CRFRDH's Comments

No Brandon...this rule has always being there for the past at least 5years...but nobody paid attention, until few countries that were affected...as I stated in the Vital FB, in our country, we have not have a sanctioned race in the last 5years, we held one in 2008...prior of that, the last one was in 2003....but the problem our federation have with us, is that in our country just me and my friend Carlos Castillo have organized races through the entire time...some other races are so small, that the Federation does not care about.....

But, on the other hand, La Ruta de los Conquistadores, those who know XCM, is among the top5 thoughest stage races in the world...2 years ago, the Federation came over and shut it off...lots of top notch riders from around the globe got cut by surprise on this, local riders declined to participate due to the suspencion and fines that comes along with it....what happened...? They had to bend over to the federation to be able to have all the pros in it...BUT, they agree to have a non-santioned category so all the people who does not want/have a license can race there....

Again, I´m not backing up the UCI nor USAC or any other Federation (including mine), but the rule book have always being there, and so does there entitles the federations to create (if they think so) a category where you don't need the license, but, the organizers still have to paid up 10% of the cost of the registration fee of each participant, along with all the insurance and policies the UCI request to organizers...

Which brings me to another topic...by being a sanctioned race, you are sure the organizers must have insurance coverage, and all the other security stuff...would the organizers without the sanctioned body will still provide this, specially our sport that is the most dangerous one of getting injured...(in the bycicle world)....? interesting aproach too huh??

Congrats guys!! hope to see you some day with the boys from down here...

This broke out back in mid December (yeah in the middle of the Gwinn-TWR issue), but I investigated and talk to some of the people over Cyclingnews, and they confirmed the news, payments to UCI by RR were not being made, RR stopped publishing news in english (it was required by contract), also a lot of their editors and writers calls quit after not being paid for months...all this sum up that the UCI was looking "undercovered" for some sponsorship, but seems they were not lucky enough, then it came Lance developments, now they call it out loud in the need of sponsorship....

thats the bulldog..

Yes, that is what I think...its pretty complex to keep track of everybody, I believe this rule coming into force is due by the fact of too many big competitions, so the federation is not gaining nothing off it since they are not sanctioned...so that is why now they will be chasing riders....

Well, for how long have being overlooked..? In our country once you registered in our cyclin federation, you are warn that you cannot take part in any race that is not sanctioned by our federation, thing is, our Federation cannot control everysingle rider, so, you every now and then see a "pro" or licensed rider taking part of a "pirate race" as they call them here.... The rider can also be fine by it, and prohibited to race any national race, couple years ago, La Ruta de los Conquistadores, one of the most respected XCM stage races in the world, got this complication applied to the nationals, and most of the pro-federated national racers and some internationals did not compete....that open a hell of discussions in our country about this....what happened??? there is no choice until there is something different than the UCI....so La Ruta had to paid the fees to get this sanctioned and get the Pro riders waive to race....so, to me, its either get used to, or don't federate, those competitions that are not sanctioned eventually must have...look at the Crankworx events and other freeride events, we all have not the FMB....now the Enduro is coming up....so, everything for the sponsors to put the money, eventually will have to get this....

No, Mexico-US-Canada are considered North America.......central america region comprehends Hondura, Guatemala, Belize, El Salvador, Nicaragua and Costa Rica....South America is everything down from (and including) Panama....

Mutty...do you know the % of american players in the "baseball world series".....? find that out and I can see a true statement on it...there are cubans, venezuelas, players from Nicaragua, Mexico, Panama ect, ect.... Now, they play there because that is were the power of baseball resides (not to mention is the glorified US people sport), the rest of the world does not have that power of a league...

And yes, the 3months...of course is nonsense, but to me is yet more of a nonsense all the discussion being place here about the travelling...many teams complains on the logistics this creates, the cost of travelling....yet, the UCI does not want to listen and put races in places so far apart, but continue to get most of the races in Europe, someone mention here...all the years Hill dominated and what was about a race in Australia...? Brosnan...now look at Marcelo Gutierrez....

Well…I have to admit, this is a complete bullshit…why not UCI just leave the British Cup and/or the IXS cup as the WORLD CUP…???

I understand the bid stuff on the venues, but common…just 1 race in the american continent…?? and they dare to call this a world cup…? Heck, we need at least 1 venue in each continent….you don´t know if you are loosing your next Aaron Gwinn or just next Steve Peat if you don´t race them against the best of the world…

Now, put this into $$…why the hell like dudeabides7 said, teams will need to come to America for just one race and the rest of the season is in Euro…is nonesense, its completly stupid (pardon me, but this is unbelievable)….the level is raising up in all countries right now…just as a example, take the crankworx slopestyle (yeah its far diferent from DH but focus on the point) out of nowhere a kid came in the show and took SECOND…. I mean, if this event would have not get to this place, this kid could be there showing his skills to his peers only…and yet, with the event moving there this year, hell, this kid and some others have shown their potencial…so more companies in their countries might get in the boat to help them reach the world series…or even better start investing in their grassroots…but until then…you will never know…

Guys...with all honestly, I think this is one of the best interviews I've read in the bike webs in the recent years....to many, actually more details than you can get anywhere...thx!!!