Lament.............

Davey Crockett

There's a very pertinent futuristic article in Cycling For All at http://www.cycling4all.com reporting on the cycling scene for roadies in 2014.

And it is all the more pertinent for myself personally since I intend to spend whatever scant years I have left before the Reaper cuts me down on the road riding UFOLEP and Masters type events in France, Belgium and Italy and I was wondering how long it will be before bike racing on public highways disappears forever.

And I got to wondering what happened to some of the major and minor events we used to ride years ago. With a little research, here's some events that have passed vaingloriously into cycling history.

I used to love the Derbies and and felt particularly bad about the demise of Bordeaux-Paris. I even rode the last one although at the time it wasn't intended that it be the last. I got an entry form in the mail for 1989 but didn't enter; nor did any significant number of others as the event was cancelled for lack of interest.


But in effect, the 1988 event turned into a disaster as a race; out of the 1020 riders who took the start there were only 74 licensed riders of whom only 51 were pros with sportif/cyclotourist riders making up the balance. The start was staggered with the start time optional for the tourist-randonneurs and although it had been intended to have hard and fast start times for licensed categories, with the small number of licensed riders signed on, the organizers delayed the start of the lower licensed category riders. Eventually what had turned into a Pro/1/2/3/Veterans event got under way at 22:00 hours and everything went fine for a while with the unattached licensed riders who had no team car or independent support of their own making mutually beneficial pacts with the pro teams to work for them in exchange for being fed and watered and mechanically supported.

But by about 02:00 as the bunch settled own for a leisurely night the Peugeot Directeur Sportif got a bug up his ass and sent two lads off the front. They stayed away for about 5 hours finally since nobody responded to the attack. But the real trouble started about the same time. the licensed peloton started catching the sportif-randonneurs some of whom had started as much as 12 hours before. And of course, contrary to the rules which demanded that the non licensed riders fall back 100 meters when passed by a licensed rider, they mostly just grabbed a wheel jumped on the back of the licensed peloton making for a truly screwed up bunch where it was impossible to determine who was where or what was happening and the parcours became dangerous with tourist type riders stopping all over the road and most of them with no lights.

All in all the event was a disaster of truly Gargantuan proportions.

Did Davey finish?? You bet your sweet ass he did. 18 hours 21 minutes 50 seconds for the 605 klicks - just under 16 minutes down on Jean-Francois Rault who soloed home, and second veteran across the line even if 33 km/hr isn't much to brag about.............

Germany:
Echarpe d'or Torpedo - 1941-1949
G.P Bali - 1956-1958
Ludwigshafen-Bâle-Ludwigshafen - 1912
Stuttgart Etapenrennen - 1988-2000
Tour de la Forêt-Noire - 1950
Trois jours d'Allemagne - 1953
Zürich-Berlin - 1925
A travers la Thuringe - 1927-1928
Basel-Kleve - 1894-1912
Berlin-Kottbus-Berlin - 1909-1950
Berlin-Leipzig-Berlin - 1911-1914
Derby de l'Allemagne orientale / Breslau - 1912
G.P Bad Schwalbach - 1962-1964
G.P Fichtels & Sachs - 1956-1961
G.P Reith - 1956-1959
G.P Union/Dortmund - 1962-1984
G.P Veith - 1956-1961
Hochland Rundfahrt - 1949-1950
Milano-Munchen - 1894-1912
Nuremberg-Plauen-Nuremberg - 1909-1912
Rund um Iserlohn - 1912
Rund Mitteldeutschland - 1891-1911
Wien-Berlin - 1893-1914

Austria:
Laventhaler Strassenrennen - 1998-2001
Wien-Graz-Wien - 1949-1952
Volkermarkter radsporttage - 1998-2000

