad to see the idea is gaining traction. Sure there are some problems but i thought about it and it can be done. The only problem is planting the idea in the heads of the people that can make it happen. Unfortunatlely it might include some shady persons so since El Patron is dead i need a line on some succesors of his.

It's likely the organizers of the Columbian tour are happy with its success and don't want the headaches of dealing with McQuaid and his minions.

 

[hfer07]

It's likely the organizers of the Columbian tour are happy with its success and don't want the headaches of dealing with McQuaid and his minions.

my understanding is that a UCI delegation went there to overview the race, since the Columbian Federation was seeking to upgrade the status of the race-so they can get to invite more teams & sponsors from abroad. The problem is that they need the UCI's blessing to do so..............

 

[pmcg76]

I have been following this sport for over 20 years now and there has always been talk about globalisation and apart from a few training races during winter in Europe, its still the same sport and races apart from the major changes that took place in the mid 90s with the move of the Vuelta, which I still dont think was the best move.

To be honest, I dont care about growing the sport in wherever, the best(and most traditional) races should not be sacrificed in an effort for the UCI to make a few extra bucks. Do I care if the sport is big in the US, Oman or wherever, an emphatic NO.

I have seen so many races come and go in the US and they are still struggling to get one decent race together. If they couldnt do it during the Lance era, they never will. It will be false dawn after false dawn and I dont care.

The races I care about most are the true classics and Grand Tours, they are the races that created the history of the sport. People compare cycling to other sports but look at Golf of Tennis, they are based around the 'majors' and nobody would ever suggest changing that to grow the sport in Senegal, Vietnam or wherever. People look at F1 but thats totally the wrong model, its about one thing making money for the owners of F1, Ecclestone etc.

Lets leave the GTs and classics alone and grow the sport around then, if that doesnt happen like here in Ireland, then too bad. The sport will still be great without races if far flung corners.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

He is just saying what I've been saying all the time - Tour of California is the future.

"The Amgen Tour of California is one of the best races in the world for cycling fans" - CyclingNews

It's probably good for cycling fans to attend, since they get to see a lot of big names. It's not much good for cycling fans to watch, since very little appears to actually happen, plus you have dumb and dumber treating us like we've never seen a race before on commentary.

CyclingNews has just been announced as official media partner for ToC = less Giro coverage, more ToC Coverage

In case you hadn't noticed, though CyclingNews does have a useful international audience, there are an awful lot of cycling news sources in Spain, Italy, France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Great Britain, Australia, Switzerland, Portugal and the USA itself that will be focusing most of their attention during May where it has always been - the Giro.

The only race in May that's ever been big enough to be any kind of competition for the Giro was the Course de la Paix, and that's long since dead and buried.

 

[md2020]

I don't understand the obsession with short stage races like the ToC. For the most part the GC competition is boring. Why not put together a series of tough one-day races on killer courses instead. They could do four or five races in a 10-day period. Plus, you wouldn't need to limit it to California. With a few days in between for transfers you could have west coast, rockey mt, and east coast races. They could create a two week North American pro series, even include the Canadian one-day events. Those were great.

 

[auscyclefan94]

Nah, i think we should cut down Mcquaid and embrace the giro and la vuelta instead.

 

[Martin318is]

Sorry in the US there is little interest in those races(Vuelta,Giro)

No coverage outside of cycling mags and computer cycling geeks. The Vuelta and Giro GTs are absolutly alien to our US culture. If you want to have the sport grow, the markets need to be expanded. Listen to McQuaid.

Why?
There are only a few hundred million people in the US. Who needs them?

The real, interesting potential markets are China and India.

 

[Cobblestones]

Nah, i think we should cut down Mcquaid and embrace the giro and la vuelta instead.

+1

ToC is an ok 1 week race. Not as good as the DL. Maybe on par with the Romandie.

How to compare that to the Giro, in particular the Giro of the last few years is beyond me, but YMMV I guess.

 

[Anonymous]

Do you know, im not even going to read the article (or this thread). It will just me angry. The guy is a tool.

 

[usedtobefast]

me i like the idea. out with the old in with the new. and i am in California.

 

[Hairy Wheels]

Cycling is growing not declining. We want more cycling not less.

