No races for you! UCI urinates on US, self

[simo1733]

Win your Continental rankings, get 6 riders. Iran are by far the strongest nation in the UCI Asia Tour, because the only other countries inside the UCI's definition of Asia who have any real strength in the cycling world are Australia and New Zealand, and all their guys are in the ProTour or racing in Europe Tour or America Tour events and not scoring points for their country in the Asia Tour. You'd need Subway-Avanti going ProContinental or going to all of those races in the Middle East and China in order to keep up with the Azad University Iran and Tabriz Petrochemical guys - they've got some pretty mean cyclists.

Kazakhstan are also Asian and stronger than Iran but they are mostly riding pro tour.I agree with you though ,that Iran are stronger than people imagine.There will be a couple of Iranians still in the race when a lot of Euro's have packed. UCI needs to change the qualification criteria.Britain didn't deserve 9 riders last time, but they should have more than 3.It seems that countries are penalised for getting riders into the pro tour.

 

[alanshearer]

so levi wont be able to go and beat up on cat 1's and domestic riders at gila anymore..

i guess one argument could be that the likes of levi and lance at domestic races brings in crowds, but doesnt do anything for the racing.

personally im in favour of them not being able to ride, but then again, i dont really know the american scene.

But it's not just Levi or Lance, or other Pro Tour riders is it? It was my understanding that this rule either prohibited Pro Conti teams from also participating or severly restricted their rosters. What does this mean if a number of the current Continental teams go Pro Continental next year, as planned. Will this rule out Fly V, United Healthcare, TT1 from, say Redlands?

 

[mr. tibbs]

My understanding is that this is not a new decision. In fact, the UCI is saying that they will now, after granting exceptions to Armstrong, Leipheimer, et al for two years, go back to enforcing the actual rules w/r/t pro tour riders not racing in smaller events.

It's just their rule, and they've been circumventing it for two years to accomodate certain riders. Now they're going to enforce it again.

 

[Muerdago11]

I don.'t understand why the UCI won't allow crit's in stage races.They seem to allow it in Langkawi and I think tour of Britain has had them before. Gila is big enough to be UCI though.Both sides are playing politics as usual

It seems to me that the Tour de France includes a crit every year on the Champs Eleysse (excuse me if misspelled). Granted, the entire stage is not a crit but the only contested section is. Similarly UCI races don't include track--except for Paris-Roubaix which finishes in the velodrome in Roubaix where I believe Boonen showed some track experience in one of his wins.

 

[Willy_Voet]

The UCI screws up whatever they do (drugs, equipment, races, marketing). This is just another example.

 

[Anonymous]

Hopefully, the lack of names won't cause some of these races to fold.

Others keep wanting people in the US to watch cycling for the beauty of the sport. But there simply aren't a large number of fans like that here. People show up to see names. People who normally wouldn't care about cycling might show up if Lance or Levi is racing. But many won't show up for just domestic teams with riders they've never heard of.

And if not enough fans watch... these races disappear. They've been disappearing consistently over the last 5 years... and this doesn't help. The cost of becoming a UCI event makes it impossible to win... races like Missouri and Georgia go brke as a UCI event due to the fees... but can't survive without the top riders as a non-UCI event.

Yes, I know these guys are racing well below their league. But those other riders would rather have the race be there with someone like Levi riding then have the race go away.

Spot on! The Gila was about to fold but with the names like Lance, Levi, Zabriskie, Danielson it got much bigger exposure. So like them or not they do help the US races when they show up. It's the casual US fan you want to turn onto the sport as more than just a bunch of spandex wearing freaks blocking traffic. With exposure like this you bring them in and they learn to appreciate just how hard the sport really is and how exciting it is as well.

Plus, wouldn't you want to go up against the best the world has to offer, albeit in a limited capacity by them with just a 3 man team. You get to test your mettle against them and see how good you (or they) really are. I guess I like the challenge. And if I fail I use it to motivate me. I'd think these guys would feel the same.

Although the pros need to conduct themselves as ambassdors to the sport as well. If they are being a-holes then they aren't growing the sport. But if they are being cordial and friendly then the atmosphere is only that much better for the race and racers.

