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TOC A Grand Tour?

3K views 45 replies 28 participants last post by  robdamanii 
#1 ·
Did I hear Phil Ligget correctly? I could've sworn during stage 2 of the TOC Phil said that it had become one of the top 2 Grand Tours in the world. I guess they'll pay anyone off these days.
 
#3 ·
He did indeed say something like that. I didn't catch that he said it was one of the "Top 2," but perhaps he did.

I took him as trying to say that the ToC has established itself as a successful and well-respected race, but allowed his Hype Dispenser to slip into overdrive while his brain was still idling ... something for which dear old Phil has become rather famous. Even so, there's still no one I'd rather have calling a race than Phil and Paul.
 
#4 ·
ToC is so overrated its ridiculous. Questionable route, terrible weather year in and out, on and on.

The ONLY reason its given any time of day is $$$$$ thats pumped into it by the State and that its run by the old Tour Du Pont guys who have a lot of connections.
 
#5 ·
RkFast said:
ToC is so overrated its ridiculous. Questionable route, terrible weather year in and out, on and on.

The ONLY reason its given any time of day is $$$$$ thats pumped into it by the State and that its run by the old Tour Du Pont guys who have a lot of connections.
Yes lets hope it dies soon so we can all get back to concentrating parking lot crits and forget any growth of cycing in the US. :rolleyes:
 
#6 ·
I'm thinking the "world" that Liggett refers to includes ...... "states in the US that touch both Mexico and the Pacific Ocean"...
 
#9 ·
at one point I recall him saying (or being told by NBC to say) it was the 4th most important race of the year. clearly their headsets are being pumped with this type of thing with the idea that if an american is following the toc, they are almost certainly doing so by watching VS, and that since much of the rest of the cycling world is following the Giro right now anyway, why not try to fuel the ember. its transparent to those who follow pro cycling, even casually, but as stated prior, it probably helps garner interest in the US. sad but maybe needed.
 
#10 ·
RkFast said:
Yeah..becuase shitty racing in the rain and snow with a sideline full of drunk *******s with day glo wigs and speedos is really helping "grow" cycling in the US.
any televised cycling helps "grow" cycling. sorry you hate the TOC so much. I'm not the biggest fan of it and its hype, but i'm sure as hell not going to ***** that it's happening and being broadcast live!
 
#13 ·
RkFast said:
Yeah..becuase shitty racing in the rain and snow with a sideline full of drunk *******s with day glo wigs and speedos is really helping "grow" cycling in the US.
You just described any race in Belgium. At Flanders there was a guy near me wearing a bear costume and drunk as hell. I am pretty sure racing there is legit. Maybe you argument is bad.
 
#16 ·
wiz525 said:
any televised cycling helps "grow" cycling. sorry you hate the TOC so much. I'm not the biggest fan of it and its hype, but i'm sure as hell not going to ***** that it's happening and being broadcast live!

This I agree with its not the bext race out there at the moment but it has grown and improved or tried to each year. Its located in one of the few states that offer enough support and courses to support a longer stage race.
 
#17 ·
@Legavulin12 - I believe you are correct.

I would like to see the Tour of Californis develop into a true Grand Tour ons day, but have to agree with others that it is more of a training camp for those who see the Tour de France as thier ultimate personal or team goal.

Drunk fans in Bear suits - sounds like a Chicago Bears game!

But seriously, one of the great things about bike racing is that it allows the fans to get so close to thier heros - which also means that drunk, stupid, ill-advised etc. fans will make an appearance at times - scary on a certain level, but I think one of the reasons the tifosi became so fanatical - they can actually meet, talk to etc. the sportspeople they follow. The fans feel more a part of the show than just passive observers.

BTW - I actually find those crazy fans entertaining, as long as they don't get in the way of the riders (and keep thier dogs leashed!).
 
#18 ·
Just take it for what it is. A chance to see some of the best riders in the world and a lot of local talent compete against some Euro pros, on a course that you might be able to ride on another occasion.
 
