UCI to introduce rainbow jersey for sportive riders

Chips Lovell

Reported here:

The International Cycling Union (UCI) has launched a new series of gran fondo (cyclosportive) events, with a coveted rainbow jersey up for grabs. The UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT) combines new and existing events across the US, Australia and Europe, and is aimed at "well trained amateurs"

Raam

So these are real races then?

Caroline_ie

Never I would have put Cheese together with WC Stripes ... Om Nom Nom

28 August: Gruyère Cycling Tour, Switzerland

Lumen

The UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT) combines new and existing events across the US, Australia and Europe, and is aimed at "well trained prepared amateurs"

Fixed.

Raam

It's about time that the competition which quite obviously exists in sportives is finally being recognised.

Gavin

Poor Bob, he must be champing at the bit.

Hungrycol

el tonto wrote: »

The UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT) combines new and existing events across the US, Australia and Europe, and is aimed at "well heeled trained prepared amateurs"

fixed again

uberwolf

I'm really struggling to make sense of this, relative to any other sport in the world. Is there a parallel for this?

Raam

uberwolf wrote: »

I'm really struggling to make sense of this, relative to any other sport in the world. Is there a parallel for this?

Fun runs, 5-a-side tournaments...

High Nellie

I think there is something in it for a lot of riders. The Etap Hibrnia was the only event I know of in Irland with 'real-time' timing last year and you can 'race' the event in your own way. The times producd are age-related etc, so results are quite interesting.
It's nothing like 'real racing' though - probably will be scoffed at from some quarters and that is understandable too: 'if you wanndo do racing, do real racing' etc

ROK ON

Pathetic.

The concept of sportives are a personal challenge. Time can't dictate the champion as in a competitive race.

The auld lady pushing her bike over the Ring of Kerry or the 18st behemoth struggling up Slieve Maan in WW200 are worthy champions in my book.

If folks want to win stuff then race. Sportives are different.

Now if the wanted another jersey they should think about one for the audax or ultramarathon guys. Proper hardcore.

Raam

I guess you ain't seen the top dudes in action in a gran fondo.

thebouldwhacker

The way I see it is other sports, take running for example, can be quite accepting of mixing gifted athletes with less serious competitors who are just happy to be involved and complete an event, ie the Dublin city marathon (or even your local 5k road race). On the other hand if one turned up at a bike race on a BSO, runners, gaa shorts and a 'just do it' t shirt they'd be laughed out of it.
I think what they are trying to do is to get people interested in competitive cycling and give them a welcoming environment where they don't have to spend a small fortune on gear, put in substantial training and gain group riding experience before even attempting to enter a race.
I think its a good shift in thinking and hopefully will catch on, become more popular or make cycle racing less exclusive which in turn may give more people the confidence to become serious about their cycling.

ROK ON

Raam wrote: »

I guess you ain't seen the top dudes in action in a gran fondo.

Not really valid. The top echelon in a grand fondo is a race. Most of the competitors in that division are serious high level cyclist - many are semipros or high level funded amateurs.
According to my italian colleagues, doping is more rife at that level than in the pro ranks.

If most of us show up at a Grand Fondo we will be in the sportif part as opposed to the front echelons who are racing for medals and prize funds.

Raam

ROK ON wrote: »

Not really valid. The top echelon in a grand fondo is a race. Most of the competitors in that division are serious high level cyclist - many are semipros or high level funded amateurs.
According to my italian colleagues, doping is more rife at that level than in the pro ranks.

If most of us show up at a Grand Fondo we will be in the sportif part as opposed to the front echelons who are racing for medals and prize funds.

What is not valid? You said the idea is pathetic. It's a race with quality athletes. What is pathetic about that? The challenge of a sportive doesn't have you be you against yourself.

ROK ON

@raam. Nothing wrong with it apart from my rigid categorisation. A race is a race a non race isn't a race.
Simples.

