European champs - Azerbaijan?

rick_chasey
rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
edited June 2015 in Pro race
So Boonen mentioned he's going with 6 Belgians to a new European Championship, being held this year in Azerbaijan.

http://sporza.be/cm/sporza/wielrennen/1.2358775

Anyone heard about this?

Lefevre was not happy about it, and said 'I don't like these things, I don't want him to go but i'm contractually obliged by the UCI to not get in the way'.

I think he thinks the same of the Worlds road race too....

But anyway, has anyone heard about it?
_
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Comments

  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,259
    Yeah, it's a new thing. Sort of a European Olympics - like the Asian Games or the Pan American Games. Starts next week I think. I don't know if it will be a success.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_European_Games
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    Ah cool.

    Boonen seems keen to win it.
    _
  • craigus89
    craigus89 Posts: 887
    Ads all over Eurosport for it. Not sure how seriously they will be taken for the first few years.
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    RichN95 wrote:
    Yeah, it's a new thing. Sort of a European Olympics - like the Asian Games or the Pan American Games. Starts next week I think. I don't know if it will be a success.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2015_European_Games

    Adverts were on nearly every break on Eurosport, showed someone on a BMX jumping out of a pool or something.

    But as there are so many other adverts promoting Azerbaijan (and Macedonia and Croatia) it just about blends in with all the others!
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Its one of those made up sporting events that only ugly dictatorships have the money to host in a grand manner in order to glory themselves. A good 3rd of the Glasgow 2014 staff decided that the money was in excess of their principles and took themselves off there to throw their venues and infrastructure together in double quick time
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    cyd190468 wrote:
    Isn't everything east of Turkey in Asia?

    Yeah pretty odd having an EU champs in Asia. Money talks I guess. Don't think anyone will watch it, not least until it comes to a proper country.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,788
    I've clearly been on here too long when I can assign the comments to a poster without even looking at the names. :wink:
    http://cyclinganddesign.blogspot.fr/
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    Its one of those made up sporting events that only ugly dictatorships have the money to host in a grand manner in order to glory themselves. A good 3rd of the Glasgow 2014 staff decided that the money was in excess of their principles and took themselves off there to throw their venues and infrastructure together in double quick time

    But that's the nature of multi sport event organisers (and pretty much any "industry" that works in cycles). LOCOG consisted of a fair few Australians who started out at the Sydney Olympics and have worked on other Olympics since, as soon as London was finished they headed off to Rio where they'd secured jobs.
  • FJS
    FJS Posts: 4,820
    Azerbaijan is part of Europe with football, innit?

    Anyways, the Belgians seem to be taking this pretty seriously, with quite a bit of media attention. I've seen a bit of it in the Dutch press. Team GB cycling isn't going at all (but hey, we'll send some fencers and karate kids) - could at least have sent some youngsters for experience, right?

    Or is this some kind of UKIPish avoidance of anything european
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    hammerite wrote:
    disgruntledgoat wrote:
    Its one of those made up sporting events that only ugly dictatorships have the money to host in a grand manner in order to glory themselves. A good 3rd of the Glasgow 2014 staff decided that the money was in excess of their principles and took themselves off there to throw their venues and infrastructure together in double quick time

    But that's the nature of multi sport event organisers (and pretty much any "industry" that works in cycles). LOCOG consisted of a fair few Australians who started out at the Sydney Olympics and have worked on other Olympics since, as soon as London was finished they headed off to Rio where they'd secured jobs.

    I understand that. I was more surprised that a lot of the "local" staff who weren't in this bizarre circus before opted for it.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    FJS wrote:
    Azerbaijan is part of Europe with football, innit?

    Who knows. I don't watch that dirty sport. They would let Australia join the EU champs if they paid them enough.
    Contador is the Greatest
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,660
    frenchfighter wrote:
    FJS wrote:
    Azerbaijan is part of Europe with football, innit?

