Will Americans Forget Cycling?

[Scottish Roadrunner]

I guess Hypospin is right there, I am a Lance Armstrong fan but what about cyclists like Hincapie, Hamilton (remember the broken collar bone), Landis, Zabriskie (won stage 8 of this years Giro), Vande Velde, Julich do I need to continue... These guys all work hard and deserve to be recoginised too

 

[big Pete]

As an outsider looking in - those of us outside the USA tend to forget that while the USA is a country - it is a continent as well.
And it is a self contained continent to boot.

Hay there are other countries on this continent these countries are called Canada and Mexico. I live in Canada I am Canadian not American. But I do think most of the non biking Americans and Canadians will forget. It is too bad, I did like the fact that my sport/hobby is more recognized in the general public.

Pete

 

[Orange Fish]

The biggest question would be how much media coverage we will still get. If OLN drops out of following as many races as they do - that will hurt the sport some here in the US. As for caring only about American sports, the problem is getting networks to carry other sports / games. For soccer or as they say across the pond - football, it wasn't until the American females won & the one took off her jersey that I actually started to see more coverage for that sport. (Besides the Spanish stations) Got to love those network execs & how they make decisions. It is really hard to follow a sport / get interested in one until you can actually see it.QUOTE]

The question is, who will OLN use in ALL of their commercials on cycling from now on? Since Lance is gone in a few months, which cyclist will take up 90% of the winning shots we see in commercials before, during, and after Cyclism Sudays???

 

[Orange Fish]

I am 32 years old and I agree, I think it depends on why you ride. I know that when I am on my bike there is nothing that feels this way, there is a great passion for the time that passes while on a bike. I commute to work 3-5 days a week and my ride to work at 5:30 a.m it is such a mind clearer. The rides home after just recharge my batteries and make me a better husband and father. I have raced in some duals and done some charity rides also and being with other riders I have seen the love for this way of life. Cycling for many americans, is not a sport, but a life altering experience. Without it part of us dies, so it doesn't matter who wins the tour or any other race for that matter we ride to live.

I can say right now that just because Lance won 6 TdF's, I don't look up to him any more than I do to any other of the guys in the TdF (or any grand tour) peloton. I ride because I love it and I love the way it makes me feel. So because Lance is no more, I've learned MUCH more about many of the European pros and have been able to look up to them more and to follow more closely what they are doing in the tours. I think that's a good thing because it seems like there's some bad blood between some other countries and the US when it comes to this topic, so maybe without Lance, more and more of the US amateur cyclists will be able to appreciate more of what the European pros are doing - like racing in all the grand tours AND the TdF. To me, that's more spectactular than training all year long for only one big race and winning it 6 times.

 

[juf2m]

As an outsider looking in - those of us outside the USA tend to forget that while the USA is a country - it is a continent as well.
And it is a self contained continent to boot.{/QUOTE]


I take exception to this...the USA is PART of the continent of N. America, which is shared by Canada and Mexico!

 

[juf2m]

Not to nitpick, but the last time I checked, "our continent" had a few other countries called "Canada" "Mexico" and a bunch of other countries I can't pronounce or locate on a map. Of course, these countries are simply pawns in our sphere of influence so to say that that the US is an entire continent is not entirely incorrect.

Oops! Thanks for posting this, I didn't read far enough before answering.

 

[mitosis]

From what I have heard from Canadian friends, that sort of comment is likely to make them hate the US even more than they currently do - and that is quite a lot, almost on par with how much Aussies hate the US.

The Canadians feel about the US like the Kiwis feel about Australia. Overshadowed. With respect to the US, I don't hate them but am continually staggered by their egocentricity (in general). You only have to read most of the posts in this forum.

In the case of the US it comes from their lack of knowledge of the world outside. Everything that happens in the US is the most important in the world (in the opinion of many).

We (Australians) feel superior to the Kiwis. People from the US feel superior to the rest of the world.

They forgot cycling after Greg Lemond. They probably will after Lance until they produce another champion - which on probability they eventually will.

 

[systecsol]

A poll that i conducted last year indicated that most of the riders were 50+, long before Lance lost his training wheels.

If cycling dies in the US it because us old guys died.

 

[Catabolic_Jones]

I'm Canadian.

You know, to me it's a selfish thing, a self-centred thing, apart from politics or ethnicity or nationality: it's about me and my bike. A chain, 2 wheels, a frame, and other oddments to make it go (chocolate included).

To me, Americans are odd creatures; they seem obnoxious, arrogant, materialistic and hyper-aggressive. But I also understand it's a cultural thing: they do what they have to in order to survive in their ethos. As a Canadian, I must seem insipid, retiring, even craven. I think you strip all that political ******** off and we're all the same, human, weak yet sublime. And so I can claim the same association with a great man like Armstrong as anyone in Texas or California or Hawaii; I gotta overlook his arrogance and off-putting cockiness. He's given something so special to the world with his victories; what he's done can't be counted in trophies: he used his fame as selflessly as he knew how -- looking past the 'LiveStrong' slogan; he's American, eh?

And I believe that what he's given to cycling, because it transcends cycling, will endure. And I don't think he'll slip away from the public eye like LeMond. He's going to promote and push the sport in America to new levels. The Tour of California? Who says America won't have the best 3 week tour eventually? I think it's possible.

