The day the UCI jumped the shark.

Fonzie Jumps the shark.   
Jumping the Shark: The moment in evolution when a show, brand, design, or creative effort uses some type of "gimmick" in a desperate attempt to keep viewers' interest -- moving beyond the essential qualities that initially defined its success, beyond relevance or recovery.


This just in: cafesupporters:  Qatar awarded 2016 UCI Road World Championships.

Do we the fans, the faithful two wheeled masses, the peasants of this feudal culture need anymore proof that in the sport of world cycling these days, cash rules - and sporting and cycling-culture considerations are now, officially 'way-way-waaaaay off the back' of the consideration set?


Who's more cash rich than Qatar?  Nobody.  The world's richest country according to Forbes.

Oh, I'm sure this will all be spun in typical PC language as 'opening up cycling to new markets, new audiences.'

Bullshit.  It's selling out our people's sport for a big fat petro-check.    Worse actually.  It's hoaring it out.  Putting cash before sporting quality.  

Exhibit A:  'The date might be delayed to avoid heat.'     Oh yeah, I'm sure all of cycling's big stars will be able to hold their form until an October start. No problem...
No Bull zone.

And how about this propoganda gem from the UCI's Chevallier:  "The management of the Qatar candidature presented an extremely interesting project which incorporated innovative solutions which allowed for the designing of a technically interesting course , we are greatly looking forward to working with them."   

Fast Eddy's no bull translation:  They promised to put in some road furniture and lots of corners to the route so hopefully a break might have a snowball's chance in hell of getting more than 50 feet up the road.  And we're very excited about receiving their deposit wire transfer, and looking forward to escaping Switzerland in January for our planning meeting at a luxurious five star resort.  

What a  worlds RR venue, eh jongens?
Quick, book me a ticket...
Qatar.   Yeah, that'll be a great, selective World Championship road race venue.   Put a ball bearing down anywhere on the course, and it won't roll more than an inch.   A classic world's road race course for the ages.  Blacktop across a stark desert.   I'm sure you all select one those old Tour of Qatar videos to watch for inspiration when you ride your windtrainer, right?

Why don't they just save us all the trouble and host a big seven hour roller race in the Doha Qatar mall?   They could build a Disneyesque stage set that looks like the Epcot version of a Lugano-Sallanches-Valkenburg hybrid.  Tacx can provide the backdrop virtual reality screens.    The fans can avoid the heat, and do some duty free shopping in air conditioned comfort while they watch the race progress on big screens.

It'll be an incredible bazaar.  Cipo will be the MC.

Doha Qatar Mall
I'm sure that masses of Euro and American supporters will line up to flock to Qatar.  After all, what I'm seeing on TV this week just proves that part of the world is so 'tourism friendly' and tolerant of freedom and alternative cultures.   Ought to be fun seeing how our beloved, but irreverrent drinking orange clad and viking hoards are received over there...   (Better not drink in public boys!)

If the UCI wants to put the worlds in a non-European venue that will expand cycling, they should put it in a venue where there's at least some meaningful roots of cycling culture:  How about a place like South Africa, Colombia or Senegal?    

What's that?  Cash the problem you say?  Sorry Pat, no excuse for hoaring out the race for the regenboogtrui.  If global sport expansion is your end-objective, maybe you need to consider scaling back the size of the show to grow it.

Improve the quality of the show.  Stop compromising it.

Qatar??

UCI, you just jumped the flippin' Shark.  

Comments

  1. The UCI are a bunch of W....rs!!!
    This would be a very interesting race..... NOT!
    Sounds like a money grabbing exercise to me.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Good rant E. Did you really expect anything better from the UCI. Men in positions of power, plus the possibility of lots of money ! I subscribe to your view that the fans will have little interest, the riders even less. Result, an unworthy course, few spectotors, surprise winner and money in a Swiss bank.

    On the subject of the UCI. I see that the petty and vindictive McD and Hein V are taking Kimmage to a Swiss court for articles written in French and British newspapers claiming a cover up at the Tour of Switzerland.

    Good luck Paul, maybe the recent USADA ruling together with the Hammilton book will provide some decent material for your defence.

    ReplyDelete

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