Tour of Beijing - World Tour - Say what?

[Tugboat]

All the bikes are made in China these days so it makes some sense they'd go and race them there.

 

[The Hitch]

The poster responded to is Chinese, you beacon of intelligence and thoughtfulness.

To be fair, Pistolero wasnt really responding to any thing joy said.

Joy talked about cycling in china, the 2008 olympics, the roads over there.

Pistolero quoted him but said something completely different, about the Chinese government and the Tianamen square.

I would like to get involved in this, but i must aknowledge that i am often a major instigator in the hijacking of threads, so i will just say that i have some sympathy for what Pistolero has said.

Pistolero, this Tianamen square, censorship thing is welcome in the General politics thread in the Cafe section, and i myself would join in such a discussion.

 

[Arnout]

I bet they will cancel this race september next year.

 

[Ferminal]

What a boring race it would be, full of those that didn't compete in the worlds or aren't racing in the end of season one dayers in Europe. No doubt it is pan flat.

 

[PCutter]

Just don't order the steak!

 

[BroDeal]

I for one approve of any race that can bring more hot asian podium girls to the sport.

 

[badboyberty]

As Joy said, China is not ready for pro cycling yet.
Plus which asian team would take part? There's no Pro Conti team from Asia.
Probably a chinese national team, like it happens with Tour Down Under?

There is an Asian World Tour team. Only won a couple of monuments and a fistful of GT's so pretty easy to forget...

Answering your question, they'll defintiley allow a Chinese National team, interesting to see if they bend the rules and allow Giant-Asia to compete.

 

[flicker]

I would say this would be an epic race. Authentic knock off bikes, 3 week pro tour, Rangoon third, Uzbekistan 2nd and REAL MAO first. Everyone who participates gets a free I-Phone, a stack of DVDs first run and a lifetime supply of ephedrine.

 

[lucybears]

There is an Asian World Tour team. Only won a couple of monuments and a fistful of GT's so pretty easy to forget...

Answering your question, they'll defintiley allow a Chinese National team, interesting to see if they bend the rules and allow Giant-Asia to compete.

your link is to http://www.astana.lu
perhaps
http://www.aisanracingteam.com/teamblog/

 

[Maxiton]

All the bikes are made in China these days so it makes some sense they'd go and race them there.

+1. If they can build them, they should be able to race them, right?

Just don't order the steak!

Right. If you must have steak, fly it in from Spain.

I for one approve of any race that can bring more hot asian podium girls to the sport.

Another +1.

This is the only thing the UCI has done that I agree with. Competitive cycling in China is giing to be huge. Or at least it has that potential. But getting it there is going to take years, probably decades, of racing. Might as well start now.

 

[lucybears]

interesting to see if they bend the rules and allow Giant-Asia to compete.

how are relations between ROC & PRC these days?

 

[auscyclefan94]

After the farce at the beijing olympics, why would you want to race there?

 

[cabbagetom]

What a boring race it would be, full of those that didn't compete in the worlds or aren't racing in the end of season one dayers in Europe. No doubt it is pan flat.

In fact whilst the centre of Beijing (25 square mile area) may be flat; the city is ringed by hills and mountains. And as you head north towards Mongolia, some of the mountains can be pretty intense. There are roads here just 30 miles outside of Beijing which offer a gradient of 13-14% for 6-7kms....

how are relations between ROC & PRC these days?

Actually quite good. There has been a détente between the pair recently. There are now frequent scheduled flights between the countries so the Giant-Asia team would have no problem getting to Beijing. Also, on that note, Giant as a brand is absolutely massive in China. There are about 4 Giant stores within a 2 mile radius of my place. And interestingly they don't sell anything like the kind of expensive bikes associated with pro-teams such as Rabobank. In fact, none of the local shops even sold clipless pedals...

After the farce at the Beijing Olympics, why would you want to race there?

The reason that pro-cyclists start cycling is out of enjoyment. Think of Nibali being pulled up Etna by a rope attached to his mum's car at 10 years old. Think of Contador cycling with his brother at 15 years old. Think of Millar waking up early in the morning so that he could ride around Hong Kong before the traffic hit in. At heart, the reason any pro-cyclist starts pedaling in the first place is for fun.

