Most Boring WorldTour Race (In General, Not This Year)?

[palmerq]

I like the tour down under, I like sprinters stage races like this, with one stage thats not suited for them thrown in(well there was the last time I saw it).. I know what to expect from it and you are never sure which sprinter will be on good form... I like the tour of qatar aswell though :S I have no problem with races like this I dont see it as a great achievement to win the overall classification but I find it nice to watch 45 minutes or so of each stage in the early season.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Who on earth nominated MSR, the most beautiful one day race of the year?

 

[jamiephillips]

^Some people voted for the Tour!!

 

[Richeypen]

I gave Beijing a chance. Would like to change my vote now

 

[Reghere]

Tour of Beijing - A race to showcase the cities smog ..

 

[craig1985]

The Tour of Poland could be so much better if they go into the harder mountains that they have. Nothing against Peter Sagan, but the race can't be that hard if he can win the race overall. And the race has shifted to July and it could be a real alternative to the Tour, especially when we have sprint stages and we can watch Poland instead if they make the route really interesting.

I know they are not WT, but I do wonder how the Tour of Austria will fare, but I have to admit they are really lazy, they more or less use the same race route every year, why not use more of the mountains they have in Austria?

 

[nhowson]

Can someone explain why the TDU is so boring? Or is this simply because it was back in the days of sprint sprint sprint?

 

[Jancouver]

Can someone explain why the TDU is so boring? Or is this simply because it was back in the days of sprint sprint sprint?

Because its poorly attended, early season race in Australia and only few Aussies care about this race. Most of the top riders are not interested in traveling that far this early in the season and for most riders this is just a training ride.

After all, we all know that they made this a WT race, to make the participation mandatory, otherwise no WT team (other than Orica) would show up.

 

[nhowson]

Because its poorly attended, early season race in Australia and only few Aussies care about this race. Most of the top riders are not interested in traveling that far this early in the season and for most riders this is just a training ride.

After all, we all know that they made this a WT race, to make the participation mandatory, otherwise no WT team (other than Orica) would show up.

So no big name riders makes a race boring? That's fickle.

 

[Netserk]

Can someone explain why the TDU is so boring? Or is this simply because it was back in the days of sprint sprint sprint?

Back then it was (way) more boring than it is now. If the poll was today, I'd change my vote to Beijing.

 

[trevim]

Tour Down Under is the best race of the season, everybody is expecting it for months

 

[Gloin22]

Back then it was (way) more boring than it is now. If the poll was today, I'd change my vote to Beijing.

Well it's gone from the calendar so can't pick it as an option in 2015

Actually Tour Down Under is quite exciting for me. The anticipation to see new team colours, new riders, etc. it's great. And it's hardly sprint fest anymore. But to be fair, if you bet on cycling, every race is excting

It's prolly be Fleche in 2015 by a distance.

 

[Netserk]

Well it's gone from the calendar so can't pick it as an option in 2015

We're still in 2014 for a little while

 

[nhowson]

Back then it was (way) more boring than it is now. If the poll was today, I'd change my vote to Beijing.

Like I said, sprint sprint sprint. I reckon Beijing was almost so bad it wasn't too boring. Joke amounts of smog and perfectly regimented fans with little Chinese flags were telling, to say the least.

My vote actually goes to Scheldeprijs. Making a one day race boring is very hard, but they've managed it.

 

[Lupetto]

Whoever voted for Milano-Sanremo should be banned.

Vattenfall Cyclassics of course.

 

[cineteq]

Whoever voted for Milano-Sanremo should be banned.

Vattenfall Cyclassics of course.

No kidding, please add the OP as well.

 

[Escarabajo]

I don't think that Beiging, TDU or Eneco are boring, because I have never, ever, opened a thread or any article or any update on any of these races. So it is like they don't exist to me.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

TDU was a great little stage race in 2014. Good variation with some risk taking.