Some people just need to look beyond the Lance factor and see the bigger picture. Big name pros at these events, even if they handicap them to take away their advantage, would only be a good thing to attract attention to this mainly 3-4 sport US world.

 

[Oldman]

I can't say why the UCI doesn't recognize them but I know that I hate them. I've been a cycling fan for many years and I'm an American but I've never been a fan of American cycling mostly because of all the crits. They're boring mindless circuits--like NASCAR but without the horsepower and energy.

If you'd raced them you might feel differently. You probably admire the tactics and ferocity of a GT sprint finish. Many of those crits are like that for an hour+. It is a different type of racing and not my favorite to participate in but there is usually something exciting happening.
Let 'em race.

 

[L'arriviste]

Tabriz Petrochemical Cycling Team rules the Asian Continental scene...

Hmm, that kind of domination is hard to achieve without help.

This is that Drugs for Oil scandal thing, isn't it?

 

[Dewulf]

-The decisoin to give Iran 6 riders at the Mens Worlds RR while Britain,New Zealand and Luxembourg have just 3

........I'll stop there, reluctantly!

wow, i know this is off topic, but that's fukked up...

 

[liamclarke4]

well in the uk over the past year to 18 months we had sky riders & wiggins when he was at garmin coming back to do premier calander events. wiggins came & won the Beaumont Trophy. Sky came & did the lincoln grand prix with downing, swift & thomas. its a shame if this stops

 

[online-rider]

wow, i know this is off topic, but that's fukked up...

Yes, it is. I can see Iran deserve some places but 6 is just unfathomably stupid.

Win your Continental rankings, get 6 riders. Iran are by far the strongest nation in the UCI Asia Tour, because the only other countries inside the UCI's definition of Asia who have any real strength in the cycling world are Australia and New Zealand, and all their guys are in the ProTour or racing in Europe Tour or America Tour events and not scoring points for their country in the Asia Tour. You'd need Subway-Avanti going ProContinental or going to all of those races in the Middle East and China in order to keep up with the Azad University Iran and Tabriz Petrochemical guys - they've got some pretty mean cyclists.

I think they are pro-continental but as you suggested, with 9 riders they cant afford more than one trip to China per year, + the tour of New Caledonia. All of the government funding here goes to the track team. And if you're not on the national track team, you'll have to rely on your parents or sausage-sizzles to to turn pro

 

[Tugboat]

I think they are pro-continental but as you suggested, with 9 riders they cant afford more than one trip to China per year, + the tour of New Caledonia. All of the government funding here goes to the track team. And if you're not on the national track team, you'll have to rely on your parents or sausage-sizzles to to turn pro

No. Subway-Avanti are registered as Continental, not pro-conti. You're pretty much right about the funding all going to BikeNZ to fund the track programme though.

 

[offbyone]

Spot on! The Gila was about to fold but with the names like Lance, Levi, Zabriskie, Danielson it got much bigger exposure. So like them or not they do help the US races when they show up. It's the casual US fan you want to turn onto the sport as more than just a bunch of spandex wearing freaks blocking traffic. With exposure like this you bring them in and they learn to appreciate just how hard the sport really is and how exciting it is as well.

Plus, wouldn't you want to go up against the best the world has to offer, albeit in a limited capacity by them with just a 3 man team. You get to test your mettle against them and see how good you (or they) really are. I guess I like the challenge. And if I fail I use it to motivate me. I'd think these guys would feel the same.

Although the pros need to conduct themselves as ambassdors to the sport as well. If they are being a-holes then they aren't growing the sport. But if they are being cordial and friendly then the atmosphere is only that much better for the race and racers.

Some people just need to look beyond the Lance factor and see the bigger picture. Big name pros at these events, even if they handicap them to take away their advantage, would only be a good thing to attract attention to this mainly 3-4 sport US world.

I tend to agree with this point of view. It is the same argument made in the article by UnitedHealthcare.

If you are riding in the pro category then why not ride against the best?

Secondly, UCI races don't grow on trees. Races have to develop into them and allowing protour riders to "demo" the races in this fashion creates a perfect path for a local race to become a UCI race. It not only garners publicity and consequentially money to the race, but it also lets pro-tour riders judge the race so to speak and determine if it is fit for a pro-tour race.

