I didn't say anyone should let anyone win...I am pissed that UAE have the strongest team that controls the race
This a reasonable thing to be pissed about. A country of disrepute with no cycling history , just oil money buys all the talent and then they control cycling...You'll find there are plenty in football and I will wager other sports who get pissed when money is the power to control the sport
Ridiculous, top to bottom.
I am American almost no history of bike racing. Big oil sponsors multiple forms of racing that I absolutely love!! Live for it!!
Wake up in the dark, early morning hours to marvel at what Total Energies, UAE have blessed me with sponsoring!
UAE has taken a rutty skin teenager from my adopted hometown in Mexico and in 2 years has him winning, first race in his first day as a professional, in Australia of all places!!
Now his skin has improved.., same skinny unassuming Mexican is in world cycling spotlight, getting international attention partially from UAE's vision and big oil investment!!
Today UAE put forth a tree trunk sized German, a blistering Belgian champion, a mashing Ecuadorian national champion, rainbow stripes world champion, defending TDF champion from Slovainia..
Most of us experienced and enjoyed partly for big oil investments in bike racing. Honorable mention cash injection to deeply, deeply injured program at Ineos!!
I come from US, just watched a European wedding of a scale never seen in modern history, watched race today for hours, Amazon advertising multiple times per hour.. US has billionaires like weeds..none is putting money into bike racing, there might be a law that prohibited cycling investment? I don't know.
But remember when people go off about big oil is bad for bikes, I seldom see push back..
The TDF is better for investments from petrochemical companies in my opinion. The more millions, or dreaming of billions banked for bikes, I applaud it.
The idea that cycling can be choosy about who spends sponsorship money is maddening!!
As you watch TDF or other established races, many 50+ years.
US is an absolute wasteland!! Dismal complete failure!! Tour of California, Colorado Utah, Trump, DuPont, Red Zinger, Coors Classic, the list of races that completely crumbled, fizzled out is endless. Can't get money.. Can't find sponsors!!
Ironic that American race with some recognition, Tour of California, wasn't sponsored by big oil.. Instead big pharma, Amgen!! The company that makes and sells EPO!!!!
I stand guard at the nest of the golden goose that has blessed cycling with abundant cash!!!
Amazon is close!! They spent tens of thousands on TV commercials during TDF, but currently don't dump that money into direct team sponsorship.
It repeats, just not often enough, billionaire takes on pro cycling as a hobby, temp benefits and they move on.. Think Tinkoff, Trump,ect..
Point of it all, I don't care where the cycling sponsorship money comes from!!, keep it flowing!!