Re: Cyclo-crossing issues...your views? -- Serious Cycling Discussions!

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Date Posted: 16:52:50 12/27/02 Fri
Author: Glenn Stilwell
Author Host/IP: 12.209.72.241
Subject: Re: Cyclo-crossing issues...your views?
In reply to: Mark 's message, "Cyclo-crossing issues...your views?" on 15:27:47 12/23/02 Mon

CX is getting coverage here in the US. Through DP and ASR. In fact this week we are still talking about our national championships. CX is covered in most other cycling pubs as well. Watch out for US CX riders in the coming years. As far as the artificial handicaps for some riders, I say NO way. Everybody should be on the same playing field. That said however, it is very important to a rider to be in that front group. During adventuresports radios coverage we played a press conference that included Marc Gullickson. He was asked about why he was doing so well the past couple of years and his response was the fact that the announcers would never call him to the front of the line. So if you improve you get closer to the elusive "HOLE SHOT".

Glenn

>Hi, as we are in the midst of the cyclo-cross season,
>here some toughts and questions on it. First of all a
>question for all you non-Belgian or Dutch ppl, (which
>is more or less linked to my second statement) how
>much do YOU see or hear about cyclo-cross? (apart from
>e.g. the daily peleton which covers about every aspect
>of cycling, of which i'm grateful too) And/or can you
>name 5 international crossing stars from the top of
>your head?
>
>
>All this has a purpose, before you think i'm putting
>on some kinda survey here.:) Thing is, there has been
>a lot of quarreling at the start of the cyclo-cross
>season over here (Belgium). Because of the absurd
>dominance of the Belgian riders (together with
>Dutchman Groenendaal), the UCI imposed some new rules
>to try and limit this dominance, as you may know. For
>example: The starting line-ups were arranged so that
>riders from different countries would also get a good
>spot, but by this pushing some (mostly vastly better)
>Belgian riders back in the line-up. At which they
>(=Belgians) complained that they had to spend half a
>race trying to pass by these riders. And other big or
>small adjustments. (And since Groenendaal hasn't got
>much of competition in his own country, he always gets
>a good spot, so he's not complaining, so it's turned
>into a "Belgium vs. all" dispute more or less)
>
>So the deal is, if cyclo-crossing continues to be
>dominated by one or two countries like this, it
>obviously wouldn't be good for the sport. But is it
>right to place riders that are in fact much better
>(and not to mention professionals that have to make a
>living) back because of this dominance?
>Even though there urgently has to be done something
>about it, i don't think measures like these will do
>any good. Rather investing in youth-development and
>promoting the sport in these countries seems to be the
>way to do it. Blah. Maybe my crappy English makes the
>point of my post a bit unclear, but i hope you know
>what i mean.:)

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Replies:

Thanks for your answers! -- Mark, 13:27:32 12/28/02 Sat