Procycling Magazine's Giro/ToC Articles

[ultimobici]

Just got my copy of Procycling Magazine and have to say I am stunned by the level of hype about the ToC. Last month's Giro guide ran to 16 pages with a short paragraph on each stage, yet they manage to run to 10 pages on the ToC with almost an essay on each stage, WTF?

 

[L'arriviste]

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you consumer content. The publisher makes the facile assumption that anglophones want mostly to read about anglophone races. It's just a stab at the centre of the market, something for everyone, from the fanboy to the casual interest. The demographics of average.

 

[ultimobici]

Yeah, I thought as much. Just ticks me off that it's touted as a rival to the Giro and the likes of P-N, Romandie TdS etc. They've stood the test of time, California will go the way of Georgia & Missouri in time, IMO.

 

[kurtinsc]

Yeah, I thought as much. Just ticks me off that it's touted as a rival to the Giro and the likes of P-N, Romandie TdS etc. They've stood the test of time, California will go the way of Georgia & Missouri in time, IMO.

It very well might. But the extra attention may help prevent that (or at least that's what the race is hoping).

In some ways, I don't think pro-tour level races can survive in the US. I'm a little worried that races moving up in status to get some of the pro-tour teams instead of just continental ones will kill the races. I'm worried about events like Utah or Gila dying like Missouri and Georgia.

 

[thehog]

Its because the ToC wrote the copy for them. The only way they can promote the smaller races is to serve it up to the jornos and make their work super super easy. 10 pages done. Advertising done. Zero work.

 

[mikeNphilly]

I have been underwhelmed at the routes of the ToC so far. This year at least they will have some sort of real mountain top finish. But, why is there is so much hate for this race. I want all races to succeed, its good for the sport. Maybe people are rubbed the wrong way with them announcing how great of a race it is, but what do you want promo people to say?..come see our race of people that didn't want to race in Italy.

There has to be some sort of stage race in the US, for people to get excited about. Georgia was a good race, but the car companies failed, so no more race. Even in Philly our week of 3 races is down to 1, which is dissapointing. ToC is one of the only a small handful of chances we have of seeing Euro pros. Maybe the competition is not the greatest, but at least they are here in the U.S.

 

[bhilden]

It's because Future Publications/Procycling Magazine is publishing the official guide to the ToC.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

But, why is there is so much hate for this race. I want all races to succeed, its good for the sport. Maybe people are rubbed the wrong way with them announcing how great of a race it is, but what do you want promo people to say?

There's a difference between promoting something and outright lying. You can call it fast-growing, or soon-to-be a major event, and you can exaggerate your importance to draw in fans... but you have to do it within a certain tolerance level.

If I'm doing 125 on a major road, then the police may keep an eye on me but let it go. After all, the car's speedo may be slightly off, may have just slipped over the limit without realising. If I'm doing 140, they'll pull me over.

What the Tour of California has done in its marketing is about 200 whilst flipping off the police car as they go by. It has launched a hype campaign so embarrassingly exaggerated that they had absolutely no hope whatsoever of delivering what they were saying they would. Which would leave casual fans disillusioned at not getting what they were told they'd be getting, and the year-long fans irritated by the level of hype.

Last year's parcours was a dismal failure.

They didn't learn the lesson of the ridiculous overhype, which is a shame. On the plus side, they did learn from the parcours mess and have served up what looks like a good parcours this year, so hopefully they can create a good race.

I think the problem is impatience. If you let the race grow organically it will - it's got money, it's well-organised, the UCI like it. It doesn't have to be the biggest race on earth straight away, because if you shoot that far you're bound to fall short. The problem is that they want it all, and they want it now, while the cycling boom thanks to Lance's successes and the prominence of the US teams is going on. And it's very hard to get that.

 

[Cobblestoned]

Just got my copy of Procycling Magazine and have to say I am stunned by the level of hype about the ToC. Last month's Giro guide ran to 16 pages with a short paragraph on each stage, yet they manage to run to 10 pages on the ToC with almost an essay on each stage, WTF?

WTF is your problem ?

 

[GoGarmin]

Hooray!

With May just around the corner I had feared we might not get the usual run of "I hate the Tour of California because..." comments. My fears appear to have been unjustified.

Seriously, people, it's OK to like both the ToC and the Giro. I know I'll be watching (and enjoying) both.

 

[Mellow Velo]

Stands to reason that an English language publication would push the main Anglo race.
After a couple of seasons of hype, I think we all know where the ToC stands in respect of the Giro.
I do think the parcours have been beefed up this season, but I'm still not convinced that May is an ideal placement.
The Vuelta used to be held in April and now it is a month that is short on stage races.
Some minor calender shuffling could sort it all out.

Other than that, I share Kurt's concerns over the race's long-term future.
Has a sponsor been found to replace Amgen yet?

 

[Willy_Voet]

When I started riding, everyone older than me (with a job) was riding nice Italian bikes. Colnagos, Pinarellos, De Rosas, etc. Beautiful steel rides, chromed lugs, artful paint jobs. Campy was king: polished aluminum, sculpted curves, shifted like butter.

