Tour of Georgia???

[fluffhead_harpua]

and is in jeopardy
http://www.bike.com/template.asp?date=11%2F7%2F2003&page=2&lsectionnum ber=4&lsectionname=Spoken+Word&lsectiondirectory=s poken

I've heard various conspiracy theories concerning Chris Aronhalt (Director of Ops for the Tour) and Threshold Sports (which ran the race in 2003). Does anyone have any idea why these guys have pitted the Tour of GA against the
Athens Twilight Criterium. It seems irresponsible to have two of the biggest races in the southeast competing against one another. Initially the promotors claimed that the 2003 Saturday stage would end in Athens and thus complement Twilight. But that was horseshit. There was no way to run a stage from Dalton to Athens - it's too long (and it was shortened to end in
Gainesville). Besides, even if the race had ended in Athens, it would still have precluded the participation of the top racers in the Twilight Crit.

Any ideas?

- Curious and out of the loop in Mississippi

[Gartain]

of some interest:

[Acky_1]

That's _one_ consideration. It's not the only consideration and maybe not even the overriding consideration. Read Saunder's post for further clarification. In fact, Saunder's should be the only one allowed to post here anymore. He's the only one that makes sense.

While Dixon may be a

[Rickard]

i have to agree with the chump on the conflict thing.. it just isnt that big of a deal...

i used to think that the NRC was too big, had too many categories for the events and didint represent only the best races.. but then i realized that it doesnt make any difference because USAC doesnt market the series and there isnt any prize money in it... the pro tour is silly too because it doesnt get marketed... no one cares about NRC rankings unless they get a bonus for winnig it... it does nothing to help the sport at all...

what matters is creating interest around the individual races (that falls to the attending teams)... creating marketing opportunities for your sponsors, getting media attention for your team in the mainstream media of the area.. and if all else fails you should try to win the race... then you might get an opportunity to have people see your jersey and you can talk about your

circulation of 200,000 or so people who probably already know about your team and its sponsors... but really for the teams the gig is to get on local TV and radio stations to promote the event and the team's presence there... and to get in the local papers before and after the race ... winning bike races is the cherry on top, the rest of it is all marketing and promotion around a sporting event... the better your team, the easier it is obviously, but it doesnt change the basic thing- its all marketing

which brings us back to TdG vs Athens... as it was, the potential to market TdG to a wider audience was greater than the potential to do the same with
Athens... we will see what the future holds for these events...

[Acky_1]

You mean like Credit Lyonais and Coca Cola?

This is why we'll never have a "Tour de France".

[Fluffhead111]

Before we all start crying for Athens and the prize money non payer/promoter Dixon, let's not get to confused.

Tour de Georgia an international field competing in a multi day satge race, with UCI points, media presence, large prize list, etc...

Twilight Crit a party for sure, but at best a regional nighttime criterium where 30,000 kids let loose with spring fever. Schmatz won it last year.That's not very impressive.

I'm sure there are small kermesse's the same day as the World Cup
Tour of Flanders in Belgium. Cycling has grown a little in the US, and conflicts like NY Criterium/Altoona (international)or the above mentioned Georgia/Athens deal. Get over it. Dixon is strictly small time anyway. Georgia paid all of it's prize money already.

ALSO Gotta love the whiners recently about the NRC being to big, and how can riders do east coast/west coast events held the same day.
PRECISELY. It makes it more accessible to poor 3rd Div. riders. The sport doesn't have too many races just yet (in the states)

[vipera]

I have done the Athens twilight several times. It is a crazy ass race, but is a lot of fun. Most pros probley dont like to do it because of the danger factor. Good money but it is not worth ending a season. I am not upset the pair georgia with athens. Gives me a reason not to do it.

[Rickard]

i think it was just a good time for plant to get on to something new... i am from richmond, va where the race organization was based.. the last year of the race was in 1996 even though there was one more year in with dupont... i would go work for turner for millions rather than hustle up more sponsors... i remember everyone in the area being pissed with plant, but i think in the end, he moved on to something new- cycling is always a hard sell even if it ismt so expensive for what it is... beyond teh $$$ i think that it was just a MAJOR stress to do that race every year...

on the side- tim miller who is the director of the captech classic used to work for medalist sports... no wonder he put togher such a great race in the first year!... the race is even geting better for next year... it is all thanx to the legacy of the Tour DUPONT in Richmond...

[Rickard]

Tour Dupont stopped because Mike Plant dissolved his company, Medalist Sports, to take a much more lucrative job with Ted Turner... the sponsors didnt have trust in any other party but Mike and his company (with whom they were contracted) to continue... if Mike Plant would have stayed in then the race would have gone on...