Serious dilution of interest in World Tour Races?

[Armchair cyclist]

I don't always look at the Lesser known Race Results thread, but this summer it has been the only place on this forum to find anything on at least three WT one day races (London-Surrey Classic, Euroeyes (Vattenfalls) Classic and Bretagne Ouest France (Plouay)). Now we are a few hours before the Quebec race, and there has been not a whisper here. That would not have happened even a year or two ago?

If we, the geeks and obsessives of the sport, have lost interest in these races so quickly, is there a real problem with the drop in profile of the World Tour?

Is it a sense that these races are not priorities for the teams, and so not of great interest?

Has high/late summer become the time of the season when only stage races can be considered important?

Has the expansion of the WT events list (done in a panic induced by fear of losing the ASO races) diminished our interest in the races that were already listed?

It might be an issue on the board itself (Have we lost some of those who would start these threads?) but I get the same impression in other forums and sites.

I have not been a fan of the calendar re-arrangement proposals, but maybe there is a real need for something if the profile of such races is to be preserved (if it merits preservation).

 

[Leinster]

My interest in cycling as a kid in the 80s/90s was initially generated by reading books like Kings of the Road by Robin Magowan and Graham Watson. If a race wasn't featured in books/magazines of that era, I'm generally hard pushed to get interested in it. Notable exception being Strade Bianche and the Tour of California (because I live in CA now).

 

[del1962]

The Canadian races would have more interest if they weren't during both La Vuelta and the Tour of Britain

With so many WT teams now riding the TOB and its popularity with riders the Canadian races are futher diluted in regards to there startlist.

 

[Dekker_Tifosi]

it's just forums dying out.

people moved on to other forms of communication like discord

 

[Gigs_98]

It generally has to be said that the number of posts in this forum is going down ever so slightly, which means that the races threads that never had many posts completely disappeared. This is especially the case for London Surrey classic, the vattenfalls cyclassic and Plouay as those races never got that much interest anyway.
The Canadian classics are a different story as they were usually quite popular but it really feels like the riders who would be good there and who would have been the favorites for the last few years are now either riding the vuelta or the ToB. (was the ToB taking place at a different time last year or why is that the case?) The lack of big names in Canada means a lack of interest and therefore again no race thread in this forum.

I therefore don't know if the lack of interest is an actual problem for those races or if the lack of interest only exists on this forum. The thing is, if there would have been a big discussion about the London Surrey classic I probably would cared more about the race and maybe even watched it. Now I don't even know who won (my guess is Kristoff as he always wins those WT races nobody cares about)

 

[Red Rick]

Remember when every WT stage race had seperate stage threads?

Those were the days.

 

[Flamin]

Re:

Remember when every WT stage race had seperate stage threads?

Those were the days.

Yes

Or when San Luis race thread had more than 500 posts.

 

[fauniera]

I have been a cycling fan for some 30 years now and for probably the first time i have gone weeks without even checking out race results or watching races i used to really like. The reason: Sky sucking the life out of the sport. That's just me, though.

 

[Armchair cyclist]

I have been a cycling fan for some 30 years now and for probably the first time i have gone weeks without even checking out race results or watching races i used to really like. The reason: Sky sucking the life out of the sport. That's just me, though.

How many races a year is that really an issue in?

 

[Valv.Piti]

I have been a cycling fan for some 30 years now and for probably the first time i have gone weeks without even checking out race results or watching races i used to really like. The reason: Sky sucking the life out of the sport. That's just me, though.

How many races a year is that really an issue in?

Not many, but when it happens every year in the sports biggest event/events, its understandable IMO.

On this subject, I guess my opinion is those races really shouldn't be WT anyways. Or maybe they should, I dno, but my interest in these races and more general, autumn classics is not very big outside a select few of the races. Im checking the results, but I havent caught any of these races live and sometimes I don't even bother to watch the last 5 km either afterwards. I think its a good thing tho that we have so relatively many autumn classics suited to pretty much all kind of riders (mostly the hardmen with a good punch or versatile sprinters). Im just not interested in these races atm - had it been in the spring it would have been a very different thing for me.

 

[Red Rick]

Fall season in general needs the biggest overhaul in my opinion. Paris Tours doesn't have the prestige it used to have, and Il Lombardia is too late and too isolated to carry that part of the season.

I think that especially late season, very few rider types have races to shine.

 

[Sciocco]

I'd imagine banning posters doesn't help.

 

[movingtarget]

I can't believe the small amount of posts this year even for the major races. Some people have moved on or been banned of course but compared to a few years ago, it looks pretty spare on the pro cycling forum. i have noticed more people are now commenting on the website's results page and the other articles.

 

[Zinoviev Letter]

Re:

it's just forums dying out.

people moved on to other forms of communication like discord

This is unfortunately correct. Forums, even pretty successful ones, are seeing a slow erosion of poster numbers.

 

[toolittle]

If someone opened a post, people will follow.
Need some people to make sure exciting race has its own post. Where is our Moderators
Except Sagan, GP Cycliste de Québe has all stars arrived.

