31 seconds covers the podium

shane wrote:

Thanks for the history lesson Morten, it makes this whole mess make a
bit more sense.

Unfortunately, theres needs to be a balance between cleaning the sport
and protecting the image of the sport (even though its kind of a
conflict). It seems to me that the UCI is cleaning the sport,but not
caring about the business aspect of it. Operation Puerto is an example
that comes to mind, where the press only focuses on the cyclists and
no other athletes. It doesnt seem to me that the UCI is capable of
protecting the sport as a business. Has the Pro Tour really
accomplished anything positive?

Oh yes:

1) Riders are beeing paid. Remember when Mercury and the Lindsay
McCartney folded?
2) That the teams are abliged to participate in events which assures a
higher credibility of the races.
3) Teams can't ignore smaler protour events.
4) The ethical charter.
5) Increased the sponsors interest in smaller protour events.
6) The importance for non protour teams to aim for a spot on the
protour has incressed the revenue from non protour teams sponsors.
7) Increased the competition among continental teams in non protour
events, because the protour teams or riders doesn't get points in
those races. The continental teams thrives, in a small country like
Denmark the protour has increased the number of continetal teams
competing in international events. It's great for young talents.

clean sport is great , but if in the process theres no athletes or
fans left, was it worth it?

The protour has increased the TV coverage of smaller protour events
and attracted more sponsors to those events.

The protour might not be better for TDF but it has been a positive for
just about every other race. In order for cycling sport to build a
future cycling needs to more than TDF. The protour is all about that.

--
Morten Reippuert Knudsen :-) http://blog.reippuert.dk

Merlin Works CR-3/2.5 & Campagnolo Chorus 2007.

On Jul 29, 8:10 am, Morten Reippuert wrote:
shane wrote:
Thanks for the history lesson Morten, it makes this whole mess make a
bit more sense.

Unfortunately, theres needs to be a balance between cleaning the sport
and protecting the image of the sport (even though its kind of a
conflict). It seems to me that the UCI is cleaning the sport,but not
caring about the business aspect of it. Operation Puerto is an example
that comes to mind, where the press only focuses on the cyclists and
no other athletes. It doesnt seem to me that the UCI is capable of
protecting the sport as a business. Has the Pro Tour really
accomplished anything positive?

Oh yes:

1) Riders are beeing paid. Remember when Mercury and the Lindsay
McCartney folded?
2) That the teams are abliged to participate in events which assures a
higher credibility of the races.
3) Teams can't ignore smaler protour events.
4) The ethical charter.
5) Increased the sponsors interest in smaller protour events.
6) The importance for non protour teams to aim for a spot on the
protour has incressed the revenue from non protour teams sponsors.
7) Increased the competition among continental teams in non protour
events, because the protour teams or riders doesn't get points in
those races. The continental teams thrives, in a small country like
Denmark the protour has increased the number of continetal teams
competing in international events. It's great for young talents.

clean sport is great , but if in the process theres no athletes or
fans left, was it worth it?

The protour has increased the TV coverage of smaller protour events
and attracted more sponsors to those events.

The protour might not be better for TDF but it has been a positive for
just about every other race. In order for cycling sport to build a
future cycling needs to more than TDF. The protour is all about that.

--
Morten Reippuert Knudsen :-) http://blog.reippuert.dk

Merlin Works CR-3/2.5 & Campagnolo Chorus 2007.

Thanks for this perspective Morten

Dont know about the pay scandals you mention. But do Pro Tour cyclists
have a minimum wage?

As far as coverage goes, in the US we get very little coverage besides
the tour, so to me it seems the same. I thought eurosport was covering
smaller pro tour races (fleche, wevelgem,) before the pro tour. I dont
think I saw coverage of something like volta a catalunya on eurosport.

As far as top team participation in smaller protour events goes, does
Euskaltel sending a C team to the Giro , or Lampre sending a C team to
the Vuelta really help these races or teams? Even pro tour teams have
national priorities, which the Pro Tour seems to intefere with. Im not
sure if this means that there should be less pro tour teams, or just
more intl sponsors, but I think its a problem.

"Morten Reippuert Knudsen" a écrit dans le message de
news: ...
Montesquiou wrote:

I read some where that it was the intention of the French authority to
declare the tour some kind of "National institution" (I don't remember
the
correct expression).
ASO knows very well to have the support of the French authority, and
Sarko
in particular. Reason for what Patrice Clerc dare to defy UCI.
As you said the Tour is for France one of his most important display,
millions of tourist, news in the media, reports aso.
Then, the TDF is so popular among the French and no-french since more
than
100 years that the French authority will never accept the death of the
Tour.
What some jornalist fail to understand is that the Tour is 90 % a popular
fest and only 10 % a sportive event.
There were 2 millions in London ( If I am not mistaken) : Do we believe
there were 2 millions of cyclist fans ? Of course no.

