This weekend, January 21st, sees the UCI Cyclocross World Cup descend on Benidorm. And before you say 'Eh, what?' - it's a cracking course - dry, dust ...
By chipps
Get the full story here:
https://singletrackworld.com/gritcx/2024/01/cyclists-not-welcome-at-this-spanish-world-cup/
UCI actually support 'normal people' cycling as a mode of transport ?
You're having a larf. Worse than British Cycling for that. They're only interested in things they can milk more CHF to put in Swiss vaults alongside the gold stolen in the 1940s
Peddling "safety" as a CBA IMHO.
If they were really bothered they'd do it. Staffed by volunteers, like every other event.
You could at least include the date for the event in the story!
I've only been to Beni the once, and it's a really weird place - the whole of the centre of the town is 100% dedicated to tourism, there was absolutely nothing for locals. Add in that most the shops and bars had signs in English, and it's just a surreal experience when you come from one of the other Spanish coastal towns. Still, met my mate who's a genuine Spanish local, and he took us to a bar which was selling two pints for 3€, so couldn't complain 🙂
Really looking forwad to this one, but struggling to see anyone other than VdP winning it, he's just an absolute animal at the moment in terms of power. He just hits the button and goes ! I'd like to see Pidcock stay with Wout for some interest with maybe Ronhaar or Isyerbit making a decent fist of it.
Cam Mason will be in the GB Jersey again this year after winning last weekend, but in truth he doesn't quite have the pace most times... every now and again though he gets it.
You could at least include the date for the event in the story!
The first two words of the story are still relevant, but I'll update it so that it stays relevant even after this weekend. 🙂
Staffed by volunteers, like every other event.
I wouldn't volunteer to help an event that is charging for tickets. (20 Euro an adult.) I'm not sure that's any different to me volunteering to help the Vue cinema I went to last night sort out their queue because they were short staffed.
Bit of a non story really.
I've not been to many Pro level CX races on the Continent but I've been to a few and spectator's bikes have never been allowed inside the venue. There's tens of thousands of people crammed into a small area and it gets *busy*, to the point of anxiety inducing crush in some places, adding people wheeling bikes around would make it very messy, even it it was just getting them to a bike parking area. It wouldn't be a viable, or safe, proposition.
I can't remember seeing any dedicated bike parking outside any of the venues either, people just lock their bikes up to whatever's available and because it's the Continent it's usually a Dutch style town bike they use for just getting around on and not some $$$$ fancy pants toy so they're totally okay with that. I think maybe there was one event that commandeered a fanced off tarmac sports area that you could pile bikes in that happened to be close to the entrance but there was no security there, for the above reason.
A reminder that the majority of people turning up at a CX race on the Continent aren't Cyclists (with a capital C) and it's a spectator sport like football is here and most are there for the beer, frittes and to be entertained by the race monkeys, and then go mad in the rave tent at the end.
Really looking forwad to this one, but struggling to see anyone other than VdP winning it, he’s just an absolute animal at the moment in terms of power. He just hits the button and goes ! I’d like to see Pidcock stay with Wout for some interest with maybe Ronhaar or Isyerbit making a decent fist of it.<br />Cam Mason will be in the GB Jersey again this year after winning last weekend, but in truth he doesn’t quite have the pace most times… every now and again though he gets it.<br /><br />
It’s the World Cup series not the world championship, that’s near Prague this year.
Agree, non-story, been to three of the last world cx championships and there’s non bike facilities, it’s a heaving mess of drunken humanity not a sportive.
I don't remember the world cup race in Milton Keynes having big cycle parks? (But I drove there so wasn't looking for it.)
It’s the World Cup series not the world championship,
I know. I'm not sure what made out i thought otherwise.
TBH it's a bit of a non-story. Most people are not going to turn up by bike because the audience who live within cycling distance is probably small. And if you have ever been to bike events and had your achilles and shins mashed by muppets walking about pushing bikes in crowds, well, you have your answer. Bikes were always banned inside the halls at the annual bike shows in brum too, when I worked there.
