Sky Not California Dreamin'

[Mellow Velo]

Are we going to see more teams following Sky's lead?
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-sky-opts-out-of-tour-of-california
We always new running a major race in the US, while the Giro was on, would stretch team resources.
The Shack opting out of the Giro and now this....

 

[kurtinsc]

Are we going to see more teams following Sky's lead?
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-sky-opts-out-of-tour-of-california
We always new running a major race in the US, while the Giro was on, would stretch team resources.
The Shack opting out of the Giro and now this....

I expect several other teams to opt out of the TOC... but not a huge number.

Teams were able to send squads to Catalunya and the Giro... they can send them to the TOC and the Giro as well. The question will be if they embrace the extra cost of going to the US in exchange for the added marketing benefits that being in the premier US cycling race brings, or if they choose to have their riders participate in european races going on during the Giro instead.

Since many sponsors DO want their name seen in the US, I don't think many teams will opt out of the TOC.

 

[bianchigirl]

Ride the ToC to get seen in the US and risk not getting that all important invite to the biggest race in the calendar? To have your team seen by low millions as opposed to the entire globe? Yeah, that makes really sound business sense

 

[kurtinsc]

Ride the ToC to get seen in the US and risk not getting that all important invite to the biggest race in the calendar? To have your team seen by low millions as opposed to the entire globe? Yeah, that makes really sound business sense

It's not an either-or scenario.

Teams sent riders to the Giro and to Catalunya in the past.

Catalunya doesn't take place during the Giro anymore. So the teams can just as easily ride both the Giro and the TOC.

Some that don't care about the US market will skip the TOC. Some that care only about the tour de france might prefer a shorter race like the TOC over "wasting" riders in the Giro (okay... I don't expect many to do this aside from Radioshack... and maybe Euskatel). But most will do both.

 

[biokemguy]

AEG/ASO relationship

I can't remember what their relationship was, but I thought that AEG (Owners of ToC) and ASO had some sort of deal going. If so then maybe an appearance in the ToC would gain the favor of ASO in a round about way.

Or am I confused by PR at AEG selling their race as good prep for the TdF?

 

[BroDeal]

Obviously Sky is afraid of being smacked down by Garmin.

 

[Oldman]

Obviously Sky is afraid of being smacked down by Garmin.

I don't think any Euro-based team is concerned about getting smacked down this early in the US. Radiosmack and Levi have the most exposure for negative press. Since the race is relatively new, lacking monumental historical significance and rabid tifosi (the knob in the antler helmet is just that) and most TV will be North American; the Giro's still the big deal for them.
I thought you were kidding, by the way.

 

[Publicus]

It's not an either-or scenario.

Teams sent riders to the Giro and to Catalunya in the past.

Catalunya doesn't take place during the Giro anymore. So the teams can just as easily ride both the Giro and the TOC.

Some that don't care about the US market will skip the TOC. Some that care only about the tour de france might prefer a shorter race like the TOC over "wasting" riders in the Giro (okay... I don't expect many to do this aside from Radioshack... and maybe Euskatel). But most will do both.

I think it is probably a logistical challenge. Cataluyna is on the same land mass as Italy, so it is easier to have two squads there. Whereas getting a team and all of its equipment to the states is going to be tough (TT bikes, cars, etc.).

 

[auscyclefan94]

the reason why teams can't send quality teams to all races is due to the amount of races leading into the tour and wanting to peak at the right time for the tour. Something has to give esp. due to having the giro, ToC, DL and TdS all around 2 months out before the tour. Teams don't want to tire their riders out.

I believe something has to give in the race scheduling.

 

[karlboss]

Don't care, teams will go where they want to go. If their interests are elsewhere let them go elsewhere, put in a local team that wants to ride.

 

[philcrisp]

Newspapers

One factor influencing Sky may be that TOC stages finish at about midnight UK time which is about the worst possible time for UK newspapers.

 

[craig1985]

I think it is probably a logistical challenge. Cataluyna is on the same land mass as Italy, so it is easier to have two squads there. Whereas getting a team and all of its equipment to the states is going to be tough (TT bikes, cars, etc.).

I thought the race organisers supplied the cars, and were then detailed in the cars colours? I guess it might be different for Radio Shack, HTC - Columbia, and Garmin though.

 

[Mellow Velo]

I think it is probably a logistical challenge. Cataluyna is on the same land mass as Italy, so it is easier to have two squads there. Whereas getting a team and all of its equipment to the states is going to be tough (TT bikes, cars, etc.).

That's my take, although I notice a number of folks have not realised that Catalunya has already been moved to March 22nd.

It is logisitics.
You have the classics riders coming off their Spring campaign, with many wanting a break before they start their TDF run.
You have a team for the Giro and a team for Cali.
Stretches resources to the max.

The other problem is, that there isn't a huge amount of quality Euro racing in May, besides the Giro, now they have moved Catalunya.

 

[Publicus]

I thought the race organisers supplied the cars, and were then detailed in the cars colours? I guess it might be different for Radio Shack, HTC - Columbia, and Garmin though.

