Absa Cape Epic 2022

[Headshot]

What kind of pathetic thin chains are these pros using? I mean who breaks a chain these days of you're using the right one? 🙂 

(Actually there is some truth to this bit of attempted humour - I suspect those lightweight hollow pin and cut away side plate chains are not the strongest)

[wolver]

Anyone know if the pro's have bonuses written into their contracts for stage wins/podiums?

Just watching the women's finish now there wasn't much of a fight/sprint and it got me wondering if it's just for pride.

[lechatnoir]

29 minutes ago, Headshot said:

What kind of pathetic thin chains are these pros using? I mean who breaks a chain these days of you're using the right one? 🙂 

(Actually there is some truth to this bit of attempted humour - I suspect those lightweight hollow pin and cut away side plate chains are not the strongest)

it's the flimsy tyre debate all over again... go for the marginal gains, hoping they don't cause unbearable pains... you makes your pick, you pays your price...

[Headshot]

1 minute ago, lechatnoir said:

it's the flimsy tyre debate all over again... go for the marginal gains, hoping they don't cause unbearable pains... you makes your pick, you pays your price...

I recall fitting an XTR chain to a bike a few years ago - it was the worst chain I've ever had on a bike - broke a few times and I simply got rid of it well before it was worn out

[DieselnDust]

2 minutes ago, Fred van Vlaanderen said:

Absolutely agree. So silly to show HL while there is still live racing. 

and disrespectful.

yet there they promoting #SHEuntamed and how hard done by women are in not participating in the ACE. So much hypocrisy 

Promote the woman's race better and build the visibility through a great product and they will come. 

But cutting away from the Ladies race to show highlights of the recently complete mens race just flies in the face of everything you claim to stand for.

confusing messaging

[Jbr]

4 minutes ago, lechatnoir said:

it's the flimsy tyre debate all over again... go for the marginal gains, hoping they don't cause unbearable pains... you makes your pick, you pays your price...

I have XTR and Dura ace chain, I don't know of any better ones for "marginal gains", still the only time I ever broke a chain was because I re-used a quick link. I almost broke a SRAM Force chain, only one plate on the inner link was broken no idea for how long I rode like that before I found out, but replaced it before it actually snapped

[Headshot]

2 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

and disrespectful.

yet there they promoting #SHEuntamed and how hard done by women are in not participating in the ACE. So much hypocrisy 

Promote the woman's race better and build the visibility through a great product and they will come. 

But cutting away from the Ladies race to show highlights of the recently complete mens race just flies in the face of everything you claim to stand for.

confusing messaging

I don't find it too much of a problem. If you really want equality then the whole event should be covered for men and women via separate streams or a split screen. They are always very good at coming back to the action and showing replays of earlier exciting incidents that may have been missed. The coverage is actually next level. I doubt any women are put off riding the Epic because of perceived bias in the coverage.

[Headshot]

3 minutes ago, Jbr said:

I have XTR and Dura ace chain, I don't know of any better ones for "marginal gains", still the only time I ever broke a chain was because I re-used a quick link. I almost broke a SRAM Force chain, only one plate on the inner link was broken no idea for how long I rode like that before I found out, but replaced it before it actually snapped

I'm probably just an abusive rider and mine was on a 2x10 with a crappy lower chain guide that probably contributed to the problems...

[Jewbacca]

My main (ant only real) gripe about the coverage is how pro centric the commentators are even after the 'races' are in.

No looking to the back of the field and discussing the guys at the back from a survival perspective. It's all racing racing racing.

As I said before, the racing is 1 aspect and their main marketing focus, but the nuts and bolts of the event and financial stability comes from the guys paying for their entries slogging it out each day, but they seem all but forgotten. 

Almost purposefully ignored so as to keep the focus on the glitzy great and powerful Oz (if we want to keep that simile going)

[DieselnDust]

3 minutes ago, Headshot said:

I don't find it too much of a problem. If you really want equality then the whole event should be covered for men and women via separate streams or a split screen. They are always very good at coming back to the action and showing replays of earlier exciting incidents that may have been missed. The coverage is actually next level. I doubt any women are put off riding the Epic because of perceived bias in the coverage.

for sure the coverage is amazing. Just saying that if you want to promote equality then it needs to be appropriately balanced. We're having great racing in both mens and ladies races this year and therefore I want to be equally informed as to progress in both.

agree with the doubt that coverage is preventing women from entering, I never made that to be a primary cause, in fact I don't know what the reasons are that the women's entries are so low compared to the mens. Maybe its the Bro marketing, maybe its the perception of how tough it is, maybe its the lack of a pamper parlour after the stage but I really doubt that it needs some kind of structural intervention as the #Sheuntamed is promoting. Citing reasons of women preferng t look after families juggling tasks etc seems to be a perception. THere's a higher entry list for women in 3 day events and even in JHB2C so maybe its just as simple as the bromarketing. Anyway thats a sidebar discussion for another thread

[Jewbacca]

3 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

for sure the coverage is amazing. Just saying that if you want to promote equality then it needs to be appropriately balanced. We're having great racing in both mens and ladies races this year and therefore I want to be equally informed as to progress in both.

agree with the doubt that coverage is preventing women from entering, I never made that to be a primary cause, in fact I don't know what the reasons are that the women's entries are so low compared to the mens. Maybe its the Bro marketing, maybe its the perception of how tough it is, maybe its the lack of a pamper parlour after the stage but I really doubt that it needs some kind of structural intervention as the #Sheuntamed is promoting. Citing reasons of women preferng t look after families juggling tasks etc seems to be a perception. THere's a higher entry list for women in 3 day events and even in JHB2C so maybe its just as simple as the bromarketing. Anyway thats a sidebar discussion for another thread

My take on this comes back to motivation. 

