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Enlarge textThe ToC is currently an eight-day race, but there's no reason why it can't meet the criteria and expand to a three week event as is the requirement for a Grand Tour.
(L-R) Armstrong, Leipheimer, Vande Velde, Basso and Hincapie (Getty)
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It goes without saying the Grand Tours have been a staple part of
cycling's progress and development in Europe for more than a century.
Riders,
teams, officials and sponsors consider the Giro d'Italia, the Tour de
France and the Vuelta Espagne as the big race of every year, but is it
time to spread cycling's wings and embrace a new market outside the
sport's traditional roots?
I'm thinking the Tour of California can fit the bill and become the "4th Grand Tour".
The
ToC is currently an eight-day race, but there's no reason why it can't
meet the criteria and expand to a three week event as is the
requirement for a Grand Tour.
I believe there is a genuine
need to take world cycling away from its traditional origins and a
wealthy US economy appears an obvious choice.
Let's face it,
the Tour and the Giro are the two races which hold most interest every
year - as for the Vuelta, I get the impression it struggles in terms of
attracting a crowd - whether it's on the side of the road or watching
on television.
In only its fourth year of existance, the ToC has enjoyed a metoric rise on the international stage.
So
much so it's even attracted interest from the ASO - the owners of the
Tour de France have made a huge investment and commitment to this race
and are have majority share ownership in a venture they hope will reap
similar rewards to those enjoyed in July ever year.
Professional cycling has come a long way since it was "exploited" by television in the late 1980s.
A
sport which once appealed exclusively to the Euros has finally been
accepted by a global audience, and part of the reason for that is the
arrival and success of non-European riders from Australia, USA, South
Africa, Asia and the former Soviet Union.
That was made
obvious at the Tour Down Under this year where many of the Europeans
commented that the hype, hysteria and fervour surrounding Australia's
great race was comparable to that of the Tour de France.
The quality of riders racing in Californa this year is top class.
The
field includes Carlos Sastre, Ivan Basso, Lance Armstrong and Floyd
Landis - all have either won or was first to cross the finish line in a
Grand Tour - all are using the event as valuable preparation for the
rest of the UCI pro-events still to come.
Add to this 17 Tour de France stage winners and 11 world champions and you have a race with credibility.
In
the near future, the ToC could well be the first stop of a "world Grand
Slam tour", similar to that of tennis which has four Grand Slam events
of its own when you consider the Australian Open, the French Open,
Wiimbledon and the US Open.
The ToC provides a course
tailor-made for a three week racer and the perfect tonic to satisfy
sprinters, time-trialists and mountain specialist.
Pehaps
moving the race from February to March might be the only consideration
given the early time of year to allow the world's best cyclists and
teams to be better prepared.
Make no mistake pro-cycling is now a player on a world sporting scale - it's time to reach out to a brand new market.
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Comments (12)
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31 Jul 2009 21:10 AEST
From: Fort Wayne, IN
--
While a 3 week ToC sounds like a good idea, I'd favor a more national tour. Keep 8 stages in California and then move the other two weeks across the states to end in Washington DC or NYC. Part of the appeal to national "Tours" is the scenery and tourist advertising it gives. Run stages by areas that will show non-Americans the beauty seen here. Perhaps there's a stretch that can be run in the Grand Canyon, another in Yosemite, another through the Smoky Mountains, etc. I realize the size of the country makes travelling more difficult, though. Anyway, you are mistaken on cycling popularity. When cycling was young, it competed with baseball as the most popular sport here. The world championships were held in New Jersey for decades, not somewhere in Europe. They had 3-day races in New York that attracted 150,000 people to them.
21 Feb 2009 16:32 AEST
From: Melbourne
--
The huge crowds in California (in unfavourable weather conditions) and at last month's Tour Down Under proves yet again cycling is a hit all over ther world and not exclusively to Europe. I feel cycling is let down by administrators who fail to take a leaf out of other successful governing bodies such as FIFA, FINA, FIBA etc etc.
18 Feb 2009 13:42 AEST
From: Lithgow
--
Sorry Paul it is not about the best. If it were those boys wouldn't have doped. Thankfully they were caught. When they show contrition, regret or remorse or dare I say it they apologise (David Millar did) for their actions they'll deserve to be mentioned. Cycling should let them ride again but not at the expense of giving them undeserved or unwarranted attention. There are plenty of good riders who don't dope, they should be mentioned first and foremost. If you want to advertise and market your sport you play the best hand not the tainted one.
17 Feb 2009 22:07 AEST
From: Caringbah
--
He's simply making a point that the ToC is attracting the best that cycling has to offer - nothing to do with drug cheats. As it turns out Basso and Landis have both served their time. They have the right to be racing again.
17 Feb 2009 21:33 AEST
From: Lithgow
--
Why did we have to be reminded about Basso and Landis? Perhaps Mike forgot one doped to win the Tour de France and the other won the Giro and was subsequently banned from le Tour? Considering after Ricco's incident in le Tour last year can Mike start refering to all drug cheats in the same light, no half baked measures, simply treat the all the same. I guess what I'm saying is Rogers or Leipheimer could have been used as big names to complement the point of the article. Besides from that, I agree with everything said, ToC would be a great 3 week event.
16 Feb 2009 15:58 AEST
From: Bundaberg
--
Great stuff SBS, am enjoying the highlights of the Tour of California.
16 Feb 2009 15:47 AEST
From: Haberfield
--
speaking of useby date - get rid of the Vuelta! This is well past its useby date. The Spanish don't even care much for their national race. The Tour of California could fit nicely as a perfect replacement.
16 Feb 2009 14:45 AEST
From: Bayside
When is the best time to ride US West Coast
this time of year isnt the best over there for a 3 week tour... and when it is perfect ( August Sept) its the Vuelta and World' s time. I would prefer to see a 4th Grand tour in the Southern Hemisphere, even if it rotated ( Australia, Sthn Africa, NZ, SthAmerica, even Asia ( combine Langkawi and Qinhai tours)... even so the UCI calendar is jammed and would need some classics dropped, so perhaps one must ask....ones have seen their useby date
16 Feb 2009 14:00 AEST
From: Nunawading
--
Agree: A fourth grand tour would be great and away from Europe for some difference is awesome as well. Disagree: Mike using the phrase, "Wealthy US Economy" - you may want to check in with Janice and Anton in the newsroom Mike as I reckon they have had a few stories of recent that don't really support this phrase!
16 Feb 2009 13:31 AEST
From: Melbourne
--
It'll never work - the calendar year doesn't allow for another three week race. Unlike tennis's Grand Slam where tournaments run two weeks (if players reach the final) forcing cyclists to consider another three week event would be madness.
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