Not to my knowledge. I was at the ToC last year and the teams had their own vehicles--at least as far as I could tell. I'll make it a point to ask someone this year (for future reference).

 

[BeachBum]

Not to my knowledge. I was at the ToC last year and the teams had their own vehicles--at least as far as I could tell. I'll make it a point to ask someone this year (for future reference).

I agree that the ToC organization doesn't provide cars to the teams. Garmin and Columbia had their team buses + cars (pretty sure they have a Euro bus and a US bus/cars for the US domestic races), everybody else was operating out of motor homes/campers and rented cars.

 

[Deagol]

"Rightly or wrongly, for US fans the season ends with the Tour de France and we feel that we need to be part of the lead up. It doesn’t make sense for us to be in August or September." - Andrew Messick

This is where I think He (Messick) is totally wrong. Of course I could be wrong, too. Wasn’t this the approximate time slot of the Coors Classic? Even if this is currently accurate, the TOC could change that perception. How about a little vision on the race organizer’s part?

 

[hoogerland]

They're not coming to the TOC because the brand "Sky" means nothing in the US market as News Corp. already has a presence here. If they were called "Team Fox News", do you think they would come???

 

[Polish]

AToC as TdF prep

The Amgen Tour of California is Great TdF prep!

The majority of the Top 10 TdF GC riders have done the AToC the last couple of years.

Green Jersey and Polka Dots also.

 

[bianchigirl]

Great TdF prep - in February?

 

[jonjungel]

The Amgen Tour of California is Great TdF prep!

The majority of the Top 10 TdF GC riders have done the AToC the last couple of years.

Green Jersey and Polka Dots also.

With the new timeslot, ToC may be a good preparation for the Tour de France. But in previous years it had absolutely nothing to do with TdF preparation. That a race in mid-february is specific preparation for a race in july, and not just general training, is a fantasy.

That some of the same people did well in both races just means that they are good stage-racers.

 

[Mellow Velo]

The Amgen Tour of California is Great TdF prep!

The majority of the Top 10 TdF GC riders have done the AToC the last couple of years.

Green Jersey and Polka Dots also.

Not for the first time, your post doesn't make any sense.
When raced in February, it was an ideal opportunity to get some early season miles in, under reasonable conditions. It served a purpose, well, but as TDF prep? I don't think so.

Now, it is replacing Catalunya, as the first stage race up, for TDF riders who have had a period of rest.

Nobody is knocking the race. However, it seems to me, if the sport is going to become more globalised, the UCI need to give some serious thought to the PT calander and it's supporting races.

For instance, why not look to add the two new Canadian PT events to the same period?
They may be thousands of miles from Cali, but at least they occupy the same land mass.

Makes economic sense.

 

[karlboss]

Not for the first time, your post doesn't make any sense.
When raced in February, it was an ideal opportunity to get some early season miles in, under reasonable conditions. It served a purpose, well, but as TDF prep? I don't think so.

Now, it is replacing Catalunya, as the first stage race up, for TDF riders who have had a period of rest.

Nobody is knocking the race. However, it seems to me, if the sport is going to become more globalised, the UCI need to give some serious thought to the PT calander and it's supporting races.

For instance, why not look to add the two new Canadian PT events to the same period?
They may be thousands of miles from Cali, but at least they occupy the same land mass.

Makes economic sense.

Please don't bite.

 

[bianchigirl]

Now more than ever ASO needs to set up their own calendar - they hold all the aces in terms of quality races. I'm sure the new PT with TDU, Eneco and ToC (not to mention the Canadian crits) as its glittering prizes will attract all the big names

 

[Anonymous]

Now more than ever ASO needs to set up their own calendar - they hold all the aces in terms of quality races. I'm sure the new PT with TDU, Eneco and ToC (not to mention the Canadian crits) as its glittering prizes will attract all the big names

i assuming your discounting qatar and oman

just as reference

Le Dakar
Ladies Tour of Qatar

February
Tour of Qatar
Tour of Oman

March
Marathon de Barcelone
Le Semi-Marathon de Paris
Paris-Nice
Le Critérium International

April
Marathon Expo
Le Marathon de Paris
Paris-Roubaix
La Flèche Wallonne
Liège-Bastogne-Liège

May
Le Tour de Picardie
Merrell Oxygen Challenge

June
La Classique des Alpes Juniors

July
Open de France Alstom
Le Tour de France
L’Etape du Tour

August
Vuelta a España

September
Le Tour de l’Avenir
Silk Way Rally
Rencontres Internationales des Disciplines Équestres

October
Paris-Tours
Le Tour du Faso

November
Le Tour du Faso

little bolds on paris-tours and picardie. I would have highlighed criterium in previous years but not so sure...

 

[bianchigirl]

Criterium International in Corsica with a difficult parcours - I'd say that merited highlighting. Wonder which way Flanders and RCS would jump if it came down to it?

BTW why have you included rallying, golf, tennis and running events - I assume you're not proposing some strange multi disciplinary 'quintathlon' type of thing?