As i said before the best way to bring in a outside europe race into the big league would be to hold it right at the end of the season. That means OCtober - November, giving the Tour riders a chance at a second gt, not cutting down the existing ones, and globalising the sport (in both directions).

Sorry Cali your climate doesnt cut it. Nor does your history.

One country that does however is Colombia (+ venezuela bolivia and equador if need be). It has more history, a better climate and better riders.

Any 4th gt can only ever be held there, as a way of expanding this thing of ours, and not in Cali at the way of pimping it out for money and in the proccess destroying it - which is were prostitution usually leads. Short term gain, long term destruction.

I agree with you on many points, but I've raced several years against Columbia's top few teams (Columia es Pasion the latest) and they aren't better than the top US riders. They're great, don't get me wrong (better than me to be sure!), but no, the top US riders are way more rounded and capable. They ride much better in their own country, but that's true of riders of pretty much every nationality.

What you should have discussed is how much cycling is loved by Columbia. They have a "near" GT in terms of length and difficulty of course...but I don't think there is the world wide market for a race there. And, if the likes of Uribe keep talking smack about Venezuela...it's probably not a stable enough place for a big one.

 

[flicker]

The races I care about most are the true classics and Grand Tours, they are the races that created the history of the sport. People compare cycling to other sports but look at Golf of Tennis, they are based around the 'majors' and nobody would ever suggest changing that to grow the sport in Senegal, Vietnam or Ireland.

California is the Golden Land of oppotuniy. LA is a city of tiny lites a styrafoam tinseltown. Humboldt county a county where the Cannabis grows taller than redwoods. Why would you not want a GT here. 5th largest economy in the world.

 

[BroDeal]

Jeebus! If McQuaid were any more stupid then he would have to be watered twice a week.

The Giro should give the UCI the finger by saying screw the rules, we're going to hold an old school edition that is four weeks long...with a gravel stage every week.

 

[flicker]

Why?
There are only a few hundred million people in the US. Who needs them?

The real, interesting potential markets are China and India.

I would love to see road races in India and track in China. I think they would go big.

 

[The Hitch]

It is already a 4th GT, only with South American riders. Why bring European riders there? The race is great as it is, it doesn't need improvement.

BEcause globalisation works both ways in this case.

You bring Colombia a gt spot you dont only bring europe to Colombia, you bring COlombia to europe. More colombians will be known to european audiences and will get invited to european races.

I think they would have to have at least half the teams be Latin American. THe other half european. Make it a reward to those teams who have performed well over the season in europe.

By doing this you create a bridge between cyclings 2 bases.

Together cycling will become stronger.

 

[avanti]

You might want to revisit your thoughts on California climate in October - November. Unless you're talking about Humboldt and Del Norte counties, there isn't a nicer time of the year here.

I agree - even December in Southern California.

 

[The Hitch]

Trouble is that far too many folks think that the season has to begin to wind down from the end of July.

Mellow. Your falling for their propaganda man
Just remember the crowds on a 15k Geelong course, and the hundreds of thousands in Peña Cabarga and Bola.

What was that about people thinking the season ends in July?

my understanding is that a UCI delegation went there to overview the race, since the Columbian Federation was seeking to upgrade the status of the race-so they can get to invite more teams & sponsors from abroad. The problem is that they need the UCI's blessing to do so..............

THe problem is an upgrade to any thing other than a gt would be a disaster. Colombia as a PT race would diminish its greatness greatly. it could only be a gt race.

The races I care about most are the true classics and Grand Tours, they are the races that created the history of the sport. People compare cycling to other sports but look at Golf of Tennis, they are based around the 'majors' and nobody would ever suggest changing that to grow the sport in Senegal, Vietnam or wherever. People look at F1 but thats totally the wrong model, its about one thing making money for the owners of F1, Ecclestone etc.

Lets leave the GTs and classics alone and grow the sport around then, if that doesnt happen like here in Ireland, then too bad. The sport will still be great without races if far flung corners.

I wouldnt compare cycling to other sports. Cycling uses the territory.Fans can get out and watch them outside. doesnt cost a thing, even if it costs to get there.

Everything else uses man created arensas. You cant create a Angirilu in California. You cant. And globalising the sport shows new territories.

