Minor Races Thread 2015 - [SPOILERS]

[mjr]

Good win for Trentin in Tours today but it was looking the most likely result once GVA punctured.

 

[mjr]

So the heat is a problem and the riders are in it for 3+ hours, in direct sunshine, doing 120k+ each day. Footballers on the other hand, 90 minutes, only covering around 10k, walking at points and in a stadium that will provide some cover. Why is the World Cup being moved!!!!!

More praise for the Abu Dhabi Tour to annoy @Marmion at http://velonews.competitor.com/2015...ortunities-for-old-hands-up-and-comers_387497

A 10-year contract with a race organiser to build a new event up... sounds like what those crazy people in the tiny country of Britain did a while ago

 

[sleaver]

There is probably a very simple answer to this, but why didn't the 3km rule apply when Poels crashed on the third stage of the Abu Dhabi Tour?

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

More praise for the Abu Dhabi Tour to annoy @Marmion at http://velonews.competitor.com/2015...ortunities-for-old-hands-up-and-comers_387497

A 10-year contract with a race organiser to build a new event up... sounds like what those crazy people in the tiny country of Britain did a while ago

Just shows how desperate the UCI are; there are many places they should be cultivating, the oil states should not be as prominent as they seem to have become.

 

[MisterStan]

Just shows how desperate the UCI are; there are many places they should be cultivating, the oil states should not be as prominent as they seem to have become.

It's not just the UCI; F1, football etc, sadly, money talks.....

 

[Pro Tour Punditry]

It's not just the UCI; F1, football etc, sadly, money talks.....

Yes, I know that - it's desperate that the "new era" UCI follows suit; where money talks, corruption follows. If there was any hope that Cookson might change things then I think we may as well start waving our handkerchiefs now.

 

[mjr]

There is probably a very simple answer to this, but why didn't the 3km rule apply when Poels crashed on the third stage of the Abu Dhabi Tour?

The 3km rule's for bunch sprints and Poels crashed on an uphill finish

 

[oldroadman]

Correct - rule does not apply to mountain top finishes.

The 3km rule's for bunch sprints and Poels crashed on an uphill finish

 

[mjr]

One last thing:</Columbo> Eurosport cancelled the highlights of Abu Dhabi Tour Stage 4 on Sunday because some minor snooker overran and there doesn't appear to be a repeat scheduled. Them racing around a F1 track was something a bit different and a stage I was interested to see a bit of. So I watched it on the internet instead of the TV, but doesn't that sum up how seriously it wasn't being taken by most people?

 

[sleaver]

One last thing:</Columbo> Eurosport cancelled the highlights of Abu Dhabi Tour Stage 4 on Sunday because some minor snooker overran and there doesn't appear to be a repeat scheduled. Them racing around a F1 track was something a bit different and a stage I was interested to see a bit of. So I watched it on the internet instead of the TV, but doesn't that sum up how seriously it wasn't being taken by most people?

So I guess the recording I have on Sky+ from 22:30 on Sunday isn't what I expect it to be

While it is good to have races in different parts of the world, it did make me wonder if Abu Dhabi paid for a tour to take place there because they wanted it for the cycling, or to "show off" their country.

Also, from what I heard from what I have watched, the air temperatures they were putting on the screen were somewhat lower than what they actually were. What with the riders going slower than normal because it was so hot, was it again a tour just to show off the country.

 

[mjr]

Isn't showing off the area a large part of all pro cycling races? Certainly the UK races justify government support that way.

 

[Berk on a Bike]

It's the Chrono des Nations on Sunday and the recently crowned TT world champ, Vasil Kiryienka, is taking part, as is the silver medalist Adriano Malori and fourth placed Jonathan Castroviejo. Go Kiry etc !

 

[sleaver]

Isn't showing off the area a large part of all pro cycling races? Certainly the UK races justify government support that way.

If you look at the countries that currently have pro races, they have a long historical interest in cycling. Compare that to Abu Dhabi that doesn't have that history (I'd never heard of the team based there before last week), has temperatures where athletes can't perform at their maximum, builds towns based on Switzerland at the base of a desert mountain etc. and then think what the difference is. Oil. They have a vast amount of money to "buy" events just because they can.

That said, I don't think this is the place for another discussion between us on government support/budgets

 

[mjr]

If you look at the countries that currently have pro races, they have a long historical interest in cycling

Ah, those historical hotbeds of cycling: Argentina, Malaysia, Iran, ...

 

[smutchin]

If you look at the countries that currently have pro races, they have a long historical interest in cycling.

So we should just continue to restrict the "World" Tour to the same small geographical area until the end of time? To my mind, it's a Very Good Thing that the UCI are actively spreading cycling's wings. However, while I'm sure we'd all love to see a Grand Tour staged in South America, the harsh reality is that new events will only be held where there is hard cash to support them.

On the other hand, it's never going to be a good idea to hold a race in a flat, dusty landscape with no corners for 300km and temperatures exceeding 50ºC.