Smallest San Fran GP crowd ever!

So, how was Taco Bell?

crit PRO said:

The word here in town at our team dinner was the crowds are expected to
be half the usual amount this year in San Fran.

crit PRO

I don't suppose they offered an opinion as to why?

My four guesses:

- Labor Day weekend

- No more LANCE

- Post Olympic year letdown

- Change in identity due to new sponsors

Suz Weldon said:

Quoted message said:

NO WOMEN'S RACE!!! :-)

That, too.

k.papai said:

NOT a small crowd on Fillmore:

http://www.kenpapai.com/racing/sf2005/crowd2638.jpg

I'm surprised by the woman in the crowd wearing a pink helmet. Right
behind the first cop. I grasp that people ride to where they are going
and don't care to carry it or leave it with the bike but her spot is
not one you just get while on the move. (i presume). A couple others
in the crowd, in the back, with helmets makes more sense but she's on
the fence and probably not going to be leaving anytime soon.

If someone crashes over there she will be safe....... deferring to Tom
Kunich on that one.

http://www.kenpapai.com/racing/sf2005/crowd2638x.jpg
There's the pink helmet at 100% crop -- looks like it is too large and
it is on a kid.

I do not understand it either... stow the helmet somewhere safely the
second you dismount.

-Ken

"k.papai" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

http://www.kenpapai.com/racing/sf2005/crowd2638x.jpg
There's the pink helmet at 100% crop -- looks like it is too large and
it is on a kid.

I do not understand it either... stow the helmet somewhere safely the
second you dismount.

That's amazing detail you got on that shot, there, Kenny.

--
"It's not the critic who counts. Not the man who points out where the
strong man stumbled or where the doer of great deeds could have done them
better. The credit belongs to the man who is in the arena. Whose face is
marred by dust and sweat and blood. Who strives valiantly, who errs and
comes up short again and again. And who, while daring greatly, spends
himself in a worthy cause so that his place may not be among those cold and
timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat."
-- Theodore Roosevelt

http://spaces.msn.com/members/flomblog/

k.papai said:

NOT a small crowd on Fillmore:

http://www.kenpapai.com/racing/sf2005/crowd2638.jpg

i guess fillmore gets the biggest crowds...

Tom Kunich said:

I've been to every SFGP and this one was by FAR the largest attendance by a
substantial margin. Before there were large sections of the course that were
without any spectators. This time there were pretty much spectators around
the entire circuit and over sections that previously had few spectators such
as the straight after the Filmore hill they were solid against the fence.

On the Filmore hill the crowd was 6 deep where previously they were two or
three. Two years ago on Taylor hill there was a light crowd with a lot of
gaps. This year it was more crowded than Filmore. The Embarcadero was
totally chock-a-block.

I don't know where you got the idea that this race missed Lance but you
couldn't be more wrong.

Kunich, if you'd quit huffing your Conti tubular glue your vision would
clear up and you'd see the world as it is. The attendance was sparse at
best around most of the course. You weren't racing so you have no clue
what it looked like. And I know you weren't in any sponsor cars
because they'd have beat you senseless and left you in the Tenderloin
after a minute of listening to you rant.

Last year was on par with 2002 but 2003 was the biggest year by a fair
margin. Pull out your copies of VeloNews and look at the Graham Watson
spread of Fillmore. It was SRO to the walls of the buildings. And
Taylor 2003 was slammed! Especially on upper Taylor above the hill
where the course turns left - The crowd filled the entire street for
100+ yards.

So, CP was right. And TK is a foolishly delusional troll disguised as a
delusional fool.
-DA74

It was a bad move changing the date to Labor Day. Too much already going
on. Having been to the 2002-2004 editions, I had to miss this one. Move it
back to mid September.

Mike Cox said:

It was a bad move changing the date to Labor Day. Too much already going
on. Having been to the 2002-2004 editions, I had to miss this one. Move it
back to mid September.

The size of the expo was noticeably smaller too - maybe only 1/2 the
size of the biggest year. Smaller crowds, fewer exhibitors, less
sponsor money... not good news.

Tom Kunich said:

I've been to every SFGP and this one was by FAR the largest attendance
by a substantial margin.

In other news: War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength.

Diablo Scott said:

The size of the expo was noticeably smaller too - maybe only 1/2 the
size of the biggest year.

