Flying_Monkey
Recyclist
- Location
- Odawa
There's a piece on CyclingNews today by Sarah Connolly about how women's cycling can be developed. She suggests 4 ways:
1. Celebrating the differences between men's and women's cycling. Shorter distances mean different tactics etc. (see: the Olympic road races);
2. Don't try to force teams to have a women's squad - use incentives at all levels;
3. Change the UCI registration system for women - at the moment, there is only one level and it's the same rules as for men's continental teams, which favours youth and development.
4. Make races more visible. More TV coverage etc. She suggests this is a matter of 'political will' of the governing bodies of the sport.
My problems with these arguments?
1. Well, for a start No.1 is purely the result of the prejudices that already exist in the sport. There is no reason why women's races have to be shorter, in fact, as physiological research has show, women perform better when stamina and staying power are concerned. In ultra-distance running, for example, the top men women regularly beat the top men.
2. Secondly, incentives mean money. The fundamental problem is how to get the money in to support the sport. And I actually do support compulsion of teams. Entry to the World Tour should be conditional on having a men's and a women's team. Now, certainly this could be financially supported in some way - in fact it would need the same kind of cash injection as incentives at any other level.
3. Yes. The registration rules are stupid.
4. Yes, but it's easier said than done.
Additionally, more work needs to be done with national federations. Some are really active in encouraging women's cycling, others much less so.
What do others think?
1. Celebrating the differences between men's and women's cycling. Shorter distances mean different tactics etc. (see: the Olympic road races);
2. Don't try to force teams to have a women's squad - use incentives at all levels;
3. Change the UCI registration system for women - at the moment, there is only one level and it's the same rules as for men's continental teams, which favours youth and development.
4. Make races more visible. More TV coverage etc. She suggests this is a matter of 'political will' of the governing bodies of the sport.
My problems with these arguments?
1. Well, for a start No.1 is purely the result of the prejudices that already exist in the sport. There is no reason why women's races have to be shorter, in fact, as physiological research has show, women perform better when stamina and staying power are concerned. In ultra-distance running, for example, the top men women regularly beat the top men.
2. Secondly, incentives mean money. The fundamental problem is how to get the money in to support the sport. And I actually do support compulsion of teams. Entry to the World Tour should be conditional on having a men's and a women's team. Now, certainly this could be financially supported in some way - in fact it would need the same kind of cash injection as incentives at any other level.
3. Yes. The registration rules are stupid.
4. Yes, but it's easier said than done.
Additionally, more work needs to be done with national federations. Some are really active in encouraging women's cycling, others much less so.
What do others think?