Giro to start in DC in 2012

donrhummy

iainf72 wrote:

donrhummy wrote:

Really? Because I have never seen you complain about ALL of their starts outside Italy (almost every year) when it's in Europe.

Serious question Don : Have you ever flown from the US to Europe? I have a few times and you feel absolutely hammered. In Europe, your transfers will be about an hour on a plane max with no time zone change.

The Giro starting in Belgium, Holland or Greece is a very different thing to it starting on the east coast of the US.

While I have sympathy for what you say about seeing the race, it's unfair on the riders. I think McQuaid made some noises about not allowing it.

I have and I wasn't hammered at all, actually. Of course I was not riding in a Grand Tour but US to Europe isn't that hard. Japan? That's a lot harder.

But I think as long as there's multiple rest days, there isn't that big of an issue. And really, I think in the long run it'll benefit the riders as it will help popularize the sport more globally, which leads to more races, more teams and more money.

dougzz

Moomaloid wrote:

Are there not more Italians in NOO YOIK?!

Haven't they all moved into the suburbs. Little Italy is tiny now, completely surrounded by Chinatown.

micron

Is this so they can be competitive with the Tour of California? Get the big US teams to commit to the Giro because it's on their home turf, rather than lose out on the lucrative dollars?

Kléber

micron wrote:

Is this so they can be competitive with the Tour of California? Get the big US teams to commit to the Giro because it's on their home turf, rather than lose out on the lucrative dollars?

Yes, a lot of this is down to politics. RCS is worried that the Tour of California will become a crucial race on the Pro Tour calendar and by pitching up in Washington it hopes to steal some of the West Coast race's thunder. It's exactly the sort of nonsense the UCI's Racing Commission should be preventing.

nick hanson

If they want to make it more global,then it would have to be a world tour,not a Giro.
Is it really so hard to understand It is the TOUR OF ITALY.
How hard is that really,to understand.
As has been suggested,the authorities need to nip this in the bud

BdeB

My sister lives in DC. i'm going, its in my diary.

RichN95.

dennisn wrote:

jrduquemin wrote:

Huh? What the hell are the organisers thinking?

MONEY, MONEY, MONEY?????? :? :?

They made them an offer they couldn't refuse [/Italian American stereotype]

dougzz

To carry on this theme it's the sort of madness that will end up with Pro Cycling sleeping with the fishes.

The UCI need to take control here and stop important races going head to head. The TOC can large it while LA is around, but in the long run the Giro is much more important and the UCI need to act to protect the established order. New events and expanding the horizons is fine, but if you do so at the expense of your core events it won't end well. Could you imagine tennis allowing a significant other event during the French Open, or Golf during The Open, crazy way to run a business I say.

blazing_saddles

Kléber wrote:

micron wrote:

Is this so they can be competitive with the Tour of California? Get the big US teams to commit to the Giro because it's on their home turf, rather than lose out on the lucrative dollars?

Yes, a lot of this is down to politics. RCS is worried that the Tour of California will become a crucial race on the Pro Tour calendar and by pitching up in Washington it hopes to steal some of the West Coast race's thunder. It's exactly the sort of nonsense the UCI's Racing Commission should be preventing.

It could and should have been avoided in the first place. The UCI should have given California the late March slot it has chosen to shove Catalunya, into, as the parcours the US race has come up with, doesn't merit such a prime slot.
So, how the UCI can justify moving this Spanish race for the third time in 5 years, leaving such a major player devoid of a stage race for most of the high season, is beyond me.

Jez mon

Blazing Saddles wrote:

Kléber wrote:

micron wrote:

Is this so they can be competitive with the Tour of California? Get the big US teams to commit to the Giro because it's on their home turf, rather than lose out on the lucrative dollars?

Yes, a lot of this is down to politics. RCS is worried that the Tour of California will become a crucial race on the Pro Tour calendar and by pitching up in Washington it hopes to steal some of the West Coast race's thunder. It's exactly the sort of nonsense the UCI's Racing Commission should be preventing.

It could and should have been avoided in the first place. The UCI should have given California the late March slot it has chosen to shove Catalunya, into, as the parcours the US race has come up with, doesn't merit such a prime slot.
So, how the UCI can justify moving this Spanish race for the third time in 5 years, leaving such a major player devoid of a stage race for most of the high season, is beyond me.

The UCI probably feel they can mess the Spanish around whereas they feel they have to keep the ToC people happy.

IME jet lag effects different people in different ways, the vast majority of the pro peleton aren't exactly frequent fliers, I should think most of them will get pretty knackered by it. Not to mention the fact that (from what I hear) most pro cyclists hate flying because they have the immune systems of babies!

2 rest days in a row might be enough time to sort the jet lag out, but it hardly does anything for the rhythm of a Grand Tour

seemunkee

WHOOO F***ING HOOO!!!
I'm in the DC burbs and while I think it's a stupid idea I'm very excited by this.

Pross

Ridiculous idea and also in these days of 'carbon footprints' surely not very good PR? If the Yanks want top class racing they need to make their own Tours more appealling.