Belgium
Deux jours de Bertrix - 1967
G.P Marvan - 1958
G.P des routiers/Prior - 1947
Huit jours d'Alcyon - 1911
Torino-Bruxelles / G.P du centenaire - 1930
Trois jours d'Anvers - 1954-1960
Aalter-Bruxelles - 1952-1958
Arlon-Oostende - 1921-1923
Anvers-Gand-Anvers - 1931-1944
Anvers-Jupille - 1933
Anvers-Menin 1909-1928
Berg-Housse-Berg - 1947-1952
Binche-Tournai-Binche - 1984-1996
Boucles de la Lys - 1962-1965
Bruxelles-Ayeneux - 1932-1934
Bruxelles-Battice-Bruxelles - 1908
Bruxelles-Bievene - 1966-1977
Bruxelles-Bellaire - 1936
Bruxelles-Bost - 1948-1958
Bruxelles-Bruges - 1945
Bruxelles-Charleroi-Bruxelles - 1956-1966
Bruxelles-Couvin - 1949-1957
Bruxelles-Esneux - 1910-1914
Bruxelles-Everbecq - 1944-1945
Bruxelles-Hoboken - 1919-1921
Bruxelles-Hollogne - 1939
Bruxelles-Hozémont - 1936-1939
Bruxelles-Izegem - 1946-2000
Bruxelles-Jupille - 1932-1934
Bruxelles-Le Coq sur Mer - 1909
Bruxelles-Liège - 1910-1965
Bruxelles-Meulebeke - 1964-1975
Bruxelles-Moorslede - 1946-1950
Bruxelles-Oostende - 1930-1948
Bruxelles-Oupeye - 1910-1933
Bruxelles-Rixensart - 1947
Bruxelles-Spa - 1946
Bruxelles-St Trond - 1946-1960
Bruxelles-Verviers - 1933-1967
Charleroi-Chaudfontaine - 1947
Ciney-Vielsam - 1966
Circuit des 3 provinces - 1947-1982
Circuit des 5 collines - 1950-1959
Circuit des 11 villes - 1943-1989
Circuit des Ardennes flamandes / Ichtegem - 1945-2001
Circuit de Belgique - 1928-1945
Circuit de Belgique centrale/Lier - 1948-1979
Circuit du Brabant central - 1961-1980
Circuit du Brabant occidental - 1961-1988
Circuit du Brabant wallon - 1995-2001
Circuit de Brecht - 1977-1981
Circuit Escaut-Durme - 1969-1994
Circuit de Flandre centrale - 1936-1976
Circuit de Flandre orientale - 1945-1979
Circuit des frontières / Templeuve - 1964-1995
Circuit du Houtland - 1945-1971
Circuit du Limbourg - 1950-1969
Circuit des monts flandriens / Deerlijk 1942-1949
Circuit des monts du Sud-Ouest - 1946-1975
Circuit de Neeroeteren - 1971-1984
Circuit de Niel - 1969-1983
Circuit de l'Ouest - 1949-1961
Circuit des régions flamandes - 1928-1972
Circuit d.régions frontalières/Mouscron - 1945-1965
Circuit des régions frontières/Ledegem - 1969-1983
Circuit des régions fruitières - 1955-1976
Circuit de la région linière - 1968-1974
Circuit du Sud-Ouest - 1964-1982
Circuit de la vallée de la Lys - 1963-1989
Circuit de la vallée de la Senne - 1962-1976
Circuit de Wallonie - 1975-1980
Etoile Carolorégienne - 1909-1914
Escaut-Dendre-Lys - 1947-1965
Flèche anversoise - 1952-1968
Flèche campinoise - 1973-1976
Flèche côtière / Knokke-Heist - 1962-2001
Flèche enghiennoise - 1965-1969
Flèche halloise - 1957-1981
Flèche de Liederkerke - 1971-1996
Flèche mosane - 1965-1986
Flèche namuroise / Namur-Bioul - 1996-1999
Flèche des polders - 1963-1973
Gand-Anvers-Gand - 1931-1944
Gand-Wevelgem indés - 1955-1956
G.P E5 / Heverlee - 1971-1992
G.P Anciaux - 1947
G.P d'Anvers - 1954-1959
G.P des Ardennes / St Hubert - 1945-1948
G.P des Ardennes / Vresse-Rienne - 1957-1959
G.P de la banque / Roeselare - 1953-1976
G.P de la Basse-Sambre - 1960-1967
G.P de Belgique - 1943-1967
G.P Betekom - 1962-1992
G.P du Brabant wallon - 1947-1962
G.P de Brasschaat - 1960-1962
G.P Carrier - 1946
G.P de la Famenne - 1945-1958
G.P Flandria - 1958-1971
G.P Franco-Belge - 1947
G.P Impanis - 1982-1994
G.P de Leglise - 1968
G.P de la Meuse / Anvers-Yvoir - 1929
G.P de Peruwelz - 1966-1976
G.P Salvarani - 1967
G.P du Tournaisis - 1961-1982
G.P Verbeeck - 1971-1981
G.P de Villance-Maissin - 1976
Heure le Romain-Malmédy-Heure le Romain - 1922
Heuseux-Bastogne-Heuseux - 1907-1908
Hoegaarden-Anvers-Hoegaarden - 1955-1962
Hoeilhart-Diest-Hoeilhaart - 1950-1971
Hyons-Mons - 1973-1982
Jemeppe-Bastogne-Jemeppe - 1924
Kampenhout-Charleroi-Kampenhout - 1947-1950
Kessel-Lier - 1954-1980
Kessel-Lo - 1965-1967
Landen-Bierset - 1936
Landen-Oupeye - 1936
Leeuwse Pijl / Flèche de Leeuw - 1969-2000
Liège-Courcelles - 1950
Liège-Charleroi - 1911
Liège-Jemelle - 1949
Liège-Malmédy-Liège - 1919-1923
Liège-Middelkerke - 1949
Liège-St Hubert - 1949
Malderen - 1968-1993
Niel-St Truiden / Flèche hesbignonne - 1951-1955
Omloop van d.Westkust - 1966-2001
Paris-Brasschaat - 1935
Paris-Jemeppe sur Meuse - 1923
Paris-Liège - 1909
Paris-Menin - 1910-1927
Paris-Mons - 1896
Paris-Montignies - 1929
Polders-Campine - 1952-1990
Poperingue-Harelbeke-Poperingue - 1967-1983
Prix De Pinte - 1967-1986
Prix de Mellet - 1977-1984
Prix de Meulebeke - 1960-1963
Prix de Momignies - 1971-1977
Prix de Soignies - 1978-1981
Prix de St Amands - 1971-1981
Rebecq-Rognon - 1970-1977
Renaix-Tournai-Renaix - 1969-1973
Retinne-Marche-Retinne - 1919-1921
Retinne-Spa-Retinne - 1920
Roubaix-Huy - 1947-1956
Sclessin-Houffalize-Sclessin - 1925
Sclessin-Marche-Sclessin - 1922
Sclessin-St Hubert-Sclessin - 1923
Sedan-Bruxelles - 1909
Seraing-Aken-Seraing - 1996-1997
Sint Lieven-Esse - 1952-1965
Sint Martens-Lierde - 1964-1981
Steenhuyze-Wijnhuyze - 1951-1958
Tielt-Anvers-Tielt - 1938-1968
Tirlemont-Stockay - 1937
Tour de Belgique en ligne - 1913-1914
Tour du Brabant - 1958-1971
Tour du Condroz - 1962-1978
Tour des Flandres "B" - 1956-1965
Tour des Flandres des indépendants - 1923-1965
Tour du Hainaut - 1912-1913
Tour de la Haute-Sambre - 1986-2000
Tour de la Flandre Orientale - 1947-1973
Tour d'Hesbaye - 1933-1963
Tour du Limbourg - 1919-1994
Tour de Wallonnie - 1957-1970
Trèfle à 4 feuilles - 1968-1978
Trois villes soeurs - 1919-1990
Trophée des 3 pays - 1954-1959
Wezembeeck-Oppem - 1967-1990