 

[meehs]

To me, Americans are odd creatures; they seem obnoxious, arrogant, materialistic and hyper-aggressive. But I also understand it's a cultural thing: they do what they have to in order to survive in their ethos. As a Canadian, I must seem insipid, retiring, even craven. I think you strip all that political ******** off and we're all the same, human, weak yet sublime...

Well said! I see a lot of stereotypes for Americans being tossed around in this forum and that's exactly what they are; stereotypes. There are stereotypes for people of almost any nationality. The fact is that a stereotype just can't be applied to every individual within a given country, race, religion, etc...We're all different and yet the same. I know that the adjectives you used in your post to describe Americans probably are accurate for many of us but I personally fit none of them!

 

[JohnO]

Just to clarify a bit on the egotism... We in the US are very concerned about whatever affects us, just like anyone. However, we are in a bit of a unique situation. What happens in the rest of the world doesn't impact us as much as it does other people. The size of our economy alone insures that.

The British Empire stretched over a quarter of known civilization at one time, and they were accused of being just as arrogant at that time, if not more so. I suspect the Romans were viewed in much the same light when they were at their peak. Fact is, Americans will learn about the rest of the world to the degree that they need to. Same as anyone else. You learn about what can affect you.

Australians probably aren't deliberately disrespectful to Kiwis, it's just that the affairs of New Zealand don't affect Australia that much. If you were to ask the average Australian if they felt arrogant towards New Zealand, they would probably say no. What happens in Canada is of concern to us. However, we're probably more concerned with China right now. Doesn't mean we think the Chinese are better people than the Canadians, just that what happens in China is likely to impact our economy to a greater degree. I don't know, but would suspect that Australians are more concerned with China than New Zealand, for exactly the same reason. Along the same lines, I would surmise that Canadians aren't particularly concerned with what happens in Panama. This can be interpreted as a 'superior' attitude.

But it isn't superiority or arrogance. Just reality, and basic human nature. It has always been that way, and thus it will always be. You show your greatest concern for what can affect you the most.

Back to the original question - will we forget cycling after Lance? I won't. And that's all that matters to me, if you'll forgive me for showing arrogance and callous indifference towards my fellow countrymen.

The Canadians feel about the US like the Kiwis feel about Australia. Overshadowed. With respect to the US, I don't hate them but am continually staggered by their egocentricity (in general). You only have to read most of the posts in this forum.

In the case of the US it comes from their lack of knowledge of the world outside. Everything that happens in the US is the most important in the world (in the opinion of many).

We (Australians) feel superior to the Kiwis. People from the US feel superior to the rest of the world.

They forgot cycling after Greg Lemond. They probably will after Lance until they produce another champion - which on probability they eventually will.

 

[jhuskey]

I'm Canadian.

You know, to me it's a selfish thing, a self-centred thing, apart from politics or ethnicity or nationality: it's about me and my bike. A chain, 2 wheels, a frame, and other oddments to make it go (chocolate included).

To me, Americans are odd creatures; they seem obnoxious, arrogant, materialistic and hyper-aggressive. But I also understand it's a cultural thing: they do what they have to in order to survive in their ethos. As a Canadian, I must seem insipid, retiring, even craven. I think you strip all that political ******** off and we're all the same, human, weak yet sublime. And so I can claim the same association with a great man like Armstrong as anyone in Texas or California or Hawaii; I gotta overlook his arrogance and off-putting cockiness. He's given something so special to the world with his victories; what he's done can't be counted in trophies: he used his fame as selflessly as he knew how -- looking past the 'LiveStrong' slogan; he's American, eh?

And I believe that what he's given to cycling, because it transcends cycling, will endure. And I don't think he'll slip away from the public eye like LeMond. He's going to promote and push the sport in America to new levels. The Tour of California? Who says America won't have the best 3 week tour eventually? I think it's possible.

I posted the same prediction a few weeks back in another thread. I believe Lance will be a promoter of cycling events when he retires from racing.

 

[mitosis]

Just to clarify a bit on the egotism... We in the US are very concerned about whatever affects us, just like anyone. However, we are in a bit of a unique situation. What happens in the rest of the world doesn't impact us as much as it does other people. The size of our economy alone insures that.

The British Empire stretched over a quarter of known civilization at one time, and they were accused of being just as arrogant at that time, if not more so. I suspect the Romans were viewed in much the same light when they were at their peak. Fact is, Americans will learn about the rest of the world to the degree that they need to. Same as anyone else. You learn about what can affect you.

Australians probably aren't deliberately disrespectful to Kiwis, it's just that the affairs of New Zealand don't affect Australia that much. If you were to ask the average Australian if they felt arrogant towards New Zealand, they would probably say no. What happens in Canada is of concern to us. However, we're probably more concerned with China right now. Doesn't mean we think the Chinese are better people than the Canadians, just that what happens in China is likely to impact our economy to a greater degree. I don't know, but would suspect that Australians are more concerned with China than New Zealand, for exactly the same reason. Along the same lines, I would surmise that Canadians aren't particularly concerned with what happens in Panama. This can be interpreted as a 'superior' attitude.

But it isn't superiority or arrogance. Just reality, and basic human nature. It has always been that way, and thus it will always be. You show your greatest concern for what can affect you the most.

Back to the original question - will we forget cycling after Lance? I won't. And that's all that matters to me, if you'll forgive me for showing arrogance and callous indifference towards my fellow countrymen.

I think you've just helped me make my point.

As you stated, people from the US care about what affects them. Many people in the rest of the world care about what affects them but also take an interest in the rest of the world because they find the rest of the world of interest and they have some concern for other people.