99% of people who at any time watch any of the other sports, do so on tv. It doesnt really matter if the event is taking place accross the road or on the other side of the world. Unless your familiar with stadiums, you wouldnt even know the difference.

But cycling. A significant % of people who watch it see it live at some point, and whats more they see the country itself, when they watch it on tv. In many cases, places they know well.

 

[Ferminal]

I believe we have all just been trolled by Pat...

 

[BotanyBay]

Pat wants Anglo (or English-speaking) champions (and not one-time tour winners who get popped for steroids on the 1st win). He doesn't want the future of the sport to be with Latin or Italians. He wants nice, blond, English-speaking heroes.

 

[Spare Tyre]

What I don't understand is this obsession with having a super big race in the US, the fourth GT, hell, the second GT (screw Giro and Vuelta). It's like they want to promote cycling... by cutting straight to the money-earning phase, without actually building up the sport. It's like taking a tiny team and trying to turn it into a strong Pro Tour team overnight (and an Australian one, at that). Tour of California will be a very fine race if it keeps growing, but aside from that there's unfortunately little else. Start by consolidating the Tour of California and the other existing races, and create a proper .1 and .HC circuit. That's promoting and exporting the sport. Everything else is just a way to make quick money for a handful of people.

This is the nub of things. This and the quest for total control, as someone mentioned above. Slightly different interests to our own.

I have some mixed feelings about the sport going global. I wonder if it limits sponsorship and I wonder about the costs involved. Then there is the reliance on flying, which is significant already. If peak oil affects us as predicted, what happens to global cycling then?

 

[forumlurker]

what about the sponsors? does liquigas, cofidis, milram, francais de jeux, and the rest of the primarily european sponsors care about product exposure in north america or oceana? companies like rabobank and htc might get good return on their money on global exposure, but i doubt cofidis cares if any american even knows what they sell. credit par telephone? what?

i think it would be nice if pro cycling could become a global and popular sport, but it's not gonna happen if the people paying the bills are selling propane in italy or milk in germany.

yeah, the tour dupont, tour of georgia, etc are all gone, but i think the tour of california has some staying power. i don't think it could or should ever compete with the giro, but only 200ish people can ride the giro, and california offers good racing and weather for those who don't go to italy. there is a lot of interest in the atoc amongst californians, even if 90% of us are braindead, budlite-drinking dropouts who only care if the raiders or niners win or lose, and many cities vie each year to be ville etape. this year's stage to mt baldy is gonna be epic. cya there.

 

[boardhanger]

what about the sponsors? does liquigas, cofidis, milram, francais de jeux, and the rest of the primarily european sponsors care about product exposure in north america or oceana? companies like rabobank and htc might get good return on their money on global exposure, but i doubt cofidis cares if any american even knows what they sell. credit par telephone? what?

i think it would be nice if pro cycling could become a global and popular sport, but it's not gonna happen if the people paying the bills are selling propane in italy or milk in germany.

yeah, the tour dupont, tour of georgia, etc are all gone, but i think the tour of california has some staying power. i don't think it could or should ever compete with the giro, but only 200ish people can ride the giro, and california offers good racing and weather for those who don't go to italy. there is a lot of interest in the atoc amongst californians, even if 90% of us are braindead, budlite-drinking dropouts who only care if the raiders or niners win or lose, and many cities vie each year to be ville etape. this year's stage to mt baldy is gonna be epic. cya there.

I think the TOC has brought something to the international calendar. The giro is the giro ever since i've known it. Italian race....meaning Italian teams going for it with Italian sponsors. Nothing wrong with that. I can remeber not so long ago 15 years maybe it wasn't even aired on European TV just RAI Milan San Remo too.........That says it all. As compared to the TOC wishing to be an internationaly reconised event from day 1.

 

[flicker]

Pat wants Anglo (or English-speaking) champions (and not one-time tour winners who get popped for steroids on the 1st win). He doesn't want the future of the sport to be with Latin or Italians. He wants nice, blond, English-speaking heroes.

Those are 3 really great looking guys botany. Thanks for sharing I will PM you maybe we can watch Oklahoma or My Fair Lady together sometime....