Spain:
Barcelone-Madrid - 1932-1961
Barcelona-Pamplona - 1951
Bilbao-San Sebastian-Bilbao - 1938
Circuito Castilla-Leon-Asturias - 1942-1947
Circuito del Norte - 1939-1945
Costa del Azahar - 1978-1983
Estella-Pamplona - 1940
G.P de Andalucia - 1949-1958
G.P Ayutamiento de Bilbao - 1943-1964
G.P Liberacion de Ondarroa - 1953-1958
G.P Marca - 1947-1948
G.P Munecas Famosa - 1966-1971
G.P Republica - 1932-1936
Irun-Pamplona-Irun - 1909
Madrid-Santander - 1923
Rudge Whitworth - 1912
San Sebastian-Madrid - 1895-1920
Tres dias de Leganes - 1967-1979
Valles Mineros - 1965-1997
Vuelta a Cantabria - 1925-1990
Vuelta a Castilla - 1934-1983
Vuelta a Galega - 1933-2000
Vuelta a Pirineos - 1955-1956
Vuelta a Tarragona - 1908-1954
Vuelta a las Vascongadas y Navarra - 1913
Vuelta Tres cantos - 1985-1989
Barcelone-Andorre - 1964-1986
Barcelone-Vilada 1954-1958
Bayonne-Bilbao - 1962
Bilbao-Balmaseda-Bilbao - 1893-1894
Bilbao-Larrabetzu-Bilbao - 1910
Bilbao-Mungia-Bilbao - 1912
Bilbao-Plentzia-Bilbao - 1906-1914
Bilbao-San Sebastian - 1893-1895
Bilbao-Santander - 1903
Bilbao-Urdiliz-Bilbao - 1905
Cinturon de Bilbao - 1938-1943
Circuito de San Prudencio - 1942-1953
Circuito Sardinero - 1913-1953
Clasica Sabinanigo - 1969-2001
Escalada Parque Torres - 1983
Fiestas de Vitoria - 1929-1945
G.P Alava - 1942-1948
G.P Albacete - 1986-1991
G.P de Bilbao - 1933-1987
G.P Caboalles de Abajo - 1969-1987
G.P Ciudad de Vitoria - 1969-1970
G.P Eibarresa - 1925-1926
G.P "Futbol de Sobremesa" - 1944-1946
G.P Goierri - 1953-1955
G.P Mugica -1951-1960
G.P de Naquera - 1979-1990
G.P Pascuas - 1924-1983
G.P Portugalete - 1955-1957
G.P San Antonio de Durango - 1944-1952

