At last some one talking sense, pro racing calendar to hard

[SwissVan]

Gilbert making some sensible noises here:

 

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/gilbert-appeals-to-cookson-for-easing-in-number-and-difficulty-of-races

 

Gilbert's message to the UCI

I would also like to address race organisers and the UCI. I hope the new UCI President is open to feelings that currently live among the riders. That alone would be quite a change, as well as a major step forward for the riders.

The way road cycling seasons are organised right now, the number of races and their levels of difficulty, it is all a bit much, if not wrong. All organisers want to have the race with most height difference, the longest climb, the steepest climb, the longest race... In short, their aim is to have something out of the ordinary for their own race so as to distinguish themselves from the others.

In a time where we all want to do away with doping more than ever before, there is a clear discrepancy between what the riders are able to manage and what is presented to us during races.

This year, I participated in races under extreme weather conditions. During Milan-San Remo we suffered severe snow storms and in the Tour of California we had to endure temperatures of up to 50 degrees. For both these races, fans were urged to stay put at home and not to make unnecessary journeys. We, however, were urged to be offering the spectacle the audience was expecting from us, despite the clear and apparent risks to the health of an entire peloton. This is clearly too much, and it shows that through various associations within cycling, no clear vision, let alone appropriate pro-active intervention, has emerged so far.

And then I did not even mention the lengthy transfer journeys during stage races. These journeys go at the expense of the rest and recovery so desperately needed. Therefore, my question is rather simple: do we really need all those extreme circumstances? Does it not suffice already that riders simply go all out and themselves provide spectacle for all cycling enthusiasts?

[andydude]

Yeah, but don't they choose their races? Or are there still too many? I know many squads have different teams for different races.

 

I guess sport in general is moving towards quantity over quality which is bad for the athletes in the long term.

[igknot]

I propose a racing hours per year limit.

[ScottCM]

I propose a racing hours per year limit.

 

Could work as this will limit people from over pushing themselves, but then what about the young up and coming racer that is on a small team and know's he only has this season to try and get onto a bigger team as his present team is folding at season's end?

 

I think that seen as they(Riders) choose their races they shouldn't moan, but if the weather is risky health wise like the Milan-San Remo & Tour of California then they(UCI) should cancel or postpone those stages/ races.