Didn't the manufacturer "look at our new stuff" booths take up about
the same amount of space as last year? I thought the main size
reduction was the elimination of the $3-entry-fee "buy our leftovers"
section where local shops and others sold their remainders. Besides
that section, I thought the expo was somewhat healthy.

Quoted message said:

Smaller crowds, fewer exhibitors, less
sponsor money... not good news.

Sadly, I agree with you here.

Jim

Since I was standing on Filmore trying to get a picture of the climbers I
have a better idea that some punk talking as if he knew something.

I walked most of the course between the Embarcadero and Filmore. I also
tried to walk along the Embarcadero which was all screwed up since they hid
the start finish line from the spectators and put VIP tents on both sides.

Any time your candy-ass thinks that he can "beat me senseless" you're
welcome to try. Though it may prove a bit embarassing to your self esteem to
have you butt kicked by a 60 year old. I ain't no Myerson and some chicken
legged fool like you won't blindside me.

"DA74" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tom Kunich said:

I've been to every SFGP and this one was by FAR the largest attendance by
a
substantial margin. Before there were large sections of the course that
were
without any spectators. This time there were pretty much spectators
around
the entire circuit and over sections that previously had few spectators
such
as the straight after the Filmore hill they were solid against the fence.

On the Filmore hill the crowd was 6 deep where previously they were two
or
three. Two years ago on Taylor hill there was a light crowd with a lot of
gaps. This year it was more crowded than Filmore. The Embarcadero was
totally chock-a-block.

I don't know where you got the idea that this race missed Lance but you
couldn't be more wrong.

Kunich, if you'd quit huffing your Conti tubular glue your vision would
clear up and you'd see the world as it is. The attendance was sparse at
best around most of the course. You weren't racing so you have no clue
what it looked like. And I know you weren't in any sponsor cars
because they'd have beat you senseless and left you in the Tenderloin
after a minute of listening to you rant.

Last year was on par with 2002 but 2003 was the biggest year by a fair
margin. Pull out your copies of VeloNews and look at the Graham Watson
spread of Fillmore. It was SRO to the walls of the buildings. And
Taylor 2003 was slammed! Especially on upper Taylor above the hill
where the course turns left - The crowd filled the entire street for
100+ yards.

So, CP was right. And TK is a foolishly delusional troll disguised as a
delusional fool.
-DA74

"Diablo Scott" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:1127244083.4f93487cc0afa709ddb87e0200cd1c63@teranews...

Quoted message said:

Mike Cox said:

It was a bad move changing the date to Labor Day. Too much already going
on. Having been to the 2002-2004 editions, I had to miss this one. Move
it
back to mid September.

The size of the expo was noticeably smaller too - maybe only 1/2 the size
of the biggest year. Smaller crowds, fewer exhibitors, less sponsor
money... not good news.

I'll agree with that. The Expo was a lot smaller but I don't think that it
was the time. I talked to a lot of the vendors at Sea Otter and they told me
that they sold more stuff at places like Great Western Bicycle Rally in one
day then they did at races all weekend.

Racers generally already have all the stuff they need or favorite sources
and the spectators spend all their money on tatoos and piercings.

"Robert Chung" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Tom Kunich said:

I've been to every SFGP and this one was by FAR the largest attendance
by a substantial margin.

In other news: War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength.

So you flew in and watched?

In article <[email hidden]>, "Robert Chung" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Tom Kunich said:

I've been to every SFGP and this one was by FAR the largest attendance
by a substantial margin.

In other news: War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength.

Or: Less is More.

--
tanx,
Howard

Butter is love.

remove YOUR SHOES to reply, ok?

Howard Kveck said:

In article <[email hidden]>, "Robert Chung" <[email hidden]>

Quoted message said:

Tom Kunich said:

I've been to every SFGP and this one was by FAR the largest attendance
by a substantial margin.

In other news: War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength.

Or: Less is More.

Up is Down.

"Stu Fleming" <[email hidden]> wrote ...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

In other news: War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength.

Or: Less is More.

Up is Down.

Coke is it.

--
http://spaces.msn.com/members/flomblog/

In article <bX6Ye.298697$on1.5268@clgrps13>,

Jim Flom said:

"Stu Fleming" <[email hidden]> wrote ...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

>
>In other news: War is Peace, Freedom is Slavery, Ignorance is Strength.

Or: Less is More.

Up is Down.

Coke is it.

Well, that's actually true. We don't need no stinking Pepsi!

--
tanx,
Howard

Butter is love.

remove YOUR SHOES to reply, ok?