trg

Bordeaux-Paris 2004-
http://www.bordeaux-paris-randonneurs.com/

Bordeaux-Madrid 2005-
http://www.bordeaux-paris-randonneu...uvellepage3.htm

L'Ardechoise 2004-
http://www.ardechoise.com/francais/index.html



Davey Crockett wrote:
> There's a very pertinent futuristic article in Cycling For All at
> http://www.cycling4all.com reporting on the cycling scene for roadies
> in 2014.
>
> And it is all the more pertinent for myself personally since I intend
> to spend whatever scant years I have left before the Reaper cuts me
> down on the road riding UFOLEP and Masters type events in France,
> Belgium and Italy and I was wondering how long it will be before bike
> racing on public highways disappears forever.
>
> And I got to wondering what happened to some of the major and minor
> events we used to ride years ago. With a little research, here's some
> events that have passed vaingloriously into cycling history.
>
> I used to love the Derbies and and felt particularly bad about the
> demise of Bordeaux-Paris. I even rode the last one although at the
> time it wasn't intended that it be the last. I got an entry form in
> the mail for 1989 but didn't enter; nor did any significant number of
> others as the event was cancelled for lack of interest.
>
>
> But in effect, the 1988 event turned into a disaster as a race; out
> of the 1020 riders who took the start there were only 74 licensed
> riders of whom only 51 were pros with sportif/cyclotourist riders
> making up the balance. The start was staggered with the start time
> optional for the tourist-randonneurs and although it had been
> intended to have hard and fast start times for licensed categories,
> with the small number of licensed riders signed on, the organizers
> delayed the start of the lower licensed category riders. Eventually
> what had turned into a Pro/1/2/3/Veterans event got under way at
> 22:00 hours and everything went fine for a while with the unattached
> licensed riders who had no team car or independent support of their
> own making mutually beneficial pacts with the pro teams to work for
> them in exchange for being fed and watered and mechanically
> supported.
>
> But by about 02:00 as the bunch settled own for a leisurely night the
> Peugeot Directeur Sportif got a bug up his ass and sent two lads off
> the front. They stayed away for about 5 hours finally since nobody
> responded to the attack. But the real trouble started about the same
> time. the licensed peloton started catching the sportif-randonneurs
> some of whom had started as much as 12 hours before. And of course,
> contrary to the rules which demanded that the non licensed riders
> fall back 100 meters when passed by a licensed rider, they mostly
> just grabbed a wheel jumped on the back of the licensed peloton
> making for a truly screwed up bunch where it was impossible to
> determine who was where or what was happening and the parcours became
> dangerous with tourist type riders stopping all over the road and
> most of them with no lights.
>
> All in all the event was a disaster of truly Gargantuan proportions.
>
> Did Davey finish?? You bet your sweet ass he did. 18 hours 21 minutes
> 50 seconds for the 605 klicks - just under 16 minutes down on
> Jean-Francois Rault who soloed home, and second veteran across the
> line even if 33 km/hr isn't much to brag about.............
>
> Germany:
> Echarpe d'or Torpedo - 1941-1949
