What will it take for...

Insideinfo
Insideinfo Posts: 107
edited October 2012 in Pro race
The Tour of Britain to get a leg up in the UCI rankings?

With the support it got over the past two years isnt it about time its status was upgraded? And should it be 2 weeks in length? Who agrees?

Comments

  • thomthom
    thomthom Posts: 3,574
    Become chinese.
  • esafosfina
    esafosfina Posts: 131
    More money... shorter transfers... better weather! It would be good to see it upgraded but taking it to two weeks isn't necessary. 8-10 days is a decent length for a stage-race.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    From what Mick Bennett has said, his ideal is for it to be a few days longer. But he's not keen on pressing for it to get the higher ranking that would mean 8-rider teams and race radios.

    But I would like to see a women's ToB - that would do wonders for womens racing, given the reduction in races in the European programme - with the rumoured possibility of losing the Giro Donne too, which would be a massive knock for them.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,462
    Are there any stage races other than the 3 GTs that are longer than the ToB? Even the likes of the Dauphine are only the same length or possibly a day longer. I think it is doing the right thing, building slowly each year and has a decent slot in the calendar just before the Worlds although a lot of the best stage race riders have often finish their seasons by that time. When you think that the ToB in its various guises has struggled for financing and had gaps without being run the main thing is to just get it as a secure fixture of the calendar in the first instance.
  • Richmond Racer
    Richmond Racer Posts: 8,561
    Pross wrote:
    Are there any stage races other than the 3 GTs that are longer than the ToB? Even the likes of the Dauphine are only the same length or possibly a day longer. I think it is doing the right thing, building slowly each year and has a decent slot in the calendar just before the Worlds although a lot of the best stage race riders have often finish their seasons by that time. When you think that the ToB in its various guises has struggled for financing and had gaps without being run the main thing is to just get it as a secure fixture of the calendar in the first instance.


    Tour de Suisse is one I can think of - 9 days.
  • Jez mon
    Jez mon Posts: 3,809
    I think realistically, it's at the right level at the moment.
    You live and learn. At any rate, you live
  • esafosfina
    esafosfina Posts: 131
    Paris-Nice...?
  • Art Vandelay
    Art Vandelay Posts: 1,982
    Vuelta a Colombia and I think Costa Rica. One of the biggest restraints for the Tour of Britain is, other than the financial support of regional bodies, is getting police support.

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