A question. In the new premier division, how many of those races will be outside Europe? Perhaps
this hasn't been finalized yet.
It seems that the UCI is really a marketing organization that looks to where the money is to be had.
Is Malaysia a "cycling nation?" Or is there just sponsorship money there? How is that different from
Oz where there is genuine interest in cycling and some economic clout? I suspect that if the
sponsorship market were there, they'd be racing a cup event in Bombay in mid-August. They're in
Qatar and that's only about money----well, podium boys too.
As to Montreal, it is a wonderful circuit to watch a race on. There is a culture in Quebec that has
long supported bicycle racing. But the economy of Quebec has not been all that strong (nor Canada
for that matter, although
W. is working to change that) so the sponsor market is weak.
Anyway, maybe we should just go back to everything as it was when Eddy set the Hour and make
everyone ride, promote and equip teams circa 1975. I've got a few sets of downtube shifters to sell.
"James P. Spooner" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:faw%b.605869$JQ1.435906@pd7tw1no...
> Benjo,
>
> The GP des Ameriques was a pretty big race crowd-wise (1 million or so
plus
> TV), and to my understanding the reason it went under was because the expenses of flying in all
> the teams. The World Cup is hardly a World Cup and they just added a couple races (Wincanton) and
> called them World Cups. Again, using the Formula 1 model which never used to be an issue here in
> Canada the Montreal GP is well attended and viable (despite certain issues this year). I think if
> Verbruggen would have supported a North American stop(s) for a few years the fans would have come.
> Instead we remain a
third
> rate cycling nation.
>
> James
>
> "benjo maso" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
> berlin.de...
> >
> > "James P. Spooner" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
> >
news:rQv%b.625700$ts4.230166@pd7tw3no...
> > > Well why have a UCI then? It should have some sort of international
> > agenda
> > > instead of the current Euro-centric one.
> >
> > It has. It resulted in the World Cup - created by Verbruggen. But the
UCI
> > cannot educate nor the public neither the sponsors. When people aren't interested and it's
> > impossible to find sponsors everything stops.
> >
> >
> > Maybe they should go back to the
> > > old Super Prestige Pernod type series.
> >
> > Perhaps, although I am not sure it will have more success
> >
> >
> > I wouldn't place the GP des
> > > Ameriques among the most sought after races but it was bigger here (in Canada) than anything
> > > European (was in Canada). Just as Amstel Gold
is
> > > bigger in Holland than anywhere else as is MSR in Italy etc.
> >
> > I hate to say this, but I'm afraid Canada is not a very important
cycling
> > country. The GPdA might have been big in Canada, but apparently not big enough to attract enough
> > sponsors.
> >
> > Benjo Maso
> >
> >
> > >
> > > James
> > >
> > > "benjo maso" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
> > > berlin.de...
> > > >
> > > > "James P. Spooner" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > >
news:aTt%b.605637$JQ1.588202@pd7tw1no...
> > > > > The organisation lost the million because they had to pay for
> > everything
> > > > > like the teams' flights. None (or few) of the European races have
> to
> > do
> > > > > that. I'm not saying that the UCI could have "saved" it but they
> > > > definitely
> > > > > could have made it more attractive. For example letting it remain
a
> WC
> > > and
> > > > > let the teams that come over take the points; be it Saturn, Coors
> > Light,
> > > > > Panasonic, or whomever.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > In Europe the teams are usually coming in buses. The reason why the organisers of the GPA
> > > > had to pay all the costs is very simple: if
they
> > had
> > > > not, the numer of entrants would have been very small. Every team is
> > > willing
> > > > to pay to participate to the Tour, but who cares about the GP des
> > > Amériques,
> > > > the Wincanton Classic or the Japan Cup? Giving them points for the
WC
> > > > doens't change anything: the WC has never been important. The Flèche
> > > Wallone
> > > > is still considered as an important race - although you couldn't get
> > > points
> > > > for the WC - , the HEW Cyclassic Hamburg perhaps in thirty years.