So your are saying that the TDF is better off being a showbuiz event
than a sporting event?

No, I did not said " it was better", I said "It is a fact"

I tend to agree on that, but it won't be better
for cycling as a sport. And it certainly won't reduce the usage of
doping among the cyclists in TDF since ASO won't have a reason to do
so, their main objective will be make it look like they are doing an
awfull lot and avoyd scandals (aka covering up).

I don't know if you have followed a stage "on the road", but all the people
I was talking with, said "enough - Y en a marre de ces dopés... tricheurs -
Cheaters".

Put next year riders called Dupont or Smith, the public will be the same if
the public believe they are clean.


The European Consumer today want clean riders as he want product without GMO

--
Morten Reippuert Knudsen :-) http://blog.reippuert.dk

Merlin Works CR-3/2.5 & Campagnolo Chorus 2007.

shane wrote:

Dont know about the pay scandals you mention. But do Pro Tour cyclists
have a minimum wage?

They do, but that isn't what im refereing to, until the protour quite
a few division 1 and 2 teams folded every midseason. Riders where ofte
left without pay, for months, years or ever. Today every protour team
has to deposite a large sum of money in order to be be able to pay
their employes if the team folds.

As far as coverage goes, in the US we get very little coverage besides
the tour, so to me it seems the same. I thought eurosport was covering
smaller pro tour races (fleche, wevelgem,) before the pro tour. I dont
think I saw coverage of something like volta a catalunya on eurosport.

Eurosport covers almost every protour race, in addition to that they
have begun covering the smaler races in Belgoum, Holland germany and
northern france.

In addition to that viasat are covering races too. I northern europe
the focus is on protour events and races from northerne france,
belgim and france.

As far as top team participation in smaller protour events goes, does
Euskaltel sending a C team to the Giro , or Lampre sending a C team to
the Vuelta really help these races or teams?

Dunno, one could argue that it's an opptunity for the teams younger
riders. However it does have the positive effect that the contineltal
teams has been able to attract more sponsors because they have
improved their ability to expose their sponsors.

Even pro tour teams have
national priorities, which the Pro Tour seems to intefere with. Im not
sure if this means that there should be less pro tour teams, or just
more intl sponsors, but I think its a problem.

In that case, perhaps they should have applyed for a continental licence
instead.

--
Morten Reippuert Knudsen :-) http://blog.reippuert.dk

Merlin Works CR-3/2.5 & Campagnolo Chorus 2007.

On Jul 29, 4:55 pm, Morten Reippuert wrote:
shane wrote:
Dont know about the pay scandals you mention. But do Pro Tour cyclists
have a minimum wage?

They do, but that isn't what im refereing to, until the protour quite
a few division 1 and 2 teams folded every midseason. Riders where ofte
left without pay, for months, years or ever. Today every protour team
has to deposite a large sum of money in order to be be able to pay
their employes if the team folds.

As far as coverage goes, in the US we get very little coverage besides
the tour, so to me it seems the same. I thought eurosport was covering
smaller pro tour races (fleche, wevelgem,) before the pro tour. I dont
think I saw coverage of something like volta a catalunya on eurosport.

Eurosport covers almost every protour race, in addition to that they
have begun covering the smaler races in Belgoum, Holland germany and
northern france.

In addition to that viasat are covering races too. I northern europe
the focus is on protour events and races from northerne france,
belgim and france.

As far as top team participation in smaller protour events goes, does
Euskaltel sending a C team to the Giro , or Lampre sending a C team to
the Vuelta really help these races or teams?

Dunno, one could argue that it's an opptunity for the teams younger
riders. However it does have the positive effect that the contineltal
teams has been able to attract more sponsors because they have
improved their ability to expose their sponsors.

Even pro tour teams have
national priorities, which the Pro Tour seems to intefere with. Im not
sure if this means that there should be less pro tour teams, or just
more intl sponsors, but I think its a problem.

In that case, perhaps they should have applyed for a continental licence
instead.

--
Morten Reippuert Knudsen :-) http://blog.reippuert.dk

Merlin Works CR-3/2.5 & Campagnolo Chorus 2007.

Thanks for your insights Morten...