> G.P Bali - 1956-1958
> Ludwigshafen-Bâle-Ludwigshafen - 1912
> Stuttgart Etapenrennen - 1988-2000
> Tour de la Forêt-Noire - 1950
> Trois jours d'Allemagne - 1953
> Zürich-Berlin - 1925
> A travers la Thuringe - 1927-1928
> Basel-Kleve - 1894-1912
> Berlin-Kottbus-Berlin - 1909-1950
> Berlin-Leipzig-Berlin - 1911-1914
> Derby de l'Allemagne orientale / Breslau - 1912
> G.P Bad Schwalbach - 1962-1964
> G.P Fichtels & Sachs - 1956-1961
> G.P Reith - 1956-1959
> G.P Union/Dortmund - 1962-1984
> G.P Veith - 1956-1961
> Hochland Rundfahrt - 1949-1950
> Milano-Munchen - 1894-1912
> Nuremberg-Plauen-Nuremberg - 1909-1912
> Rund um Iserlohn - 1912
> Rund Mitteldeutschland - 1891-1911
> Wien-Berlin - 1893-1914
>
> Austria:
> Laventhaler Strassenrennen - 1998-2001
> Wien-Graz-Wien - 1949-1952
> Volkermarkter radsporttage - 1998-2000
>
> Belgium
> Deux jours de Bertrix - 1967
> G.P Marvan - 1958
> G.P des routiers/Prior - 1947
> Huit jours d'Alcyon - 1911
> Torino-Bruxelles / G.P du centenaire - 1930
> Trois jours d'Anvers - 1954-1960
> Aalter-Bruxelles - 1952-1958
> Arlon-Oostende - 1921-1923
> Anvers-Gand-Anvers - 1931-1944
> Anvers-Jupille - 1933
> Anvers-Menin 1909-1928
> Berg-Housse-Berg - 1947-1952
> Binche-Tournai-Binche - 1984-1996
> Boucles de la Lys - 1962-1965
> Bruxelles-Ayeneux - 1932-1934
> Bruxelles-Battice-Bruxelles - 1908
> Bruxelles-Bievene - 1966-1977
> Bruxelles-Bellaire - 1936
> Bruxelles-Bost - 1948-1958
> Bruxelles-Bruges - 1945
> Bruxelles-Charleroi-Bruxelles - 1956-1966
> Bruxelles-Couvin - 1949-1957
> Bruxelles-Esneux - 1910-1914
> Bruxelles-Everbecq - 1944-1945
> Bruxelles-Hoboken - 1919-1921
> Bruxelles-Hollogne - 1939
> Bruxelles-Hozémont - 1936-1939
> Bruxelles-Izegem - 1946-2000
> Bruxelles-Jupille - 1932-1934
> Bruxelles-Le Coq sur Mer - 1909
> Bruxelles-Liège - 1910-1965
> Bruxelles-Meulebeke - 1964-1975
> Bruxelles-Moorslede - 1946-1950
> Bruxelles-Oostende - 1930-1948
> Bruxelles-Oupeye - 1910-1933
> Bruxelles-Rixensart - 1947
> Bruxelles-Spa - 1946
> Bruxelles-St Trond - 1946-1960
> Bruxelles-Verviers - 1933-1967
> Charleroi-Chaudfontaine - 1947
> Ciney-Vielsam - 1966
> Circuit des 3 provinces - 1947-1982
> Circuit des 5 collines - 1950-1959
> Circuit des 11 villes - 1943-1989
> Circuit des Ardennes flamandes / Ichtegem - 1945-2001
> Circuit de Belgique - 1928-1945
> Circuit de Belgique centrale/Lier - 1948-1979
> Circuit du Brabant central - 1961-1980
> Circuit du Brabant occidental - 1961-1988
> Circuit du Brabant wallon - 1995-2001
> Circuit de Brecht - 1977-1981
> Circuit Escaut-Durme - 1969-1994
> Circuit de Flandre centrale - 1936-1976
> Circuit de Flandre orientale - 1945-1979
> Circuit des frontières / Templeuve - 1964-1995
> Circuit du Houtland - 1945-1971
> Circuit du Limbourg - 1950-1969
> Circuit des monts flandriens / Deerlijk 1942-1949
> Circuit des monts du Sud-Ouest - 1946-1975
> Circuit de Neeroeteren - 1971-1984
> Circuit de Niel - 1969-1983
> Circuit de l'Ouest - 1949-1961
> Circuit des régions flamandes - 1928-1972
> Circuit d.régions frontalières/Mouscron - 1945-1965
> Circuit des régions frontières/Ledegem - 1969-1983
> Circuit des régions fruitières - 1955-1976
> Circuit de la région linière - 1968-1974
> Circuit du Sud-Ouest - 1964-1982
> Circuit de la vallée de la Lys - 1963-1989
> Circuit de la vallée de la Senne - 1962-1976
> Circuit de Wallonie - 1975-1980
> Etoile Carolorégienne - 1909-1914
