Coronavirus and pro sport

1…2829313334…42

Comments

  • kingstongraham
    kingstongraham Posts: 28,100
    pblakeney said:

    Guy from Perth a Liverpool fan?

    Brummie.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,291
    kingstongraham said:

    pblakeney said:

    Guy from Perth a Liverpool fan?

    Brummie.
    Villa fan looking to avoid relegation then. 😉
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    The calendar is bang smack in the middle of the likeliest "round two" period.

    Deeply sceptical any racing will happen this year.

    _
  • gweeds
    gweeds Posts: 2,613
    https://www.velonews.com/news/road/sources-aso-tells-teams-to-be-ready-for-august-29-tour-de-france/
    Napoleon, don't be jealous that I've been chatting online with babes all day. Besides, we both know that I'm training to be a cage fighter.
  • gweeds
    gweeds Posts: 2,613
    https://www.velonews.com/news/road/sources-aso-tells-teams-to-be-ready-for-august-29-tour-de-france/
    Napoleon, don't be jealous that I've been chatting online with babes all day. Besides, we both know that I'm training to be a cage fighter.
  • TheBigBean
    TheBigBean Posts: 21,878
    I was assuming that Liverpool would eventually be champions of the 19/21 season.
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 27,291
    TheBigBean said:

    I was assuming that Liverpool would eventually be champions of the 19/21 season.

    Actually, that was 1921-22. 😉

    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • carbonclem
    carbonclem Posts: 1,783
    rick_chasey said:

    The calendar is bang smack in the middle of the likeliest "round two" period.

    Deeply sceptical any racing will happen this year.

    It all seems a little fanciful. Id say dump the GT's, and hold the monuments, if anything. Something for everyone and no dragging stuff from town to town over numerous weeks.

    That said, I'll be surprised to see any of it.

    Regarding Riis vs Brailsford - so Riis is saying he'll let his riders compete as long as ASO say so, without undertaking any checks and balances himself?
    2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    rick_chasey said:

    The calendar is bang smack in the middle of the likeliest "round two" period.

    Deeply sceptical any racing will happen this year.

    Is there anything related to this virus that you are not deeply sceptical about?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    blazing_saddles said:

    rick_chasey said:

    The calendar is bang smack in the middle of the likeliest "round two" period.

    Deeply sceptical any racing will happen this year.

    Is there anything related to this virus that you are not deeply sceptical about?
    I've been reading a few books on pandemics of the past, and the idea it'll be done in 6 months is seriously ambitious thinking, if they're anything to go by.
    _
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    It's nice to be optimistic but at some point realism comes into it.
    I see Mick Bennett thinks that the TdF is unlikely to happen this year.

    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/may/04/tour-of-britain-director-will-be-staggered-if-tour-de-france-goes-ahead-cycling

    Logistics innit. Imagine trying to sort out the organisation all over again in just a few months.
  • blazing_saddles
    blazing_saddles Posts: 22,725
    edited May 2020
    fenix said:

    It's nice to be optimistic but at some point realism comes into it.
    I see Mick Bennett thinks that the TdF is unlikely to happen this year.

    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/may/04/tour-of-britain-director-will-be-staggered-if-tour-de-france-goes-ahead-cycling

    Logistics innit. Imagine trying to sort out the organisation all over again in just a few months.

    Of course he is going to say that.
    Mick Bennett thinks that the ToB is the only race on the calendar that shouldn't have to double up with another race. Unfortunately, in the ToB's case it's up against the Tour.
    If logistics and travel are a problem, guess which race has to cross a border and deal with a second set of parliamentary rules?
    "Science is a tool for cheaters". An anonymous French PE teacher.
  • carbonclem
    carbonclem Posts: 1,783
    ToB will end up devaluing itself if it happens this year. There’s hardly any domestic teams left and I can’t see overseas teams bothering.
    2020/2021/2022 Metric Century Challenge Winner
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    There was some mention of it being much easier for riders to dope in this scenario. Has there been any movement on that?
    _
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    edited May 2020
    wrong thread!
    _
  • nickice
    nickice Posts: 2,439
    coopster_the_1st said:

    nickice said:

    France has just announced no large sporting events before September. Not looking like the tour will happen

    The Tour has special status in France. It can be above the law when needed. The rules that apply to other sports will not by default apply to the Tour.
    I hope it goes ahead but the French are being very, very cautious (overly cautious in my opinion and I'm pretty risk averse) and, unfortunately, I think Macron might be quite enjoying the situation. Regarding the rules, not applying, that isn't true especially for a high-profile event like the tour.

