Grand cycling tours WTF!!!!!

[Eldron]

I had no idea that it was that much. I am particularly astounded by the figures for his erstwhile team mates.

 

Floyd and Tyler haven't done well but George and the others seem to have hung onto the doping gravy/blue train

[nonky]

I got the info from here: http://www.celebrity...rong-net-worth/

 

Endorsements were $20,000,000/year now he earns a paltry $15,000,000/year from public speaking....

 

ZAR200m a year to take drugs and ride a bike - I'm in

[canadonis]

I thank you guys for the responses..these are your excuses..

 

1. Calendars - due to the grand tours happening over the 4 month period

 

2. Cycling is a Team sport.

 

 

My response - why does the grand tours have to only be in Europe, golf, tennis is found thru-out the world and I'm not referring to the every week event but the Wimbledon and Master type events that the Tdf can be equated to. I do empathise with the cyclists who push themselves for 3 Weeks 6 days a week 5 hours a day...but unless there is a great rivalry or international sports person appeal like a Tiger Woods or Lance Armstrong viewership, sponsorship and prize monies will unfortunately reflect accordingly.

 

Wimbledon total prize money in 2013 £22 560 000 with winner receiving £1 600 000 person knocked out in the first round receiving £ 23 500

 

Master total prize money $8 000 000 winner receives $1 440 000 50th placed person receives $20 500

 

Le Tour total prize money €2 000 000 winner €450 000 19th person €1000 , I'm sorry to say this Is absolutely pathetic.

 

The Tdf race over the 3 weeks is way more taxing on the body than the masters and Wimbledon combined yet the prize money is a only about 7% of their total.

 

Yes there are many tweets about the rivalry of contador to froome but the true rivalry on the road has not materialized to spark any public interest as would a froome vs Quintana showdown.

 

Teams yes there should be support of the best team member capable of winning but the decision on who it must be should be, made on the rd, based on capabilities and skill not a boardroom decision..I have to refer to 2012 Tdf and question whether wiggens really was the strongest and best rider in the field unfortunately it was team orders and we will never know...2014 team orders have been to support froome, would he be the best rider, that unfortunately we will never know as this is also predetermined hence lack of excitement and wiggo/froome rivalry.

 

 

[rudi-h]

I think the quick answer, is that (flame suite on) due to Lance the TDF has reached a status as the ultimate grand tour and that is where the ultimate "showdown" happens every year.

 

The fact that NQ opted for the Giro instead of the Tour is perhaps the following logic from Movistar:

1) He has not yet won a Grand Tour and perhaps winning the Giro will look better on his palmares than another #2 spot at the Tour.

2) NQ is not as balanced a rider as Froome or Contador as he can't ride flat TT's. He might therefore be pushed into #3 at the TDF which would be much worse than winning the Giro (and perhaps the Vuelta).

3) Movistar still wants to give Valverde a last shot as a GC captain

 

As for Wiggo, I think if Wiggo was really serious about a second TDF title and and big "rivalry" against foome, he would have found another team already where he could be captain, so that's more an issue of he does not want to compete 1:1 against froome rather than not having the opportunity.

 

Bottom line. The TDF is the "world champs" of grand tours and the Giro and Vuelta are there for upcoming riders to make their name. Only one captain per team is workable, so if a rider is serious about GC, its his own responsibility to find his own team.

 

No doubt that we will see Froome, Nibali, Quintana, Contador and perhaps one or two of the new talents (Aru etc.) all together competing for the tour next year permitting good health from all these guys.

[GrumpyOldGuy]

I dont think taking LA or even Hincappie as an example of average salary would be fair, LA was an American wonder boy and commanded an American wonder boy package, Hincappie to a lesser degree as well. American athletes are paid far more than European athletes in almost every example of sports in which they excel, think Baseball, Nascar, Basketball, Track events etc. LA was no different.

 

It has been suggested that Bradley Wiggins has a gross income (thats everything included) of around 3-5 bar (British Pounds that is) - a far, far, cry from the excesses of LA, but be that as it may I am in agreement with the OP.

 

Unfortunately the top guys have all followed in LA's path and target only one grand tour, sadly its also mostly the TDF, they are however very capable of riding two grand tours competitively, as many have proved as recently as last year.

 

The issue stems more from a team management / schedule perspective in my opinion, top riders in teams should be contracted to race at least two grand tours and management /race organizers should insist on that principle been followed. There are more than enough top riders in the respective Grand tour teams to ensure each tour will then have at least a few top names.

 

Bringing top names to a tour also forces teams to send stronger and more focused support riders, so its a win win for all concerned, the race organizer, the fans and the viewing public.

Taking the Giro as an example,... when a pro continental team like Bardiani on a minuscule fraction of the SKY team financial budget, and with no real credential other than inspiration and a willingness to compete and race, has several podiums and is represented in almost every break, one needs to ask what sort of motivation was there in the SKY team to do anything but show up.

[Patchelicious]

As for Wiggo, I think if Wiggo was really serious about a second TDF title and and big "rivalry" against foome, he would have found another team already where he could be captain,

 

I keep hearing about this.... It could spark a proper rivalry. BUT to be honest, I think that if Froome smashes Wiggo in more mountainy Tour, Wiggo wont come back again.

It needs to be a Italy vs Spain or England vs France thing for it to really get the general public interested.

 

Other things people like Wiggo can do to get the public going is to restart the 1hour record rivalry perhaps?

[jcza]

Ok I guess the problem is clear

 

Prize money for Movistar at Giro is €262853. No wonder the top guys didn't pitch. Sure they got more than that for Tour of California.

Edited June 2, 2014 by jcza

[Escapee..]

Why? plenty other dopers in the peleton who have taken his place.

 

So why are they not dominating like he did?

[canadonis]

If we going to be traditionalist About cycling then we are going to lose the publics interest and ultimately sponsorship which directly correlates to prize money.

 

Let's look at cricket according to purists 5 day tests are the only way the game should be played however as a spectator watching paint dry is more exciting. Cricket administrators realized this and the sport was resurrected with the introduction of T20 cricket.

 

Formula 1 was the same hence rule changes every 2 years to allow innovation to cars and ultimately public interest due to rivalry.

 

The Tdf is definitely the greatest cycling race on the planet we should hv the greatest cyclist competing for this title.

['Dale]

Many in cycling has admitted that they're way behind in terms of, say, innovation and moving tradition forward to meet modern demands.

 

Look closely at the UCI's current project pipeline - real refreshing outcomes sought there, from reviewing the current calendar to looking at mini-cameras fitted on bikes to enhance the viewer's experience.

 

Things are changing in the cycling world for the good.

I'm just happy in some moments there is still a Worldtour as sponsorships have been impossible to source at times with teams shutting down.

[Pure Savage]

If we going to be traditionalist About cycling then we are going to lose the publics interest and ultimately sponsorship which directly correlates to prize money.

 

Let's look at cricket according to purists 5 day tests are the only way the game should be played however as a spectator watching paint dry is more exciting. Cricket administrators realized this and the sport was resurrected with the introduction of T20 cricket.

 

Formula 1 was the same hence rule changes every 2 years to allow innovation to cars and ultimately public interest due to rivalry.

 

The Tdf is definitely the greatest cycling race on the planet we should hv the greatest cyclist competing for this title.

 

I find a flat sprint stage at the tdf 100 times more interesting than t20, or even some f1.

 

I do not think they need to change the format, it is an amazing spectacle regardless.