And I can assure you that cycling in China is a sensory-loaded experience. The diverse scenery; the unique climate; the people that you pass.
Sure, high-profile riders will perhaps not ride it; but it would be ignorant to make broad assumptions that just because the organisation of the Beijing Olympics RR was not quite up to what may be expected in Europe, it will put cyclists off from wanting to race here.

I for one approve of any race that can bring more hot asian podium girls to the sport.

Agreed

 

[Anonymous]

Impossible for me to avoid politics and the human rights issues on this one, so needless to say the race will be on my list of things to avoid.

 

[Sum_of_Marc]

Well, the Badaling part of the Olympics course was good (the finishing circuit), so there is at least potential for a testing route

 

[Barrus]

I would be happy if it meant more Chinese cycling fans. And especially that we would get more Chinese cycling fans on here, it seems like the only Chinese that come on here are spammers

 

[auscyclefan94]

But I personally don't see riders wanting to go over to an event like this especially when at the olympics thay had fans in grandstands all wearing the same colour shirts being told when to shout, what to shout and sometimes who to shout for. Asian countries are incapable to hold major events as we can look at Delhi or beijing and that there is too much risk and their cities are gorssly over populated with lots of pollution.

 

[flicker]

It would be great if the Chinese could showcase some of their interesting cities with circuit races in them. Also they could build velodromes inside the cities to promote sport in their cities. In Mexico there are sports parks which include velodromes.

Unfortunatley because of the severe environmental degradation plus vast distances between cities Stage Racing would is not attractive.

Better to showcase specific regions and cities and have velodrome finishes, Roubaix and Vigerelli style.

 

[Libertine Seguros]

As long as the race is selective enough that people come in in small groups - could you imagine the carnage of a 150-strong péloton arriving on a vélodrome? It would make the madison look like the kilo TT.

 

[flicker]

As long as the race is selective enough that people come in in small groups - could you imagine the carnage of a 150-strong péloton arriving on a vélodrome? It would make the madison look like the kilo TT.

Good pro teams can always find seperation however yes a mass sprint on road bikes on a velodrome would make NASCAR look tame. I rode a velodrome miss and out on a road bike in Mexico once, I kissed the concrete!

 

[craig1985]

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this race won't happen, like those two Russian PT races that was meant to happen, but never did.

 

[BroDeal]

But I personally don't see riders wanting to go over to an event like this especially when at the olympics thay had fans in grandstands all wearing the same colour shirts being told when to shout, what to shout and sometimes who to shout for. Asian countries are incapable to hold major events as we can look at Delhi or beijing and that there is too much risk and their cities are gorssly over populated with lots of pollution.

No problem, mate. We'll just bring in some white men to show 'em how it's done, preferrably Americans. They are good at telling others what to do.

 

[Hoop Dogg]

Doesn't cunego have a habit of ending his season at an Asian race?? Build it and they will come.
I remember there was a bit of bother a while ago about the tour down under becoming pro tour (travel distance, wrong time of year etc.) but over time it's found it's niche. Expanding the sport can never be a bad thing, and like someone mentioned above, their economies are going to be too hard to ignore soon.

 

[adamski101]

But I personally don't see riders wanting to go over to an event like this especially when at the olympics thay had fans in grandstands all wearing the same colour shirts being told when to shout, what to shout and sometimes who to shout for. Asian countries are incapable to hold major events as we can look at Delhi or beijing and that there is too much risk and their cities are gorssly over populated with lots of pollution.

sorry, but that is quite an ignorant and insulting comment. "Asain countries are incapable to hold major events?" The Beijing Olympics were universally regarded as a success, sure the spectators may not have understood the finer nuances of some of the sports they were watching, but the games as a whole (and not just cylcing) were well run and well organised. Japan & Korea hosted a very good World Cup in 2002. I think your view is very narrow minded. So many on this forum are constantly extolling the virtues of trying to globalize the sport and find new markets away from it's traditional European base, and as has been proved this year with the 2 races in Canada it can be done. Sure, maybe Beijing is not the ideal place environmentally or politically to stage a bike race, but for the sport to grow it needs to expose itself to a wider audience. I am sure you would like to see the sport become more global? wouldn't you? or is you idea of globalization just having another Pro Tour race in Australia or America? because the White guys won't screw it up will they?

 

[Wiesmier]

I think the UCI is just beginning to recognise that the balance of world power /money is/has shifted to the China and the like away from the west where we are beginning the decline to pauper nations.