You didn't see many of these bikes in the local shops, though. My local shop was filled with other brands...I distinctly remember Cannondales. They looked cool, too, with their fat down tubes. But alas, most of them were sprinkled with Shimano or Suntour components and even worse, they were made in America. Any mention of a Cannondale was met with scorn from the older riders.

Fast forward 20 years to the present. A major Italian team rides Cannondales (and I believe has, ever since Saeco began using them in the late 90's???). You can regularly find these lime green and black bikes on the local rides, fitted with Shimano (or Campy!) these days costing their riders well over $5000 (before the carbon fiber wheels). They are sought after rides that attract as much attention as a (made in Taiwan/China) carbon fiber Colnago.

What the hell does this have to do with the ToC? ToC is the new kid on the block. Most members of this forum have been following Eurocentric bike racing for 20+ years (like myself) and aren't comfortable with things outside the accepted norm.

Cycling needs big events outside of Europe. ToC is one. I'm not bothered by too much hype from the ToC, b/c, well, I don't read it. I went to the prologue of the first two editions (up Telegraph Hill in San Francisco)...it was amazing.

 

[Mambo95]

Hooray!

With May just around the corner I had feared we might not get the usual run of "I hate the Tour of California because..." comments. My fears appear to have been unjustified.

Seriously, people, it's OK to like both the ToC and the Giro. I know I'll be watching (and enjoying) both.

Agreed.

I'll certainly be watching both. And ToC is on in the evening for us Euros, which is handy. They look to have sorted out a good course this year, too. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[hatcher]

It's because Future Publications/Procycling Magazine is publishing the official guide to the ToC.

That's not a sinister enough reason.

Personally I'm looking forward to the race.

 

[kurtinsc]

I do think the parcours have been beefed up this season, but I'm still not convinced that May is an ideal placement.
The Vuelta used to be held in April and now it is a month that is short on stage races.
Some minor calender shuffling could sort it all out.

Well... a bit different scenario.

I simply view it as the TOC taking the place that Catalunya used to hold on the racing calendar. I don't view that as a bad place for the TOC.

The February date, while great in terms of not having any other races to compete with, really eliminated a lot of possible climbs. It was a shame they didn't take advantage of the new date last year, but they appear to have done a bit better this year.

While the Giro is the big dog... are there really a ton of May races after that for the TOC to compete with? Once Catalunya shifted to March it seemed like a very good spot.

 

[mikeNphilly]

There's a difference between promoting something and outright lying. You can call it fast-growing, or soon-to-be a major event, and you can exaggerate your importance to draw in fans... but you have to do it within a certain tolerance level.

If I'm doing 125 on a major road, then the police may keep an eye on me but let it go. After all, the car's speedo may be slightly off, may have just slipped over the limit without realising. If I'm doing 140, they'll pull me over.

What the Tour of California has done in its marketing is about 200 whilst flipping off the police car as they go by. It has launched a hype campaign so embarrassingly exaggerated that they had absolutely no hope whatsoever of delivering what they were saying they would. Which would leave casual fans disillusioned at not getting what they were told they'd be getting, and the year-long fans irritated by the level of hype.

Last year's parcours was a dismal failure.

They didn't learn the lesson of the ridiculous overhype, which is a shame. On the plus side, they did learn from the parcours mess and have served up what looks like a good parcours this year, so hopefully they can create a good race.

I think the problem is impatience. If you let the race grow organically it will - it's got money, it's well-organised, the UCI like it. It doesn't have to be the biggest race on earth straight away, because if you shoot that far you're bound to fall short. The problem is that they want it all, and they want it now, while the cycling boom thanks to Lance's successes and the prominence of the US teams is going on. And it's very hard to get that.

I agree with alot you are saying. One factor of this overhype probably has nothing to do with cycling competion. The towns this race goes to, has to use tax-payer money for some funding of the race. I'm sure the race itself, at least I hope, pays for some of it. Cali is so cash strapped, that maybe the race organizers, when selling the race to the start/finish towns, have to make it sound like such a big deal to the not so cycling knowlegable govenment of the towns, so that they jump on board. Promising them a big cash return in sales tax from tourism.

The 3 races we used to have in Philly area were sponsered mainly by TD bank. Two of the towns that the races were held in do not have a TD bank in them. So after a new contract was signed with TD bank, they dropped the two other races since they had no plans of opening branches there anytime soon. No return on their investment.

With all of the tourism competition in the US, I guess I don't blame the ToC for overhyping the race. As a person who knows cycling, it has no affect on me. But for someone looking for some fun and something different, maybe they will give the ToC a try.

Those speeds you were mentioning I assume were in kilometers/h...not miles/hour. No cop will ignore me at 125 miles per hour..lol

 

[Archibald]

Just got my copy of Procycling Magazine and have to say I am stunned by the level of hype about the ToC. Last month's Giro guide ran to 16 pages with a short paragraph on each stage, yet they manage to run to 10 pages on the ToC with almost an essay on each stage, WTF?

but it's the 4th Grand Tour

meanwhile, I can't wait for the best Grand Tour and hopefully seeing someone trump Contador for the maglia rosa...