#19 ·
dougydee said:
Just take it for what it is. A chance to see some of the best riders in the world and a lot of local talent compete against some Euro pros, on a course that you might be able to ride on another occasion.
Pretty much. I see no reason to hate on the ToC. Given that the Tour of GA and MO have stopped entirely, how can anyone complain? If I didn't have racing/training of my own, I'd consider catching some stages. I consider myself lucky to have been able to attend the last stage of the Tour of MO and be surrounded by top riders.
 
#20 ·
32and3cross said:
I know alot of the Euro bike companies and the US ones want it to grow and the other races to grow as the US represents a huge market for them.
Given the non-cycling population in the US, I have no doubt that there's a huge amount of growth potential. I doubt the numbers and riders will live up to that potential, but one can always hope.
 
#21 ·
LostViking said:
@Legavulin12 - I believe you are correct.

I would like to see the Tour of Californis develop into a true Grand Tour ons day, but have to agree with others that it is more of a training camp for those who see the Tour de France as thier ultimate personal or team goal.
And this is how alot of races started, the Vaulta was a 2 week race early in the year when it started it was taken that seriously and was used as training (its still used as training by guys going to worlds). In fact most non grand tours have at least some of the main GC guys riding them as training. ToC has a few guys taht take it seriously and a few more here for training and sponsors if the US is luckly it will continue to gain momentum and grow into a more prestigous race.

I know alot of the Euro bike companies and the US ones want it to grow and the other races to grow as the US represents a huge market for them.
 
#22 ·
kmunny19 said:
at one point I recall him saying (or being told by NBC to say) it was the 4th most important race of the year.
That is almost the quote I heard. It was more like "Some people say" (anyone, like NBC marketers) "that it is becoming" (not "it is") "the 4th most important race" (which it is clearly not).

But I am giving Phil and Paul and NBC a waiver on this hyperbole. Sports coverage in the USA is so dominated by the trilogy of baseball, basketball, and american football that even truly world-sports, like the other football, can't get much coverage.

Let's be glad that le Tour has grown in USA awareness to the extent that it gets a couple of column inches per day in mini-major newspapers like the Charlotte Observer (currently celebrating 4 Pulitzer Prizes in 125 years, whoo-hoo!).

(For out-of-towners, the paper is published Charlotte, North Carolina, one of NC's larger towns. NC is located in the Southeast USA. You can probably find the city on a map using Google. But make sure that you don't restrict your search to a city population size greater than 1 million or include a lot of recreation/entertainment requirements or a winning pro football or basketball team. But if you live in NC then you already know that.)
 
#25 ·
32and3cross said:
Yep you captured the sum and total of the entire event.
The event was a washout the last two years and the first two stages of this years event were curtailed due to the weather. Fact.

And IMO it feels contrived and corporate.

As far as the fans go, what happens overseas feels original. What goes on in the states feels like a bad copy with the yahoos in CA not passionate about the race....but motivated for camera time of their own. Theres no charm....there's American schlock. These "fans" are no different than the nitwits who attend big horse race events, claim they are "lifelong fans"...yet are face down in the gutter before the third race goes off.

These are my own observations and opinions. Youre more than welcome to draw up your own.

And where is it written that I have to "like" every single race?
 
#26 ·
RkFast said:
The event was a washout the last two years and the first two stages of this years event were curtailed due to the weather. Fact.

And IMO it feels contrived and corporate.

As far as the fans go, what happens overseas feels original. What goes on in the states feels like a bad copy with the yahoos in CA not passionate about the race....but motivated for camera time of their own. Theres no charm....there's American schlock. These "fans" are no different than the nitwits who attend big horse race events, claim they are "lifelong fans"...yet are face down in the gutter before the third race goes off.

These are my own observations and opinions. Youre more than welcome to draw up your own.

And where is it written that I have to "like" every single race?

Ska douche
 
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