Team Medscheme 2009

[Pieter Henning]

I really, honestly hope some sponsor comes on board and rescues the Giro. Without that, what real races have we got left in this country? The Jock? Har har.

[mallo]

All the more reason to vote for the Kremetart to become a single stage race for the Elites whilst the masses enjoy the four stages.

[shadowchaser-d]

All the more reason to vote for the Kremetart to become a single stage race for the Elites whilst the masses enjoy the four stages.

 

Granted....but that is only 1 race of how many???  Has there not been a drive by the respective pro teams to have longer races added to the local racing calender???

 

Live the Vets Superseries gave the ladies a platform to race at a higher level, surely SA cycling would want the the same for our men?

[mallo]

Problem is simply down to money. Organizers not prepared to pay the additional costs for the traffic dept etc hence they shy away from the longer races. However if the ability seeding system was in place you would increase the field from the odd 85 riders to around 200 and that maight make it viable.

[bruce]

Circuit racing, just as they do in many other countries around the world.

[bruce]

Pro racing is actually simpler and cheaper for sponsors.

 

Think about it like this: Rolling road closure because it is one buch to manage - lower traffic cost implications.

Spectator friendly - our races you see all the potential spectators (people who enjoy cycling) participate' date=' it would be like all of us playing rugby while the Boks play.

ROI - simple return on investment - the media dont write about every Tom Dick and Harry. The pro's get return in the media for the race sponsor more so than anything else. Return on any sport sponsorship should be around 4 to 1 and in cycling it is generally around 5 or 6 to 1. The Giro should for instance generate close to R15m in return AVE (Advertising Value Equavelant) and does not cost R3m - makes sense for anyone spending money on brand awareness or advertising then doesnt it.

 

It is a paradigm change needed for all - the sponsors would get more miles like this and the fun rides would still happen but they need to be seperated. There is simply too much greay area. Pro racing is clean and easy if you seperate it from fun rides - people wont get pissed off at roads being closed for full days and disrupting traffic. With rolling road closures it is over as soon as the bunch passes.

 

The racing circuit should also generate income for the towns they visit. All the teams need accommodation, meals etc and brings not only the teams but also eventually the spectators who follow the racing. Look at the tour - each town gets the opportunity to present a stage and is worth millions!

 

Just something to chew on - maybe this will get a few people thinking about it differently. Because we all know we need to start doing it differently if we want to get different results.

 

"Idiocy is not making the same mistake twice, it is doing the same thing twice and expecting a different result."<?: prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

[/quote']

 

Very valid points.  Better than rolling road closure is a circuit lap race.  the loop around the Cradle of Humankind is 27km long.  6 laps around that circuit is a very tough course.  Spectators can remain stationary and watch the race unfold.  Different number of laps for juniors, ladies and elites, and TV cameras can be mounted along the course.  Sponsor branding can be put up to give something back to the sponsors - it's actually quite simple.

[shadowchaser-d]

Circuit racing' date=' just as they do in many other countries around the world.[/quote']

 

Bruce racing circuit is a great idea, but it also allows for riders to "bail" once they have been ridden off....then you get a situation where only a handful of riders finish.  If i remember correctly, when the 94.7 had the longer route for the Elite guys, most of them did not male the cut off time and those that did just cruised along to the finish-so it was not really racing as one would expect.

[bruce]

Circuit racing' date=' just as they do in many other countries around the world.[/quote']

 

Bruce racing circuit is a great idea, but it also allows for riders to "bail" once they have been ridden off....then you get a situation where only a handful of riders finish.  If i remember correctly, when the 94.7 had the longer route for the Elite guys, most of them did not male the cut off time and those that did just cruised along to the finish-so it was not really racing as one would expect.

 

Not sure I understand your point.  94.7 wasn't a circuit race!  Riders can bail and cruise home in a long race as well.

[PPWTF]

 

So no 2009 WorldsView.... big blow given the international team interest it generated in 2008.

 

Seems like Pro tour teams have been able to attract new sponsors - Garmin / Columbia etc, but not major races... What really surprises me is that with all the UCI events taking place here that SA cycling hasn't attracted sponsorship from the global pool of corporates that are involved...