 

[Rideabout]

If you really want to read some nauseating ToC stuff pick up the current issue of Velonews. They hype up Levi Leipheimer chances as if he were some kind of cycling god and as if his wins in a February, race when few riders were on form, is relevant to a race scheduled for May.

 

[ultimobici]

WTF is your problem ?

The disparity in the previews. A minor race on the other side of the world is accorded far too much importance by PC and hyped to the max in comparison to one of the oldest and hardest races on the calendar. They seem to think it is more noteworthy than Tirrenno-Adriatico, Paris-Nice, Romandie & the TdS.

Cycling is a predominantly European sport with deep well established roots in Italy, France & Benelux. It is far far from the same level in the UK, US or Australia and to think otherwise is naive. The difference in Australia's case with the TDU is that the race has never been promoted as anything but a good fun way to start one's season in the warmth of Australia rather than freezing at Besseges.

California's weather was not suitable in its original slot so they managed to wangle a change to a time that the weather was more agreable, unfortunately this also made for a direct clash with the Giro. The problem is that in a year or two when the Armstrong effect has died off completely the interest in this race will wane too and Amgen will be less willing to fund the race to the same level. With a reduced budget it will be harder to get the top pros to come to the US and it will naturally die off.

I have no problem with promoting the sport across the globe but to suggest that the ToC is a major race in its own right is laughable. I doubt very much that many of the teams would attend if it were not for the organisers paying much more than other similarly rated races in expenses.

 

[Cobblestoned]

The disparity in the previews. A minor race on the other side of the world is accorded far too much importance by PC and hyped to the max in comparison to one of the oldest and hardest races on the calendar. They seem to think it is more noteworthy than Tirrenno-Adriatico, Paris-Nice, Romandie & the TdS.

Cycling is a predominantly European sport with deep well established roots in Italy, France & Benelux. It is far far from the same level in the UK, US or Australia and to think otherwise is naive. The difference in Australia's case with the TDU is that the race has never been promoted as anything but a good fun way to start one's season in the warmth of Australia rather than freezing at Besseges.

California's weather was not suitable in its original slot so they managed to wangle a change to a time that the weather was more agreable, unfortunately this also made for a direct clash with the Giro. The problem is that in a year or two when the Armstrong effect has died off completely the interest in this race will wane too and Amgen will be less willing to fund the race to the same level. With a reduced budget it will be harder to get the top pros to come to the US and it will naturally die off.

I have no problem with promoting the sport across the globe but to suggest that the ToC is a major race in its own right is laughable. I doubt very much that many of the teams would attend if it were not for the organisers paying much more than other similarly rated races in expenses.

Well, I don't share any of your concerns, but thanks for refreshing the broken record.
It's nothing new to see this kind of whining here about this special topic.
ToC is overhyped wahwahwah. The never ending 4th GT joke. Now another thread.

Look, hyping=American. They invented Hyping, Commercialising, doing the BIG show. Are you surprised to see them "promoting" their race in the best possible way on all possible channels ?
Every cyclingfan knows where ToC stands and its not really an issue for a race like Giro...I mean....lol.
For most riders it's a great opportunity/alternative to do some racing in May on a good pro level + visiting states and California.

I follow ToC since 2007, listening to that lonely American guy in the cabin on a ****ty stream, in ****weather, and I am now happy to see this race getting bigger, better promoted, better place in calendar, better field and better coverage. It's a developing race on an developing planet.
I can't follow your concern about fading Armstrong effect, too, because race was getting bigger even when Lance was in retirement 1.0, and because American professional cycling is growing and is a huge established factor now - and I appreciate that.


Just to add: Why do you not just buy this ?
Or not avaible in your country ? btw, where do you come from and what is your problem ?
Still couldn't figure that out.

 

[Mambo95]

Look, hyping=American. They invented Hyping, Commercialising, doing the BIG show.

To be fair, I think the Romans beat them to that one by a couple of millennia.

 

[The Hitch]

Mmm. That Giro guy cobblestoned posted looks good. Is there an english version I can buy online or somehting?

 

[Cobblestoned]

To be fair, I think the Romans beat them to that one by a couple of millennia.

Must be because of some Romans who travelled over there, when Italy and Colosseum became too boring.

While this is a good transition to pro cycling and Giro again.

 

[Cobblestoned]

Mmm. That Giro guy cobblestoned posted looks good. Is there an english version I can buy online or somehting?

Don't know.
I hate (German)procycling for overhyping the Giro
....most beautiful landscape of the world....

Those booklets are something for the toilet. And I mean this positive.

While I have to admit, that 2006 TdF booklets were really for the toilet.
Took some time until I was able to buy these previews again.....

 

[ferryman]

Mmm. That Giro guy cobblestoned posted looks good. Is there an english version I can buy online or somehting?

There is an English version Hitch, cos I bought it today 'The Giro D'Italia Official 2011 Souvenir Pack' from W H Smith in Dunfermline!! You get the the Programme, 4 nice retro prints, a giant map of Italy with the stages on it and an extracts book with passages from Fallen Angel and Rough Ride.

Cost was £7.99 which is not bad or great but given the Programme alone will be my dogeared Bible for 3 weeks in May, I'm pretty happpy with the spend