RobFowl

I would tend to agree with the author or this article

http://www.biciveneto.it/granfondo.html

Even more ludicrous, however, is the presence of pro gran fondo riders. Real pros and ex-pros often ride these events for training, for pleasure, or at the request of organizers and sponsors, and the rest of the participants enjoy the opportunity to ride with them. But professional gran fondo riders are another matter. These characters, for the most part washed-up pros, failed pros, or never was-es, actually make a living by beating thousands of cyclists who have to work for a living. What satisfaction could there possibly be in this? Don't they feel foolish and embarassed? The sight of last year's Maratona "winner" Jamie Burrow (who once rode for US Postal), crossing the finish line and celebrating as if he'd won a stage of the Giro, was pathetic and ridiculous. GF pros ride the events accompanied by team cars and scooters carrying spare wheels, food, water, jackets, and whatever else they need, even though it's forbidden. Why should they receive special privilages? A number of gran fondo riders have even tested positive for doping: in 2009 it was ex-pro Emanuele Negrini, who was on the podium of the GF Sportful (ex-Campagnolo); in 2010, Michele Maccanti, "winner" of the GF Sportful and the Maratona dles Dolomites, was discovered to have been found positive for EPO at a race in mid-May (this was not immediately known due to a lack of communication among the various federations). Unfortunately, even many of the smaller, local gran fondos are invaded and "won" by these so-called champions. I suppose they are paid a bonus for each "victory" or placing, and such events are easy money. Since they have cicloamatore licenses, there's no way to keep them from "competing."
Who cares about their hollow "victories" anyway? The non-cycling public is barely aware of these events, let alone cares who crosses the finish line first. There are plenty of real pros and real races to watch. For many years now, Cicloturismo magazine's gran fondo coverage has barely mentioned the "winners," giving space instead to the stories of ordinary participants selected at random, to the hundreds of volunteers who make the event happen, and to interesting incidents that occured during and after the race. That is what gran fondos are really all about.

lukester

I did my first Gran Fondo last summer, from Vancouver to Whistler. Timing chips and timing mats at various stages. For the vast majority who rode it, the timing was nice to be able to see at the end. For the competitive amongst us, it was a chance to put down as good a time as possible. There were prizes at the end for the 'winners' in each category. Teams could enter too, and there were team prizes.

It felt nothing like a real race, but it was much more than a mere sportive. There were lots of people just out for a leisurely cruise, and a significant minority hammering it. I'd love to see more events like this over here.

Lumen

lukester wrote: »

I did my first Gran Fondo last summer, from Vancouver to Whistler. Timing chips and timing mats at various stages.

Timing chips = pro.
Timing mats = dorky.

Raam

Jamie Burrows rode the TOI sportive that I did in 2008. I see nothing wrong with these guys out making a living through these events. I guess that's where we differ.

As for doping to take part in them, that's another matter altogether.

lukester

Lumen wrote: »

Timing chips = pro.
Timing mats = dorky.

In fairness, any type of event that allows hybrids and rucksacks is going to be limited in terms of PRO kudos.

I didn't actually see any mats, just assumed that's what they used.

Chips Lovell

I don't see that much difference from the likes of the Dublin City Marathon. A few thousand freds just running for themselves and a handful of people competing for the prize money.

Lumen

Raam wrote: »

Jamie Burrows rode the TOI sportive that I did in 2008. I see nothing wrong with these guys out making a living through these events.

I agree.

I also think that judging a rider by whether he's got a full-time job or not is vacuous. I've been told that there are a fair number of good Irish amateur cyclists who work part-time or are effectively unemployed. Should we have some sort of lifestyle handicapping system factoring in babies, demanding girlfriends, awkward shift patterns and so on?

Fast is good. Slow is bad. Pro means riding for money. That's it.

Sr. Assumpta

el tonto wrote: »

I don't see that much difference from the likes of the Dublin City Marathon. A few thousand freds just running for themselves and a handful of people competing for the prize money.

Freds and Doris's (?Dorisii)

Lumen

Sr. Assumpta wrote: »

Freds and Doris's (?Dorisii)

Doris -> Dorises.
Dorius -> Dorii.

lukester

GF/sportive events with any level of financial recompense will attract strong amateurs or aspiring/ex pros. In practice, they'll be so far down the road from everyone else that it's like two separate events anyway.

In Vancouver they actually split the groups- CAT 1-3 only in the first wave, which left half an hour before the main bunch.

Lumen wrote: »

Should we have some sort of lifestyle handicapping system factoring in babies, demanding girlfriends, awkward shift patterns and so on?

Yes. I think we should have races where the participants are limited to one hour's structured training a week.

Headdy

The auld lady pushing her bike over the Ring of Kerry or the 18st behemoth struggling up Slieve Maan in WW200 are worthy champions in my book.

I will be that 18st behemoth ROK On and thanks for your endorsement!

Chips Lovell

Sr. Assumpta wrote: »

Freds and Doris's (?Dorisii)

Lumen wrote: »

Doris -> Dorises.
Dorius -> Dorii.

I prefer the gender neutral approach. You're all Freds, regardless of your chamois construction.

High Nellie

I must be a Fred because I don't know what a Doris is ????