Edited Date/Time
8/16/2014 2:34am
A lot of people used to complain about how the UCI World Cup was just a fancy "Euro-Cup" for a while. We've since had some new locations added to the list in recent years such as the South Africa stop. We briefly had Brazil in there for a South American stop. Back in the day there was Arai in Japan. We occasionally get to see some action in Canberra.
But should a "world" cup have more of the world in it?
Should every season have something in North and South America, Europe, Asia, Africa, and Oceania?
If so, travel costs will explode for teams trying to send racers to the whole series. But should teams maybe put more of their money eggs into fewer baskets/racers? If there was a cost prohibitive World Cup schedule that would keep many racers who can't contend for the top 40-ish positions, would more of those racers stay home and attend their respective national or regional races? Would that trickle down make those race series more prestigious and more competitive?
Or should we just keep the so called "world cup" series a mostly European affair considering that's where most of the racers and venues already are located?
So people from California and western Australia who ride all the time and train in the dust should just be expected to either move to a place with mud or just be at a solid disadvantage when all the races are in the slop in Europe?
Would you feel alright with being from a country where a lot of world cup level racers are from but where a world cup never comes by for a visit?
And throw in an urban race or two! Then we'll see whos really the world champ
Couldn't agree more.
The current venues work because they have the infrastructure needed for a good event and is normally utilised at an international level during the ski season. To stage a quality event from scratch would cost somewhere between 500K and $1 mill, and you are only really going to see that sort of money from governments as tourism money, an their are bigger sports / events that they can put thier money into in order show off thier area.
The Canberra 'experiment' and onging events in South Africa showed that the teams will travel south of the Equator but we need more Venues to put their hand up.
With regards to the whistler option. What is in it for them? They are already hit capacity a few times throughout summer and can run events under thier own terms. e.g running races whilst keeping as many trails as possible open. If a WC were to be held in Whistler the UCI would need a clean finish line for 3 or 4 days, which would affect which trails could be ridden by punters.
I would love to see an Asian race like Arai, possibly something in South America (Andes), and agree that the west coast needs an event maybe Mount Hood someday or somewhere in BC...The PNW def deserves a world cup.
For that to happen though, our Aussie resorts need to build a world cup track. Canberra is not the answer. Our country is still very slow on the uptake and only put money into XC trails (which is also rare).
Until then, I say it would be great to see some action in NZ. They have amazing stuff over there. Outstanding acceptance of the sport and a willingness to be forward thinking.
There are too many great riders from this part of the world for there to not be a round down here somewhere.
I know that seems like a lot. And sure, some teams, and racers, and def. privateers couldn't ever possibly do them all. But those that do (probably factory teams) would be competing for the prestigious WORLD CUP OVERALL CHAMPION title. The rest of us, we would all do what we could, go to the races in our regions, mix up the points chases with our local conditions knowledge, and SHARE THE FUCKING LOVE!!
--MTB in the videos, where they go to distant places and see the kids all stoked, or to the desert and help bring cash to the villages, we could do this with our industry and sport, with our culture and lifestyle, MTB could be a revolution. instead, its just a french run euro champ. which is pretty alright- i guess.
lets start with CAN, USA, BRA, and NZ. we gotta start somewhere. (look at rally!)
Andre Lamma is also correct when saying that the underground races (From the Worlds perspective, should be National Cups, ect) are gaining momentum, but then we are hit once again that the people racing in them, either are not as important to be highlighted or it seems that also the communication methods used in these days are only focusing where the "world" raiders are racing, which ultimatly are the top 10-20riders.
I also, as many have stated here, would love to have the worlds to be 8races, 3 in america (north, central and south), 3 in Europe, 1 Asia and 1 in Australia...that would definetly put the WORLD in the world cup series....
Now, in the other hand, take the FMB for instance, many...tooooo many venues, with a some-what star rating on venues for the riders to choose, but will definitively will encourage them to attend some venues.
Costa Rica, right now its being blessed that in 2weeks will host the FISE, first ever in America, but I bet not many people knew that, Grannieri and Pilgrim are some on the list....this is part of my point...DH is so "centralized" in europe and US that people are loosing interest in, and the cycling companies don't invest in the other regions as they don't get the exposure they should, and those countries as the time passes by, are getting left behind in the sport.
Marcelo Gutierrez is a good example, Colombia I believe have never got a WC venue, CG spotted him, gave him the opportunity and there you have a top50 rider in the world...but have you guys ever read or hear the colombian races...how are the nationals....would there be another Marcelo Gutierrez ripping trails...who knows...you need to put them in the spot for the light to shine out....otherwise, is a long, very long and dark tunnel to get there for those countries be able to get World Cup riders and venues....but the enthusiasm does not fade, and many of those countries have a small but yet strong DH scene that as Lamma said, is underground and pretty big in those countries....
Post a reply to: Enough "World" In The World Cup Series?