    Who knows. I don't watch that dirty sport. They would let Australia join the EU champs if they paid them enough.


    Frenchie confusing Eurovision song contest with international football.

    FWIW, I know the guy who arranged all the financing for the entire Eurovision for when Azerbaijan hosted it.

    (I'll give you a clue, it wasn't a bank).
    _
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,547
    FJS wrote:
    Azerbaijan is part of Europe with football, innit?

    Anyways, the Belgians seem to be taking this pretty seriously, with quite a bit of media attention. I've seen a bit of it in the Dutch press. Team GB cycling isn't going at all (but hey, we'll send some fencers and karate kids) - could at least have sent some youngsters for experience, right?

    Or is this some kind of UKIPish avoidance of anything european

    I guess the teams that get large funding based on Olympic results are not prepared to 'waste' time and money going to something like this. BC barely bother putting any real effort into winning World Champs these days, at least not on the track.
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    cyd190468 wrote:
    Isn't everything east of Turkey in Asia?
    Yes but so is the greater part of Turkey with the Bosporus water bridge giving Turkey a Toe Hold (Literally) in Europe.

    Azerbaijan was Soviet Union and along with the many present day countries who had no recognition except Soviet Union. (I know that most of you kiddies cannot comprehend that sentence)

    United Nations state Turkey and Azerbaijan to be Asia.

    Now what the latest "Führer" has in store for the New Europe is beyond all reason but it's working this time. :wink:
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    a large recipient of aid and infrastructure investment from the European Union
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azerbaijan ... _relations

    Joke really.

    Downtown_of_Baku_panoramics.png
    72636576.jpg
    Contador is the Greatest
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    frenchfighter wrote:
    a large recipient of aid and infrastructure investment from the European Union
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Azerbaijan ... _relations

    Joke really.


    This is probably because Azerbaijan is part of a buffer region that is both incredibly rich in resources and potential flashpoint between China and Russia. The EU has no way to project hard power in these countries so bribes, sorry, investment and baubles, sorry, cultural events will have to do.

    That they are invariably ruled by some thug with an aversion to elections is a fortunate coincidence as you know who to write the cheques to.
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,259
    Here's a hockey story about Azerbaijan. (It wasn't reported on but I have more than one very good source for this)

    Back in 2008 Azerbaijan hosted one of the qualifing tournaments for the last few places in the Women's hockey tournament. It came down to Spain and Azerbaijan.
    Now, usually Spain would have won quite comfortably, but several of their players came down sick before the big game. Spain eventually scraped home 3-2, but the trouble continued as two of their players tested positive (I think for ecstasy).
    Now, it turned out that the Azerbaijanis had been putting noxious substances in the air conditioning and had spiked their food (as well as making phone calls in the middle of the night). Umpires had also fallen ill and Spain got their entire staff tested and several non-players tested positive (including the Federation President's 70 year old wife). I think some of the umpires were found to have consumed it too.
    Somehow Azerbaijan escaped punishment for this as they couldn't prove institutional wrong doing, but they didn't get Spain DQed - despite going through every court - and the two players were cleared and went to the Olympics.



    One of their clubs was at a tournament I was at two weeks ago. Their coach got sent off for starting a fight.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • sherer
    sherer Posts: 2,460
    The whole Europe Asia device is all very confusing as neither is an independent land mass. Seems to be whatever suits people at the time
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    sherer wrote:
    The whole Europe Asia device is all very confusing as neither is an independent land mass. Seems to be whatever suits people at the time
    Hence what the "Führer" has in the cupboard,
    It's called the Schengen Agreement. (so keep your eyes open)
    The French built a tunnel to rope us in but we still remain outside the Schengen Agreement. :)
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • deejay
    deejay Posts: 3,138
    disgruntledgoat wrote:


    This is probably because Azerbaijan is part of a buffer region
    Anybody remember the East-West "Wall".
    Well, West Germany had nightmares because they were the buffer region if the Soviets started aggression's.

