Pro Tour to India?
Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
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Since India and China produce the most bicycles in the world and have the most bicycle riders, and since there’s already been a Tour of China where some big names showed, maybe it’s only fair that UCI include India in its plans. Although MTB seems more popular there, so maybe that’s the way the UCI should go first.
Eitherway, a Tour of India makes more sense to me than the Tour of Quatar and it could include some spectacular exotic scenery.
I tried to find a Tour de India website, and there is one but not much info. Race is supposed to start on 1st Dec, with a route from the southern tip, zig-zagging northwards, then on reaching Mumbai, heading more directly north to Srinagar, in the foothills of Kashmir, 17 stages and 4000 (!) km spread out over 32 days.0 -
United Arab Emirates too....wow that'll be exciting.
ASO have Qatar, so the UCI have to go and find their own cycling friendly Sheikh then, or is professional cycling massively popular in the UAE?0 -
You can't take the Pro Tour there one go, it's better to build up some good local races that can in time attract pro teams from Europe. The UCI could help with a lot of technical assistance there.
Most team sponsors back a cycling team because they want to target particular demographics in Europe.0 -
With the amount of money sloshing around in the UAE, maybe Pat can persuade them to build a 1:1 scale model replica of Alpe d'Huez in order to spice the race up a bit. Plenty of cheap labour to expl... er... employ in that part of the world.0
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What about companies who back a cycling team because they want to tap into cyclings push into developing markets which also happen to be among the worlds best performing economies? I think the opportunities for increasing sponsorship can only be enhanced by taking the sport onto a more global platform. Thinking of cycling as a predominately European activity is I believe holding back the sport.Kléber wrote:You can't take the Pro Tour there one go, it's better to build up some good local races that can in time attract pro teams from Europe. The UCI could help with a lot of technical assistance there.
Most team sponsors back a cycling team because they want to target particular demographics in Europe.0 -
But which teams are backing teams for new markets? Look around and I see state lotteries, European snoring remedies, Italian galvanised steel and Belgian laminated floor manufacturers. I don't see global brands.
I'd like to see the sport built up in India but I'm not sure that flying in Valverde and Evans is going to fix that. Or at least get a good domestic going, then up it to regional status and then invite some pro teams. They've done this quite well in Malaysia and Gabon.0 -
knedlicky wrote:Since India and China produce the most bicycles in the world and have the most bicycle riders, and since there’s already been a Tour of China where some big names showed, maybe it’s only fair that UCI include India in its plans. Although MTB seems more popular there, so maybe that’s the way the UCI should go first.
Eitherway, a Tour of India makes more sense to me than the Tour of Quatar and it could include some spectacular exotic scenery.
I tried to find a Tour de India website, and there is one but not much info. Race is supposed to start on 1st Dec, with a route from the southern tip, zig-zagging northwards, then on reaching Mumbai, heading more directly north to Srinagar, in the foothills of Kashmir, 17 stages and 4000 (!) km spread out over 32 days.
Have you seen the state of the roads... :shock:
It might be a case of Sheikh and ye shall find.....
(copyright Carry On films, circa 1975)Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs0 -
Maybe the main team sponsors won’t have that much interest, but some bike manufacturers (so co-sponsors of teams) might, because they want to get into the MTB (up)market in India. Trek and Merida are already selling in India, Bianchi and Cannondale have just started there this year.Top_Bhoy wrote:
What about companies who back a cycling team because they want to tap into cyclings push into developing markets which also happen to be among the worlds best performing economies?Kléber wrote:Most team sponsors back a cycling team because they want to target particular demographics in Europe.
They are all interested because India has the world’s fastest growing middle class, in many lands the typical recreational cyclist and who'll pay for the name on his bike.0 -
You wouldn't ever imagine a Tour of Turkey was possible if you'd ever travelled some of the minor roads there, but it was, and with a few big teams and star names.pottssteve wrote:Have you seen the state of the roads... :shock:
Indian roads, though, do have signs which are instructive for a variety of situations ...
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But which teams are backing teams for new markets?
Sky? What's the potential viewing audience in India?? Radioshack possibly? The construction industry is booming in India so there's a potentially huge market for any sponsors such as Mapei and Quickstep. The oil companies behind Katusha would surely be happy to strengthen their sales in the area?
The country would provide some fantastic imagery on Eurosport HD and would offer a huge range of terrain but I wouldn't fancy racing in the temperatures there!0