 

[toolittle]

Re:

BMC RACING (BMC)
1 VAN AVERMAET Greg BEL
UAE TEAM EMIRATES (UAD)
11 ULISSI Diego ITA
13 KRISTOFF Alexander NOR
QUICK - STEP FLOORS (QST)
21 ŠTYBAR Zdenek CZE

SKY (SKY)

BORA - HANSGROHE (BOH)
GER
41 BENNETT Sam IRL
42 GROSSSCHARTNER Felix AUT
43 KENNAUGH Peter GBR

MITCHELTON - SCOTT (MTS)

MOVISTAR (MOV)

ASTANA (AST)
71 FUGLSANG Jakob DEN
72 VALGREN ANDERSEN Michael DEN

LOTTO NL - JUMBO (TLJ)

BAHRAIN - MERIDA (TBM)
91 MOHORIC Matej SLO
93 COLBRELLI Sonny ITA

SUNWEB (SUN)
GER
101 MATTHEWS Michael AUS

AG2R LA MONDIALE (ALM)
111 NAESEN Oliver BEL
117 VUILLERMOZ Alexis FRA

TREK - SEGAFREDO (TFS)
121 DEGENKOLB John GER

LOTTO SOUDAL (LTS)
131 WELLENS Tim BEL

EF EDUCATION FIRST - DRAPAC p/b CANNONDALE (EFD)
141 VANMARCKE Sep BEL

GROUPAMA - FDJ (GFC)
156 REICHENBACH Sébastien SUI

KATUSHA ALPECIN (TKA)

DIMENSION DATA (DDD)
171 BOASSON HAGEN Edvald NOR

ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY (ICA)
RALLY CYCLING (RLY)

 

[HelloDolly]

There is the slight issues that the races are not that exciting

This Vuelta for instance is the first in along time that I feel is abit meh

Maybe if there were 2 or 3 top protagonists dueling it out ..and fighting ir out and sharing leadership

All these guys togteher makes it hard to get behind anyone ...though like that the breaks are getting their chances

 

[el chava]

Re:

Fall season in general needs the biggest overhaul in my opinion. Paris Tours doesn't have the prestige it used to have, and Il Lombardia is too late and too isolated to carry that part of the season.

Someone (UCI!?) needs to tie the post-Tour/autumn one-day races together so they form a sequence of races that naturally culminate in WC with a bridge to Giro di Lombardia afterwards. Whether this should be part of the WT or even a new World Cup I don't know, but there are enough interesting races that go way too unnoticed or are hardly transmitted anywhere. Bretagne/Plouay seemed pretty cool this year, the rebranded Antwerp Port Epic needs way more exposure and so does the whole string of Italian races leading up to Lombardia etc etc. Paris Tours are including gravel sectors this year and that might be old hat now, but imo that was is needed to keep things interesting. Also where did last year's Otztal race go? We need more pure climbers classics, as the old Classique des Alps.

The 1-week races however, can't get me excited much. Most of them are really decided in 1, max 2 stages anyways.

 

[Jancouver]

Re:

it's just forums dying out.

people moved on to other forms of communication like discord

Correct, I called Porte "loser" and immediately got banned for 30 days for trolling ...

So yeah, IMO the mods are the problem as they are very opinionated about what is right/wrong and what we are allowed to say/post.

Technically, you can only be a fanboy on this forum and if you have any negative opinion about any rider/race, you are immediately getting banned for trolling.

I used to start many race-related threads and were active on daily basis, but these days, I have no interest as the most opinionated members are no longer here, which is a shame as they were booted out of here just because a few mods did not agree with their opinion/style.

Honestly, I'm a member of other (cycling unrelated) forums and the best and most active forums are the least moderated.

 

[myrideissteelerthanyours]

I assume there are fewer posts here because AC retired.

 

[RedheadDane]

I've just been hit by the immense frustration of Eurosport not really showing those races.

 

[Parker]

Re:

My interest in cycling as a kid in the 80s/90s was initially generated by reading books like Kings of the Road by Robin Magowan and Graham Watson. If a race wasn't featured in books/magazines of that era, I'm generally hard pushed to get interested in it. Notable exception being Strade Bianche and the Tour of California (because I live in CA now).

I'm with you there. I still have that book. It's notable now for the absence of the phrases 'Grand Tour' and 'Monument'. Both are quite recent constructs.

 

[Leinster]

Re: Re:

My interest in cycling as a kid in the 80s/90s was initially generated by reading books like Kings of the Road by Robin Magowan and Graham Watson. If a race wasn't featured in books/magazines of that era, I'm generally hard pushed to get interested in it. Notable exception being Strade Bianche and the Tour of California (because I live in CA now).

I'm with you there. I still have that book. It's notable now for the absence of the phrases 'Grand Tour' and 'Monument'. Both are quite recent constructs.

Very true. It did definitely elevate what we now call the monuments above other races, but I never heard the term before the 2000s.

It was refreshing in its honesty, too, references to the Trophee des Grimpeurs and the “Amphetamine searing heat.”

 

[Pantani_lives]

I watched Plouay, which was a good race with some unpaved roads. I noticed there wasn't a thread about it, but didn't bother to start one myself as the race was almost over.

A race like Quebec has never been popular, it probably won't be on TV. Maybe if there's a live stream I could watch the final.

 

[Kwibus]

Re:

I'd imagine banning posters doesn't help.

Back in the ol' days this forum was an incredible source of knowledge with lots of quality posts. If anything chased away a large group of those quality members, it was the amount of trolls that flooded this forum at some point.

So id say they started banning too late.