> > Calling
> > > a
> > > > race as classic doesn't change nothing. It's nice to win the WC, but
> it
> > > > doesn't matter much. It's just as the Climber's trophy in the Tour:
> only
> > a
> > > > handful of riders are really interested. And by the way, AFAIK the
GP
> > des
> > > > Amériques remained a WC-race until the last year it was organised
> > (1992).
> > > >
> > > > Benjo Maso
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > James
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > > "benjo maso" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]
> > > > > berlin.de...
> > > > > >
> > > > > > "James P. Spooner" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
> > > > > >
news:L6q%b.605184$JQ1.457827@pd7tw1no...
> > > > > > > Whatever happened to the whole globalization of cycling
anyhow?
> > > They
> > > > > > (UCI)
> > > > > > > should have supported the GP des Ameriques.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > But they did! The problem was that the costs were too high (it
> costs
> > a
> > > > lot
> > > > > > of money to make the whole cycling circus cross the ocean) and a
> > lack
> > > of
> > > > > > interest of the general public, which was the reason that the
> > > > organisation
> > > > > > had to sell the TV rights for a meagre $ 32,000, much less than
> the
> > > > > European
> > > > > > classics. The unavoidable result: the losses were huge. In 1991
> the
> > GP
> > > > > > Cycliste des Amériques still managed to find a new sponsor. But
> when
> > > it
> > > > > lost
> > > > > > more than the $ 1.000.000 in 1992, it stopped. End of story. I
> > really
> > > > > don't
> > > > > > see what the UCI had to do with it.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Benjo Maso
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > They could have then added a US
> > > > > > > venue like Philly and we'd be on our way. Verbruggen has done
a
> > > > > mediocre
> > > > > > > job in my opinion. He's almost as bad as the NHL's Gary
Bettman
> > in
> > > a
> > > > > > > reverse sort of way. The Giro will always be bigger in Italy
> than
> > > the
> > > > > > Tour
> > > > > > > is (in Italy). They should designate a few wild card spots
for
> > > > regional
> > > > > > > teams in each regional event including the GT's. Sort of like
> the
> > > > Tour
> > > > > > does
> > > > > > > already although I know a lot of you are against that
practice.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > James
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > "Van Hoorebeeck Bart" <
[email protected]>
> wrote
> > > in
> > > > > > > message
news:[email protected]...
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Ryan Cousineau schreef:
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > > The Pro Tour is an effort to force the hands of several
> > groups:
> > > > > elite
> > > > > > > > > teams will have to compete against each other in elite
> events
> > a
> > > > lot
> > > > > > more
> > > > > > > > > often. The grand tours will be forced to invite all the
top
> > > teams.
> > > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > UCI has a lot of work with this system , if they want
cycling
> to
> > > > > > benefit.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Top 20 teams will be forced to do the full Pro Tour
calendar.
> > It's
> > > > > > > impossible to
> > > > > > > > do that seriously with just 25 riders. Or there will be top
> > teams
> > > > just
> > > > > > > 'riding
> > > > > > > > through' e.g. the Giro. Then such a race might be better
off
> > with
> > > > > > smaller
> > > > > > > teams
> > > > > > > > for whom it's the race of the year. And that certainly goes
> for
> > > > their
> > > > > > > sponsors!
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > And what with national/regional sponsors behind a big team?
> For
> > > them
> > > > > > > national
> > > > > > > > races can often be more important than some Pro Tour event
> > > > elsewhere.
> > > > > I
> > > > > > > mean, it
> > > > > > > > are not Coca-cola, Mastercard etc. who come into cycling.
> Firms
> > > who
> > > > do
> > > > > > > often have
> > > > > > > > ideas of targeting specific countries.
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > > Well maybe I'm just sour because Belgium will only have 4
> (four)
> > > > > racing
> > > > > > > days in
> > > > > > > > this whole pro tour package.....
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > >
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> >
>