 

[craig1985]

I think it looks bad if LL rides Gila or Utah and actually wins it, because it isn't really that hard for him. If he just rode it and let the others have their glory then I don't think people will give two hoots about it.

 

[benpounder]

Personally I always found it pathetic that they would want to turn up to US races like they have lately. Bit like a Cat 1 turning up with support riders to a small town Cat 4 race and being proud of themselves for winning $20. Sad.

I'm sure the promoters, racers, and spectators of those races also agree. Let's make sure we keep out all top competitors from any small regional race.

/sarcasm

 

[madcow]

I've spoken to both Darren Lill and Phil Zajicek about Gila after their each of their wins on the Gila Monster stage and neither one of them was upset that Pro tour riders were there. In fact they couldn't have been happier. It says a lot when on a climbing stage like that a continental rider beats, Horner, Leipheimer and Armstrong to the top of the queen stage. It's good press for the team and the rider.

I think it's wrong to assume that because someone is a pro tour rider they automatically get to dominate at these domestic races.

 

[Dewulf]

I think it looks bad if LL rides Gila or Utah and actually wins it, because it isn't really that hard for him. If he just rode it and let the others have their glory then I don't think people will give two hoots about it.

Yup, hence my suggestion to let them ride, just handicap them.

I've spoken to both Darren Lill and Phil Zajicek about Gila after their each of their wins on the Gila Monster stage and neither one of them was upset that Pro tour riders were there. In fact they couldn't have been happier. It says a lot when on a climbing stage like that a continental rider beats, Horner, Leipheimer and Armstrong to the top of the queen stage. It's good press for the team and the rider.

I think it's wrong to assume that because someone is a pro tour rider they automatically get to dominate at these domestic races.

this is also true, i was trying to remember who won the other Gila stages, thanks for mentioning that. All valid points too.

i guess also, if the pro-tour interlopers were handicapped, the Continental riders could still look at the numbers and figure out if they would have beaten them without the handicap. ie. the like of Lill and Zajicek would still know they were up there with the best, meanwhile Bottle wouldn't be able to walk off with the Tour of Utah by himself.

 

[STODRR]

Yup, hence my suggestion to let them ride, just handicap them.



this is also true, i was trying to remember who won the other Gila stages, thanks for mentioning that. All valid points too.

i guess also, if the pro-tour interlopers were handicapped, the Continental riders could still look at the numbers and figure out if they would have beaten them without the handicap. ie. the like of Lill and Zajicek would still know they were up there with the best, meanwhile Bottle wouldn't be able to walk off with the Tour of Utah by himself.

I go to the Gila every year and love watching those guys race I always like to see if I can beat some of them in the TT (very rare). Instead of handicapping them just make them ineligible to place or win money. I am a pro in another sport and frequently show up in small state events. I don’t accept price money. I used to not even turn in my scores or times but people asked me to do that so they could compare themselves to me. I would get beat occasionaly, it also gave me a chance to maybe see an up and comming star and mention that person to my sponsers.

 

[Muerdago11]

I'm a fan but not a fan of crits. Without fans there is no cycling. That's why US cycling has about the status of badminton in the US. Get a f*cking clue. It's because the majority of US cycling fans also race and are elitist a*sholes that the sport goes nowhere here.

 

[TRDean]

I'm a fan but not a fan of crits. Without fans there is no cycling. That's why US cycling has about the status of badminton in the US. Get a f*cking clue. It's because the majority of US cycling fans also race and are elitist a*sholes that the sport goes nowhere here.

Pretty true statement right there....

 

[ScottyMuser]

It says a lot when on a climbing stage like that a continental rider beats, Horner, Leipheimer and Armstrong to the top of the queen stage. It's good press for the team and the rider.
.

Or it could be that Levi/Lance are actually fairly mediocre on the big aggressive climbs, and horner was probably using it as a climbing ride, and is alos still not that great (certainly wouldn't place in the top 30 of PT/PC climbers for instance), andc these riders have trained all year for this specific climb?

 

[STODRR]

I'm a fan but not a fan of crits. Without fans there is no cycling. That's why US cycling has about the status of badminton in the US. Get a f*cking clue. It's because the majority of US cycling fans also race and are elitist a*sholes that the sport goes nowhere here.

"Waa waa waa, I get my as*ed kicked and they won't let me win"