The Ardennes trilogy was very low quality racing. Minimal uphill stuff. A controlled procession spread out over 3 individual race days. Not even good booze could keep me interested.

MSR was ok, not a great edition.

I have zero memories from Scheldeprijs, but expectations are very low.

edit: the first 13 stages or so from the Giro were incredible boring.

 

[ILovecycling]

I don't think that Beiging, TDU or Eneco are boring, because I have never, ever, opened a thread or any article or any update on any of these races. So it is like they don't exist to me.

pretty surprising

for me its beijing and then probably eneco (depends on year)
TDU is special cuz Im looking forward to it since october

 

[Jancouver]

So no big name riders makes a race boring? That's fickle.

Based on ProCyclingStats there is 9 riders out of TOP 100 participating in this race in 2015. Do I have to say anything else? How obvious it is that when only 9% of the top riders will be there, the race is not really a WT race and should NOT be rated WT?

One more time: If this race was not mandatory, NO WT team would show up. Maybe Orica, but thats also only maybe and I think even Orica would skip it if it was not mandatory.

I mean, common! The only good thing about this race is that it is the first real race of the season.

 

[nhowson]

Based on ProCyclingStats there is 9 riders out of TOP 100 participating in this race in 2015. Do I have to say anything else? How obvious it is that when only 9% of the top riders will be there, the race is not really a WT race and should NOT be rated WT?

One more time: If this race was not mandatory, NO WT team would show up. Maybe Orica, but thats also only maybe and I think even Orica would skip it if it was not mandatory.

I mean, common! The only good thing about this race is that it is the first real race of the season.

If you pushed me I would say it should be 2.HC, but I couldn't give less of a **** about race ratings. I'd prefer to watch Le Samyn over Vattenfall. Tro Bro Leon over Scheldeprijs, Roma Maxima over Quebec.

You haven't addressed my point about the difference between boring and big names. Have you seen the teams doing the Cadel Evans race and even the Herald Sun Tour these days? If they are doing them they would do the Tour Down Under, at least Orica would, don't exaggerate.

 

[Dazed and Confused]

Based on ProCyclingStats there is 9 riders out of TOP 100 participating in this race in 2015. Do I have to say anything else? How obvious it is that when only 9% of the top riders will be there, the race is not really a WT race and should NOT be rated WT?

One more time: If this race was not mandatory, NO WT team would show up. Maybe Orica, but thats also only maybe and I think even Orica would skip it if it was not mandatory.

I mean, common! The only good thing about this race is that it is the first real race of the season.

Plenty of races in Europe are crap compared to TDU.

 

[Cance > TheRest]

Easy! Tour of Beijing is as boring as it gets. And what is MSR doing on this poll?

 

[Jancouver]

If you pushed me I would say it should be 2.HC, but I couldn't give less of a **** about race ratings. I'd prefer to watch Le Samyn over Vattenfall. Tro Bro Leon over Scheldeprijs, Roma Maxima over Quebec.

You haven't addressed my point about the difference between boring and big names. Have you seen the teams doing the Cadel Evans race and even the Herald Sun Tour these days? If they are doing them they would do the Tour Down Under, at least Orica would, don't exaggerate.

OK, lets put it this way. It is boring because the best riders are not there and because it is not fun to watch couple of Aussies riders that do care about this race to make this some kind of Australian Nationals 2.0.

Again, it MUST stay as a WT ranked event otherwise no WT team would show up for HC rated race as those are not mandatory for WT teams. The UCI knows that and that is the ONLY reason this race is a WT race.

 

[Bye Bye Bicycle]

Again, it MUST stay as a WT ranked event otherwise no WT team would show up for HC rated race as those are not mandatory for WT teams. The UCI knows that and that is the ONLY reason this race is a WT race.

Yeah, just like in 1999, when the TDU started as a 2.4-category race (the second lowest, on a par with, ahem, Clasico RCN or the GP de Beauce). GS I teams present that year: Telekom, Saeco, Once, Crédit Agricole, Casino, Lampre...