> Escaut-Dendre-Lys - 1947-1965
> Flèche anversoise - 1952-1968
> Flèche campinoise - 1973-1976
> Flèche côtière / Knokke-Heist - 1962-2001
> Flèche enghiennoise - 1965-1969
> Flèche halloise - 1957-1981
> Flèche de Liederkerke - 1971-1996
> Flèche mosane - 1965-1986
> Flèche namuroise / Namur-Bioul - 1996-1999
> Flèche des polders - 1963-1973
> Gand-Anvers-Gand - 1931-1944
> Gand-Wevelgem indés - 1955-1956
> G.P E5 / Heverlee - 1971-1992
> G.P Anciaux - 1947
> G.P d'Anvers - 1954-1959
> G.P des Ardennes / St Hubert - 1945-1948
> G.P des Ardennes / Vresse-Rienne - 1957-1959
> G.P de la banque / Roeselare - 1953-1976
> G.P de la Basse-Sambre - 1960-1967
> G.P de Belgique - 1943-1967
> G.P Betekom - 1962-1992
> G.P du Brabant wallon - 1947-1962
> G.P de Brasschaat - 1960-1962
> G.P Carrier - 1946
> G.P de la Famenne - 1945-1958
> G.P Flandria - 1958-1971
> G.P Franco-Belge - 1947
> G.P Impanis - 1982-1994
> G.P de Leglise - 1968
> G.P de la Meuse / Anvers-Yvoir - 1929
> G.P de Peruwelz - 1966-1976
> G.P Salvarani - 1967
> G.P du Tournaisis - 1961-1982
> G.P Verbeeck - 1971-1981
> G.P de Villance-Maissin - 1976
> Heure le Romain-Malmédy-Heure le Romain - 1922
> Heuseux-Bastogne-Heuseux - 1907-1908
> Hoegaarden-Anvers-Hoegaarden - 1955-1962
> Hoeilhart-Diest-Hoeilhaart - 1950-1971
> Hyons-Mons - 1973-1982
> Jemeppe-Bastogne-Jemeppe - 1924
> Kampenhout-Charleroi-Kampenhout - 1947-1950
> Kessel-Lier - 1954-1980
> Kessel-Lo - 1965-1967
> Landen-Bierset - 1936
> Landen-Oupeye - 1936
> Leeuwse Pijl / Flèche de Leeuw - 1969-2000
> Liège-Courcelles - 1950
> Liège-Charleroi - 1911
> Liège-Jemelle - 1949
> Liège-Malmédy-Liège - 1919-1923
> Liège-Middelkerke - 1949
> Liège-St Hubert - 1949
> Malderen - 1968-1993
> Niel-St Truiden / Flèche hesbignonne - 1951-1955
> Omloop van d.Westkust - 1966-2001
> Paris-Brasschaat - 1935
> Paris-Jemeppe sur Meuse - 1923
> Paris-Liège - 1909
> Paris-Menin - 1910-1927
> Paris-Mons - 1896
> Paris-Montignies - 1929
> Polders-Campine - 1952-1990
> Poperingue-Harelbeke-Poperingue - 1967-1983
> Prix De Pinte - 1967-1986
> Prix de Mellet - 1977-1984
> Prix de Meulebeke - 1960-1963
> Prix de Momignies - 1971-1977
> Prix de Soignies - 1978-1981
> Prix de St Amands - 1971-1981
> Rebecq-Rognon - 1970-1977
> Renaix-Tournai-Renaix - 1969-1973
> Retinne-Marche-Retinne - 1919-1921
> Retinne-Spa-Retinne - 1920
> Roubaix-Huy - 1947-1956
> Sclessin-Houffalize-Sclessin - 1925
> Sclessin-Marche-Sclessin - 1922
> Sclessin-St Hubert-Sclessin - 1923
> Sedan-Bruxelles - 1909
> Seraing-Aken-Seraing - 1996-1997
> Sint Lieven-Esse - 1952-1965
> Sint Martens-Lierde - 1964-1981
> Steenhuyze-Wijnhuyze - 1951-1958
> Tielt-Anvers-Tielt - 1938-1968
> Tirlemont-Stockay - 1937
> Tour de Belgique en ligne - 1913-1914
> Tour du Brabant - 1958-1971
> Tour du Condroz - 1962-1978
> Tour des Flandres "B" - 1956-1965
> Tour des Flandres des indépendants - 1923-1965
> Tour du Hainaut - 1912-1913
> Tour de la Haute-Sambre - 1986-2000
> Tour de la Flandre Orientale - 1947-1973
> Tour d'Hesbaye - 1933-1963
> Tour du Limbourg - 1919-1994
> Tour de Wallonnie - 1957-1970
> Trèfle à 4 feuilles - 1968-1978
> Trois villes soeurs - 1919-1990
> Trophée des 3 pays - 1954-1959
> Wezembeeck-Oppem - 1967-1990
>
>
> Spain:
> Barcelone-Madrid - 1932-1961
> Barcelona-Pamplona - 1951
> Bilbao-San Sebastian-Bilbao - 1938
> Circuito Castilla-Leon-Asturias - 1942-1947
> Circuito del Norte - 1939-1945