    In my experience, most French people don't care that much about cycling: for the Paris-Roubaix at Carrefour de l'Arbre, Belgians outnumber French by a considerable margin (I'm fairly sure Paris-Roubaix wouldn't have the status it has if it wasn't so close to the Belgian border). The French will go out if it passes near their house but they don't seem to be much more interested in it than your average Brit. Of course, there's then the economic side of it on which we can agree.

    If football matches go ahead without fans, the tour will have to do the same at least at the start and finish.
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    edited May 2020
    nickice said:


    I hope it goes ahead but the French are being very, very cautious (overly cautious in my opinion and I'm pretty risk averse) and, unfortunately, I think Macron might be quite enjoying the situation. Regarding the rules, not applying, that isn't true especially for a high-profile event like the tour.

    In my experience, most French people don't care that much about cycling: for the Paris-Roubaix at Carrefour de l'Arbre, Belgians outnumber French by a considerable margin (I'm fairly sure Paris-Roubaix wouldn't have the status it has if it wasn't so close to the Belgian border). The French will go out if it passes near their house but they don't seem to be much more interested in it than your average Brit. Of course, there's then the economic side of it on which we can agree.

    If football matches go ahead without fans, the tour will have to do the same at least at the start and finish.


    This sort of fits in with what I was saying on an earlier post. What the Tour needs to do is keep the spectators local. And to do that you discourage travel to the race. Travellers will go to the start, the finish or significant climbs. So if you can restrict access to those areas, and more importantly make sure it is known well in advance that this will happen, then travellers will just wait until next year. The crowds will be kept local and small (helped also by kids being back at school)
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    edited May 2020
    rick_chasey said:

    There was some mention of it being much easier for riders to dope in this scenario. Has there been any movement on that?

    I genuinely don't think this will be a major problem. Doping is a cultural thing and I don't think it is in the culture any more. There are very few riders from before the bio passport still going. I don't think there are riders who want to dope but are only being held back by the testing.

    Where there may be a problem is with desperate riders who don't have a contract next year. But I don't worry about the top names.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,820
    edited May 2020
    Delete, stupid quoting system
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,820
    RichN95. said:

    rick_chasey said:

    There was some mention of it being much easier for riders to dope in this scenario. Has there been any movement on that?

    I genuinely don't think this will be a major problem. Doping is a cultural thing and I don't think it is in the culture any more. There are very few riders from before the bio passport still going. I don't think there are riders who want to dope but are only being held back by the testing.

    Where there may be a problem is with desperate riders who don't have a contract next year. But I don't worry about the top names.

    [tinfoilhat] Isn't it a contract year for Froome????????? [\tinfoilhat]
  • nickice
    nickice Posts: 2,439
    RichN95. said:

    nickice said:


    I hope it goes ahead but the French are being very, very cautious (overly cautious in my opinion and I'm pretty risk averse) and, unfortunately, I think Macron might be quite enjoying the situation. Regarding the rules, not applying, that isn't true especially for a high-profile event like the tour.

    In my experience, most French people don't care that much about cycling: for the Paris-Roubaix at Carrefour de l'Arbre, Belgians outnumber French by a considerable margin (I'm fairly sure Paris-Roubaix wouldn't have the status it has if it wasn't so close to the Belgian border). The French will go out if it passes near their house but they don't seem to be much more interested in it than your average Brit. Of course, there's then the economic side of it on which we can agree.

    If football matches go ahead without fans, the tour will have to do the same at least at the start and finish.


    This sort of fits in with what I was saying on an earlier post. What the Tour needs to do is keep the spectators local. And to do that you discourage travel to the race. Travellers will go to the start, the finish or significant climbs. So if you can restrict access to those areas, and more importantly make sure it is known well in advance that this will happen, then travellers will just wait until next year. The crowds will be kept local and small (helped also by kids being back at school)
    I suppose a tour is better than no tour but if it weren't for economic concerns I'd prefer they just cancelled the GT's this year. Part of the enjoyment is the atmosphere in the mountains and finish.

    I could see Paris- Roubaix being a bit easier to organise as there are only a few pinchpoints where the crowds really get big and you can limit access to the velodrome.
  • fenix
    fenix Posts: 5,437
    BBC News - Tour de France to start in August as Grand Tours overlap
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/52538290
  • coopster_the_1st
    coopster_the_1st Posts: 5,158
    nickice said:

    coopster_the_1st said:

    nickice said:

    France has just announced no large sporting events before September. Not looking like the tour will happen

    The Tour has special status in France. It can be above the law when needed. The rules that apply to other sports will not by default apply to the Tour.
    I hope it goes ahead but the French are being very, very cautious (overly cautious in my opinion and I'm pretty risk averse) and, unfortunately, I think Macron might be quite enjoying the situation. Regarding the rules, not applying, that isn't true especially for a high-profile event like the tour.

