Afrank said:
Also direct more money towards preserving current established races.
No. The long established European races already have the huge advantage of tradition. If they can't survive with that then they can die.
Of the 2 countries most familar to me, I can say that the Tour of Poland, since it has become WT is far far far bigger in Poland than the Tour of Britain is in Britain.
You give a country or region unfamiliar with broad sporting celebrity and success, some of the glamour of the top level of West European Sport and they suck it up big time.
People may feel attached to say Paris Nice or Catalunya (even though its moved) but thats just human instinct and reluctance to change.
These races have been nothing to phone home about in a long time. Just the same riders in the same regions I can see in the grand tours.
San Luis, even without wt status had 10 times the local support and attention that those 2 races can dream of. In fact of the entire WT only the 3 gts and RVV can match it.
With different climbs different scenery, and I get to see the local talent face up against the well known riders and local nutsjobs like "El Loco" Guevarra, pull of 200km solo breaks cos they know its their one chance to shine.
And the local radio covers it 3 hours a day and the mayor shows up and gives interviews with ESPN Latin America which shows the whole thing accross Latin America. Its huuuuuuuge.
They would love it in South Asia and Central America too. The sport then grows massively in these regions and over time young riders from these regions begin to filter into the top levels of the sport.
And the sport thus becomes popular there as well.
French people don't need Paris-Nice to know about cycling.
Cyivel said:
The treatment of Paris-Brussels has been a disgrace.
Way too many races with Paris in their name if you ask me.