The cuddly fuzzy side of ASO

iainf72
iainf72 Posts: 15,784
edited July 2008 in Pro race
http://www.cyclingnews.co.za/Pages/Defa ... ctionID=22

That's nice of them innit. Pretty nice treat for the youngsters too - Especially after what happened on the Alpe.
Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.

Comments

  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    Are these the same people David Harmon was on about when he said one of them, who had never ridden a bike before, went up the Alpe in around 50 minutes.
  • vermooten
    vermooten Posts: 2,697
    Maybe it's the endos from tonight's TT still in my system but that article makes me feel even more pro-ASO.
    You just have to ride like you never have to breathe again.

    Manchester Wheelers
  • Doobz
    Doobz Posts: 2,800
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    Are these the same people David Harmon was on about when he said one of them, who had never ridden a bike before, went up the Alpe in around 50 minutes.

    yea it was -

    Seriously though.. I hope this doesn't sound racist in any way but I wonder why there are not more pro black riders. I know in the U.S there are a few.

    They have shown in other sports to have higher endurance levels then most people so surely the Kenyans and Ethiopians should be awesome cyclists if they had some decent kit
    cartoon.jpg
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    "Doobz wrote:
    They have shown in other sports to have higher endurance levels then most people so surely the Kenyans and Ethiopians should be awesome cyclists if they had some decent kit

    There you go - It's the cost. Running - Well, you can start without shoes and go from there. No bike? Hmmmm. Even entry level requires a lot of cash and when you've not got much money at all it's a no-goer. Also you need reasonable infrastructure (roads) and a fair amount of participation.

    There is a triathlete from South Africa (Ironman I think) who gets some support from the Ironman orgs AFAIK.

    It will come though I suspect.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • skavanagh.bikeradar
    skavanagh.bikeradar Posts: 1,097
    Well, I'm guessing the equipment side of things is a barrier to entry for many African or developing nations. I'm also guessing that with a mainly white European pro peloton with a %age of world weary cynics running it the opportunities for black riders is going to be limited - as it once was for Australians or Americans. They won't have a local source of cycling expertise either, there isn't a former pro giving out advice like there would be in Europe, there aren't established local races like in Belgium and there probably aren't many routes to the pro peloton like there is even in the UK, let alone Italy or France or Spain or Belgium.

    I also suspect that without a cultural history of bike racing in the black community even in europe there isn't any easy route in. I'd suggest even in the UK it would be rare to find a black cyclist at a club run or TT. Sporting black role models are in Basketball, football/soccer, NFL, athletics. I'm sure cycling would be percieved to be a white sport here and elsewhere. It''d be good to change this at all levels in all countries. So well done ASO.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Part of the reason I would have thought is that most European or US black people (who would have access to the finances) descend from West Africans (Nigeria etc) rather than East Africans (Kenya, Ethiopia).

    If you look at Africans in athletics, the West Africans excel at the power events (e.g. sprints) while it is the East Africans who dominate the endurance events.

    There's got to be some incredible talent in East Africa. Cycling's very popular in Eritrea, I believe, due to Italian occupation.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • yorkshireraw
    yorkshireraw Posts: 1,632
    ref. Eritrea - v true, their top distance runner (can't spell his name) who won the World XC last year used to be a cyclist.

    There is also a physiological difference with Kenyans vs. european / angl-saxons - their body type - narutally very lean and light - doesnt suggest it would lend itself well to the muscle development needed for cycling, compared to running. I believe there have been attempts to have Kenyan cyclists and XC skiers in the past because the thought was their natural aerobic abilities would help, but the physical side just didnt suit (at least with the guys they tried).

    Another issue in Kenya itself would be the state of the road network etc. wouldnt offer many decent road cycling surfaces. As already mentioned the cost would obviosuly come into it big time as well.

Categories