    In my experience, most French people don't care that much about cycling: for the Paris-Roubaix at Carrefour de l'Arbre, Belgians outnumber French by a considerable margin (I'm fairly sure Paris-Roubaix wouldn't have the status it has if it wasn't so close to the Belgian border). The French will go out if it passes near their house but they don't seem to be much more interested in it than your average Brit. Of course, there's then the economic side of it on which we can agree.

    If football matches go ahead without fans, the tour will have to do the same at least at the start and finish.
    The Tour has a direct line to Macron and the other decision makers at the top of French government.

    I think back to the riders strike following the police raids for doping. In hindsight of that situation I am amazed how much influence in the right places the Tour has.

    There will be a huge psychological boost in going ahead with the Tour and the organisers will be well aware of pushing this and every other angle they have with the decision makers.
  • nickice
    nickice Posts: 2,439
    coopster_the_1st said:

    nickice said:

    coopster_the_1st said:

    nickice said:

    France has just announced no large sporting events before September. Not looking like the tour will happen

    The Tour has special status in France. It can be above the law when needed. The rules that apply to other sports will not by default apply to the Tour.
    I hope it goes ahead but the French are being very, very cautious (overly cautious in my opinion and I'm pretty risk averse) and, unfortunately, I think Macron might be quite enjoying the situation. Regarding the rules, not applying, that isn't true especially for a high-profile event like the tour.

    In my experience, most French people don't care that much about cycling: for the Paris-Roubaix at Carrefour de l'Arbre, Belgians outnumber French by a considerable margin (I'm fairly sure Paris-Roubaix wouldn't have the status it has if it wasn't so close to the Belgian border). The French will go out if it passes near their house but they don't seem to be much more interested in it than your average Brit. Of course, there's then the economic side of it on which we can agree.

    If football matches go ahead without fans, the tour will have to do the same at least at the start and finish.
    The Tour has a direct line to Macron and the other decision makers at the top of French government.

    I think back to the riders strike following the police raids for doping. In hindsight of that situation I am amazed how much influence in the right places the Tour has.

    There will be a huge psychological boost in going ahead with the Tour and the organisers will be well aware of pushing this and every other angle they have with the decision makers.
    I don't doubt that, like in any country, big business holds a lot of sway but they'd have to specifically draft a decree exempting the tour and not other big sports.

    Football clubs are not going to accept matches being played behind closed doors (looking increasingly likely in France) while the tour is allowed to go ahead
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    nickice said:



    I suppose a tour is better than no tour but if it weren't for economic concerns I'd prefer they just cancelled the GT's this year. Part of the enjoyment is the atmosphere in the mountains and finish.

    I don't the race would lose much if the crowds were down to Dauphine levels for a year. It would also be good if ASO announced that the route will be the same again in 2022 or 2023 so the towns get a full Tour experience.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,252
    edited May 2020
    So here's the official planned/hoped for calendar. You've got admire the stubbonness of persisting with the Tour of Guangxi when it clashes with the Giro, Vuelta and De Ronde.

    I think the sport can cope without the likes of the European championships and the Ride London classic too


    Twitter: @RichN95
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,103
    As a TV viewer I'd actually welcome smaller crowds - I like watching the racing and when the crowds get too heavy it interferes with that.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • hommelbier
    hommelbier Posts: 1,556
    fenix said:

    BBC News - Tour de France to start in August as Grand Tours overlap
    https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/52538290

    On the other hand...
    https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2020/may/05/no-guarantee-tour-de-france-will-go-ahead-says-french-sports-minister-cycling

  • nickice
    nickice Posts: 2,439
    DeVlaeminck said:

    As a TV viewer I'd actually welcome smaller crowds - I like watching the racing and when the crowds get too heavy it interferes with that.

    Smaller crowds OK but can you imagine them going up some of the iconic climbs in the Tour of Flanders with no crowds or very few people? And that's fenced off so it doesn't interfere.

    I do agree that sometimes crowds are too much in mountain stages of GT's.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 9,103
    Yes I like the crowds in the classics where they don't get in the way - I'd still watch though.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]

Categories