Should cycling move on?
Jeez it's the 21st century but we still have this tradition of race winners getting kissed by 2 dolly birds. Teenage fantasy made real? A slice of repressed pre-60s life which slid unnoticed into our time? Bernard Manning and mother-in-law jokes. Golliwogs and other forms of 'victimless' racism.
Now don't get me wrong: no-one appreciates hot women as much as I do. Really. And when you mix hotties and cycling, then hubba hubba. But doesn't this kind of throw-back to the olden days alienate younger potential fans? The peloton is a bastion of white male supremacy - no wonder the Tour is referred as being part of "old France", and fandom is increasingly made up of old men in anoraks who go on about Sean Yates as if he were still racing... and so on. Is this sustainable? Won't sponsors want to reach out to a wider market?
Thoughts?
Andy
Now don't get me wrong: no-one appreciates hot women as much as I do. Really. And when you mix hotties and cycling, then hubba hubba. But doesn't this kind of throw-back to the olden days alienate younger potential fans? The peloton is a bastion of white male supremacy - no wonder the Tour is referred as being part of "old France", and fandom is increasingly made up of old men in anoraks who go on about Sean Yates as if he were still racing... and so on. Is this sustainable? Won't sponsors want to reach out to a wider market?
Thoughts?
Andy
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Comments
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If you think the "dolly birds" are bad...
...do you know what the champagne spraying is meant to symbolise?
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heh heh indeed... but why waste it on the photographers?Kléber wrote:...do you know what the champagne spraying is meant to symbolise?0 -
Its just abit of fun.
Even cricket has its scantily clad dancers in 20/20 matches.
I'm not sure younger fans would bat an eye lid0 -
Podium girls are nothing compared to cheerleaders in American sports, or the women you see on the grid before motor racing events. I do agree though, it's kinda out-dated and sexist.0
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Andy's question = buzz kill.
Let's leave the sociology to the sociologists.0 -
I think we can reasonably assume that those two girls aren't standing there against their will. I fail to see the problem. What next - people asking to stick engines in the bikes becuase the physical effort of pedalling is so outdated and unnecessary. 0
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...asked my better half what she thought.... her comment.... "what women ?... I was looking at the hot bloke dressed in lycra"... what you gonna do !0
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mgcycleguy wrote:...asked my better half what she thought.... her comment.... "what women ?... I was looking at the hot bloke dressed in lycra"... what you gonna do !
Yea my girlfriend wants to know why i don't look as good as Cav in lycra!
Someone has to handout the prizes at end of the stage/race, it may aswell be two beauties rather than old men in suits.0 -
GavH wrote:I think we can reasonably assume that those two girls aren't standing there against their will. I fail to see the problem.
*takes a deep breath*
I'm afraid for boring academic reasons that I've probably discussed elsewhere (systems of knowledge and the like), that argument misses the point somewhat...
Just because there was the odd willing black African part of the White supremacist movement in South Africa post-apartheid doesn't legitimise it!
Having said that, in practice, I wouldn't like to see it go. Though it would be cool to have male models for gay cyclists Note: the above post is an opinion and not fact. It might be a lie.0 -
teagar wrote:Having said that, in practice, I wouldn't like to see it go. Though it would be cool to have male models for gay cyclists
Fat chance.
Female cyclists don't get male models :roll:0 -
johnny bugno caught in the team car with the lipton ice tea girls"If I was a 38 year old man, I definitely wouldn't be riding a bright yellow bike with Hello Kitty disc wheels, put it that way. What we're witnessing here is the world's most high profile mid-life crisis" Afx237vi Mon Jul 20, 2009 2:43 pm0
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But in this post feminist world parading around in next to nothing and selling on sex is empowering for women, don't you know? 0
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No, Is my answer.
I did the Nove Colli a couple of years ago and was presented with my medal by some podium girls, it was great
There are so many riders, they do shifts.0 -
yes totally agree, it's like ring girls at thai boxing events. a throwback to a time and attitude most of us have left behind0
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To be fair, I'm sure George Hincapie would disagree too. He married one.0
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A podium girl, I mean, not a Thai boxer.0
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Christophe Moreau married one two. Only he was with a long term girlfriend until he got frisky with one during the Tour and one thing led to another...0
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Yeah I can see how the 1 thing putting off teenaged viewers is the hot podium girls.
All my friends complain whenever they see me that the one thing that puts them off cycling is the outdated sexual stereotype of podium girls.
We should get rid of them all now, and replace them with sensible looking men and women who can remove these silly stereotypes."I hold it true, what'er befall;
I feel it, when I sorrow most;
'Tis better to have loved and lost;
Than never to have loved at all."
Alfred Tennyson0 -
Aren't a lot of the Tour De France girls university students filling their summer holidays?0
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skavanagh.bikeradar wrote:university students filling their summer holidays?
No just filling their costumes :-)
very nicely in most cases.
Perhaps to balance things out, you could have some fat chavs presenting the prizes on alternate days.
Flame proof suit at the ready :shock:0