 

PPWTF2008-11-17 08:58:31

[shadowchaser-d]

Sorry....i did not mean to make the 94.7 race sound like circuit racing.....When the 94.7 race was over the longer distance, i can recall friends of mine racing Elites making it their goal to make the cut off time and not really race.  David George also made mention of the fact that the racing became very negative..... So of the elite bunch, most are just trying to make it to the end and the minority are trying to race.  Surely that is not gonna be good for our cyclist?  I am all for having longer races as i believe it can only benefit our riders but i am not the expert out there and don't have the solution to the problem.

[linnega]

 

Sorry....i did not mean to make the 94.7 race sound like circuit racing.....When the 94.7 race was over the longer distance' date=' i can recall friends of mine racing Elites making it their goal to make the cut off time and not really race.  David George also made mention of the fact that the racing became very negative..... So of the elite bunch, most are just trying to make it to the end and the minority are trying to race.  Surely that is not gonna be good for our cyclist?  I am all for having longer races as i believe it can only benefit our riders but i am not the expert out there and don't have the solution to the problem.[/quote']

Most races around the world only have a handful of finishers.  If you are talking about a pro race who cares how many finish?  Most are only interested in the winner and first/second loser.

 

[101SCC]

M10CW - Circuit racing brings spectators, Road Racing Doesn't, 05.30 Starts = No Spectators. Fun Rides = Fun Rides, Racing is Tough. 1 Finisher = The Winner, who cares about the TIME! Circuit Racing makes TV exposure Easier. TV Exposure Brings Sponsors. Sponsors bring Prize Money, Prize Money Drives Competition, Competition creates better Champions, Better Champions go oversees and Race against the Best Champions...Pipe Dream until someone starts planning races instead of piggy backing off the FUN RIDES. Now, anybody want to know my 94.7 time...hehe as I head for the Door.

[waylonza]

.

Most races around the world only have a handful of finishers.? If you are talking about a pro race who cares how many finish?? Most are only interested in the winner and first/second loser.

 

 

 

Totally agreed! More people need to think this way in pro race sense. Pro riders are not worried about time, average speed, it's all about getting the win. Out of a team of 8 if only 1 rider wins and the rest don't finish due to the fact they sacrificed themselves for the team win thats all that counts for the team and the sponsors at the end of the day. Circuit racing is the way to go like they do in europe, asia, america. You can start by by racing the normal routes of our fun rides and then finish off on laps around or near the finish. Take all the races to 150km +

[Racing Hart]

Circuit racing is defnitely the way to go. But circuit racing generally lead to even shorter races(criterium type racing), and you cant race for 180km around a 5km certain. Possible solution is like oneway said first go out on the 100 -120km loop then make the last 50 60 on a lap. This is phisable with funrides as well. Because the pro would do the normal race length just as they do now, but also do a bit extra at the end. And the riders finishing would also be able to watch. However, the big mistake in past was that races would suddenly be 180 200km(like the 94.7) and no one would be prepared for the longer distance. They should increase the distance of the races slowly but surely over a period of the time.

[101SCC]

You need a combination....first of all you need to take the racing to the people. No good having races out in the middle of nowhere. People create all the atmosphere. You need comentary, you need beer tents etc...Have Kermesse Racing on Sat afternoons, 45min plus a lap. Etc. Then proper Road style Races on Sunday, starting at 09.30 of 55km Loops with Climbs and Sprint hotspots. The fun Rides are killing Racing. Organisors don't want the Pro's, It costs them Money and causes hassle having to deal with the CSA. Think about it. Licensed Riders at the 94.7 maybe 2,500. Fun Riders 22,500. Do the Math. How many of you care about the Pro Result, everyone just looks at their finish time in Relation to the Winnerss.

[waylonza]

Yes agreed again with Racing Hart & 101SCC, 1st of all organizers have the classic act of organizing a long race then they pull the a**es out of it and make 200 and over! start slowly. i wouldn't do anything much over 160km otherwise like what's been said, few start numbers, slower, negative racing. I heard a little rumor that next year 94.7 don't even want comms or refs for the licensed riders. They will use winning-time results and camera's to see who wins. Things to come don't look good.