I generally think women have less to prove than men, so the thought of sacrificing all the time, effort, money etc for what is likely only 'fun' 50% of the time comes into play.

I'm a firm believer that a 3 day bike event is fun. Any longer than that and it's just drawn out, same same, away from home, eating and living differently etc which becomes, well, not enjoyable.

So men and their fragile ego's go into full survival bro mode to prove a point (either to themselves or others) while most women just don't see the point.

Obviously there are exceptions to the rule, as always, which is why there are some non pro ladies teams in the field likely having a jol. 

[Fred van Vlaanderen]

27 minutes ago, Headshot said:

I don't find it too much of a problem. If you really want equality then the whole event should be covered for men and women via separate streams or a split screen. They are always very good at coming back to the action and showing replays of earlier exciting incidents that may have been missed. The coverage is actually next level. I doubt any women are put off riding the Epic because of perceived bias in the coverage.

Valid points. My issue is not so much gender (although there are obviously arguments to be made), but missing of live race action. I get the exact same irritation when you watch a grand tour and they show replays of the winner up front while the GC contenders are dueling attacks on the lower slopes which I want to see live. I would prefer for HL (especially like 5-10min inserts) to be shown after the live racing action. Personal preference, I guess.

I was intrigued by Private Client Holdings and their bid for the stage, but then had to settle for the men's race HL instead. 

Edited March 23, 2022 by Fred van Vlaanderen
Grammar

[Fred van Vlaanderen]

1 minute ago, Jewbacca said:

My take on this comes back to motivation. 

I generally think women have less to prove than men, so the thought of sacrificing all the time, effort, money etc for what is likely only 'fun' 50% of the time comes into play.

I'm a firm believer that a 3 day bike event is fun. Any longer than that and it's just drawn out, same same, away from home, eating and living differently etc which becomes, well, not enjoyable.

So men and their fragile ego's go into full survival bro mode to prove a point (either to themselves or others) while most women just don't see the point.

Obviously there are exceptions to the rule, as always, which is why there are some non pro ladies teams in the field likely having a jol. 

While I do think there is merit to what you are saying in the broad spectrum, I doubt that it will apply to the top contenders. I would think those ladies are competitive as hell. While the average Jane might be less competitive than the average Joe, I'd bet that the top ladies are close to being as competitive as the top men.

[TIB]

22 minutes ago, Jewbacca said:

My main (ant only real) gripe about the coverage is how pro centric the commentators are even after the 'races' are in.

No looking to the back of the field and discussing the guys at the back from a survival perspective. It's all racing racing racing.

As I said before, the racing is 1 aspect and their main marketing focus, but the nuts and bolts of the event and financial stability comes from the guys paying for their entries slogging it out each day, but they seem all but forgotten. 

Almost purposefully ignored so as to keep the focus on the glitzy great and powerful Oz (if we want to keep that simile going)

 

The Comrades coverage were always great. Showing the grit and grime of the strugglers.... people like me that is used to warm Steri-Stumpi's at the end of a stage race....

Edited March 23, 2022 by TIB

[thisismyotherbike]

49 minutes ago, Fred van Vlaanderen said:

Valid points. My issue is not so much gender (although there are obviously arguments to be made), but missing of live race action. I get the exact same irritation when you watch a grand tour and they show replays of the winner up front while the GC contenders are dueling attacks on the lower slopes which I want to see live. I would prefer for HL (especially like 5-10min inserts) to be shown after the live racing action. Personal preference, I guess.

I was intrigued by the Private Client Holdings and their bid for the stage, but then had to settle for the men's race HL instead. 

Don't you love how Supersport will wait for the moment Van Der Poel makes his attack, then promptly show you the Cecil Nurse and Marriott Investment Managers ads?

Showing the HL package while there is live racing on the go is equally tone-deaf.

Edited March 23, 2022 by thisismyotherbike

[Fred van Vlaanderen]

2 minutes ago, TIB said:

 

The Comrades coverage were always great. Showing the grit and grime of the strugglers.... people like me that is used to warm Steri-Stumpi's at the end of a stage race....

For sure!! Those last minutes of comrades are excruciatingly good television. My wife (who was struggling with injury) and I sneaked in the last three seconds of the Two oceans marathon 56km and we still quite regularly watch the TV footage of that to relive the emotions.