Benjamin Weiner

Davey Crockett <Davey_Crockett@rogers.com> wrote:

> There's a very pertinent futuristic article in Cycling For All at
> http://www.cycling4all.com reporting on the cycling scene for
> roadies in 2014.

> And it is all the more pertinent for myself personally since I
> intend to spend whatever scant years I have left before the Reaper
> cuts me down on the road riding UFOLEP and Masters type events in
> France, Belgium and Italy and I was wondering how long it will be
> before bike racing on public highways disappears forever.

An entertaining preview of 2014 at www.cycling4all.com, thanks
for pointing it out. Although, I think not even Hein Verbruggen
and the Protour will manage to completely destroy cycling;
but creeping suburban sprawl is the biggest enemy (Channeling
Lieswyn here). Rising gas prices and people getting sick of
long commutes may be our only hope. The Euros ought to be better
off than the US in that regard.

Ben

p.s. Davey, I liked your lament, but it would be easier to read
if you insert carriage returns - each of the paragraphs was one long line.

Davey Crockett

Benjamin Weiner <bjw@mambo.ucolick.org> writes:

> Davey Crockett <Davey_Crockett@rogers.com> wrote:
>
> An entertaining preview of 2014 at www.cycling4all.com, thanks
> for pointing it out. Although, I think not even Hein Verbruggen
> and the Protour will manage to completely destroy cycling;
> but creeping suburban sprawl is the biggest enemy (Channeling
> Lieswyn here). Rising gas prices and people getting sick of
> long commutes may be our only hope. The Euros ought to be better
> off than the US in that regard.
>

You are 100% right there Ben. Urban sprawl is most certainly putting a damp=
er on training and racing and even touring for ever increasing numbers of p=
otential cycling afficionados worldwide and possibly more so in North Ameri=
ca which is more culturally tuned to the use of 4 wheeled transportation th=
an our 2 wheeled alternative.

Where I live currently, unless one has a vehicle which allows one to drive =
out into the countryside, one is doomed to racing/training/riding on city s=
treets which are dangerous due to the mindset of the 4 wheeled fraternity w=
ho see 2 wheeled road users as a nuisance at best and a hazard at worst or =
on bike paths where the hazards run the gamut from dogs, kids, drunks, roll=
erbladers and skateboarders to practitioners of some oriental discipline wh=
ich seems to involve waving their arms all over the place and never looking=
where they are going either. Combine this with the frequent traffic lights=
and an ever increasing number of potholes that must be avoided or bunny-ho=
pped on the city streets and highways and you have a decidedly unfriendly e=
nvironment for the cyclist.