    Your right the Furer is putting a lot of effort into moving the buffer region.
    Organiser, National Championship 50 mile Time Trial 1972
  • Yellow Peril
    Yellow Peril Posts: 4,466
    will the winner get to wear a blue shirt with yellow stars for the season? seems logical if you have Nat and world champs jerseys
    @JaunePeril

    Winner of the Bike Radar Pro Race Wiggins Hour Prediction Competition
  • lyn1
    lyn1 Posts: 261
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    will the winner get to wear a blue shirt with yellow stars for the season? seems logical if you have Nat and world champs jerseys

    I thought it was the European Games, ie a regional offshoot of the Olympics, not the European Championships. You do not get an Olympic jersey, so cannot see anything for this event
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    Yellow Peril wrote:
    will the winner get to wear a blue shirt with yellow stars for the season? seems logical if you have Nat and world champs jerseys
    Helen Wyman has one just like that for Cross
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • Bo Duke
    Bo Duke Posts: 1,058
    When the USSR broke up there was a danger the outlying republics would disintegrate so the powers who be immediately tasked UEFA to invest millions in renovating 'national' stadiums, player, coaching, referee courses, local FA admiistration, training grounds, club pitches and mini pitches. The idea was to give the local people instant national pride in their footy teams and create one aspect of national unity. This spread right across the region. This also handed a lot of power to UEFA who then actively expanded by allowing other, totally illogical countries to join, such as Kazakstan which borders Xinjiang province, China... hardly the best definition of europe. UEFA independently decided to exaggerate this brief to create a stronger competitor to FIFA with a view of starting an alternative world cup as and when. Other odd decisions can be traced back to this same period of instability, and with Russia raising its ugly head again, you can be sure that more sporting events etc.. will beheld in former satellites and republics to ensure they maintain a strong national identity. Yes mega corruption will keep the leaders loyal, but sports events are needed for national public opinion.
    'Performance analysis and Froome not being clean was a media driven story. I haven’t heard one guy in the peloton say a negative thing about Froome, and I haven’t heard a single person in the peloton suggest Froome isn’t clean.' TSP
  • hammerite
    hammerite Posts: 3,408
    Bo Duke wrote:
    This also handed a lot of power to UEFA who then actively expanded by allowing other, totally illogical countries to join, such as Kazakstan which borders Xinjiang province, China... hardly the best definition of europe.

    Tell me about it. West Ham are in the first qualifying round of the Europa League, as are two teams from Kazakhstan. I'm hoping we don't draw them as I was hoping for a bit of Euro action, over the summer holidays just in case we get knocked out before the first round proper (that and I'm a teacher, so wouldn't be able to make games in the main season anyway).

    A nice draw against a Western European nation would go down quite well.
  • disgruntledgoat
    disgruntledgoat Posts: 8,957
    A charming bunch

    http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/jun/11/azerbaijan-bans-guardian-european-games-baku-2015
    "In many ways, my story was that of a raging, Christ-like figure who hauled himself off the cross, looked up at the Romans with blood in his eyes and said 'My turn, sock cookers'"

    @gietvangent
  • curium
    curium Posts: 815
    [url=http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=19618233#p19618233]sherer[/url] wrote:
    The whole Europe Asia device is all very confusing as neither is an independent land mass. Seems to be whatever suits people at the time
    It's all about geopolitics - whatever designation allows the big powers to achieve their ends.
  • frenchfighter
    frenchfighter Posts: 30,642
    @f_cancellara 8h8 hours ago
    Have the #EuropeanGames2015 #Baku2015 have a future....!!??
    Contador is the Greatest
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,259
    edited June 2015
    Delete
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • argyllflyer
    argyllflyer Posts: 893
    Coverage hidden away on BT Sport, I notice the women's road race is scheduled to be shown on saturday morning.

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