The Dutch F1 was a bit of an unusual thing, where the entirety of the country has a bike already and access by car was banned, but also access by car is already awful to that location.
What a sad attitude from the last few posters. I can understand bikes not being in the actual arena - so take a few of those precious car park spaces and provide bike parking outside the entrance. Cycle sport has poor form for CO2 emissions, (it's not alone in this granted) so should be prioritising easy wins to improve sustainability even in small ways - build it and they will come! A bit like permanent decent cycling infrastructure.
I disagree about it being a non-story as it is highlighting the ridiculousness of the UCI event organisation.
I certainly wasn’t aware about not having any bikes on site.
This isn't just an UCI event organisation 'issue' as it's the same as any other Pro level CX race, especially in it's heartland of the Low Countries. Tens of thousands of people turn up making it more of a large capacity sporting event with some cycling in rather than a cycling event, the amount of alcohol consumed only underlines the former. It's not like any UK cycling event where it's mostly just Cyclists (with a capital C) turning up. By a very long way.
As most of these races are in the Low Countries the cycling infrastructure is already there, in spades, which is why loads of people within cycling distance will just rock up on their town bikes, in normal clothes, tie them up wherever and go watch a race with beer and frittes in hand and then just noodle off home a bit wobbly afterwards. Those from further afield will often board one of the many coaches heading to the event, the famous CX riders will have their own fan clubs who will charter an entire bus (with the luggage compartment full of crates of beer) to get them to whatever field it is that weekend, which is a lot more sustainable than everyone turning up in their own car.
^^^ this.
I've been to a lot, spectating (via car, coach and bike) and racing (Supporting events!!!).
The *VAST* majority have no dedicated bike parking space for the event, some will have a load of fences in a sort of open pen near the entrance with space for a couple of hundred city bikes to be locked and left. Some are left there permanently (Ride there, get so drunk you don't know your own name, walk home, forget where the bike is).
Those which are based around existing facilities or close to town centres, people will just leave their bikes in the "normal" bike parking. Most facilities in the low countries will have an order of magnitude more parking than your average UK sports centre.
I wouldn’t volunteer to help an event that is charging for tickets. (20 Euro an adult.)
Name checks out 😉
FWIW Fort William has always been a paid entry (unless you're a keen walker) and staffed by volunteers. (there may have been a nominal payment but not enough to compensate for the flying piranhas)
Had a cycle park as well.
So, not only are more and more events actively trying to get people to cycle to them for both traffic congestion and environmental reasons but the fact that the bike industry can’t organise parking for the product that it, checks notes, relies on selling, is the proverbial failure to organise a piss up in a brewery.
To be fair, previously I don’t think I’ve been to spectate at a race without cycling at least a leg of the way - Tour, cobbled classic and cyclocross. I’m livid.
<br />I wouldn’t volunteer to help an event that is charging for tickets. (20 Euro an adult.) I’m not sure that’s any different to me volunteering to help the Vue cinema I went to last night sort out their queue because they were short staffed.
If they had to pay everyone staffing the event, tickets would cost a hell of a lot more than 20euros. I volunteered at UCI Worlds and I learnt there that there is a a big community of people who travel around volunteering at multiple large scale events. They get well looked after, make new friends and see old ones, feel useful and have an excuse to travel to new places. <br />It’s not always just about money.
Wout, don't slip there!
Someone got a nice souvenir in the shape of some rather expensive glasses!
he was lucky he didn't break anything else there! so much for the "safer" option.... 😀
Didn't see on TV either only that he'd been off.
Brilliant race - looked like a stupid-fast course!
It was - like the cavalry passing in full flight on every lap.
The women’s race was great too. Very close for the whole race without the usual suspect blowing everyone away. (Non spoiler)
It was quite frankly ridiculous wasn't it. Such power! He overtook 6 top pros in 15s of power. Wow
Someone got a nice souvenir in the shape of some rather expensive glasses!
When Wout slipped? That was his saddle flying off after he kung-fu kicked it clean off the seatpost, Van Damme style.