Organizing races too is almost impossible. The costs of renting traffic con=
es and paying the municipality for the mandatory police traffic control off=
icers and the loss of revenue from parking meters are prohibitive supposing=
you can even get the police to even give you a race permit in the first pl=
ace.

Another kicker that I learned to my surprise is that, in my current localit=
y, and mandated by a local city by-law no less, if one organizes a bike rac=
e for men, there must be a similar race for women offering equal prize mone=
y. Initially this seems like a great idea, even more so for me personally a=
s I've always been a big supporter of womens racing.

However, the experience gained on the one and only race I organized (or wi=
ll ever organize around here!) leads me to believe that this requirement is=
ludicrous. If it stopped short at mandating that there should be an event =
(or events) for women it might be a commendable by-law. But to additionally=
demand equal prize money?? Totally ridiculous. There were three riders in =
the junior womens race and 11 in the senior womens race and the racing, due=
to the great disparity in the capabilities of the riders, was uninterestin=
g at best and totally negative at worst. Add that to the fact that since pr=
izes went 15 deep in the mens events, the women wanted to know if the exces=
s would be divvied up and added to the amount advertized for the purse in t=
heir event. A couple of the women even wanted to know if they had to finish=
to get the money.

Organizing races around here? Forget it. They do say you have to pay for ed=
ucation and I sure paid for mine. It cost me over $300 to put on that minor=
event!!

The drug scene is also not conducive to either attracting sponsors or promo=
ting public interest in bike racing. Drugs have always been around. They we=
re in my days in the 50's and 60's and they apparently still are. But it se=
ems to me that the emphasis has changed; years ago riders took a little som=
ething to help them get to the finish rather than to gain an unfair advanta=
ge over the rest of the lads.=20

Don't get me wrong. I'm not in favour of doping and had in fact thought tha=
t most of the riders were `clean' these days. Over the years due to distanc=
e and retirements I have lost touch somewhat with the pro scene, but the tw=
o current pros with whom I do have a more than nodding acquaintance, I beli=
eve to be clean. But wouldn't you know it, the lad I have rooted for since =
he was a junior because I know the family rides for Cofidis!!

>
> p.s. Davey, I liked your lament, but it would be easier to read
> if you insert carriage returns - each of the paragraphs was one long line.
>

Hmmm. And on the line wrap problem Ben. Not to pontificate here, but I real=
ly have no idea what any particular individual's CRT display capabilities a=
re. Ergo I send my text raw leaving it to the punter to set his/her line wr=
ap. Personally I use a 1024 X 768 framebuffer so I get much more text on th=
e screen than perhaps the average NewsHound. But most if not all NewsReader=
application programmes these days allow the user to set the line wrap colu=
mn. Now I currently use Emacs/Gnus and haven't used Tin, which I believe yo=
u use, for years. But IIRC there are a couple of ways to set the line wrap =
column in Tin. You could hit 'M` and hunt and peck down the choices to set =
the value or more easily edit your 'tinrc` file value with Emacs or whateve=
r text editor you use. Look for the section 'Global Options and Tinrc Confi=
gurable Options` and find the 'Page Line Wrap Column` item (Or something cl=
ose to that IIRC). Zero is default and should be your current screen width.=
Changing this value will wrap at whatever you set the value to. If you set=
it to a value greater than your CRT can display, the excess is lost off th=
e right hand side of the screen. If you give the variable a negative value =
this number of characters will be deducted from the current screen display =
capability (provided, if IIRC, that the resulting value is still positive).

If you don't have the wheel bits set (don't have 'root` access on the box o=
r system) or are on a system running a system-wide 'tinrc` file, you will h=
ave to get the SysAdmin to do it for you but it is a simple task.

Toodles for now. It's 1 (one) degree outside just now and that's above free=
zing so I'm off out to do the Bike-Path Boogie....

--=20
le Vent a Dos
Davey Crockett
Six-Day site: http://members.rogers.com/sixday/sixday.html