:shock:47p2":3pizf841 said:The publicity says theyre looking to start 5,500 riders:
:shock:47p2":3pizf841 said:The publicity says theyre looking to start 5,500 riders:
orbeas":1wlokc83 said:have been told that riders use modern shoes and pedals in L'Eroica in Italy.. from someone who has ridden it !!!
orbeas":124grux4 said:would not want to ride 100 miles in a pair of glorified trainers !!!!
And I'm looking to win the lottery, win the 2016 olympic road race and date miss world. None of it will happen thoNeilM":37821lsa said::shock:47p2":37821lsa said:The publicity says theyre looking to start 5,500 riders:
Johnsqual":3s2z7lq5 said:I think the Retro Ronde probably manages to keep its price down because there is almost certainly financial and other support available from the local and/or regional government for this type of event. They have realised that the Tour of Flanders is the biggest tourist draw to the area and are willing to invest in making the most of it.
The Belgians are generally quite good at supporting enlightened government investment to kick start tourism. The recent La Savoureuse seemed to follow a similar model, and in Limburg there is a subsidised scheme for tandem hire which attracts people to the region. They then spend money in the restaurants, hotels...
In the UK, since such an enlightened approach doesn't fit with our political culture (slash and burn!), there seem to be two alternatives. Either start out as a 'pirate' event, doing things in a cheap, informal way, and hope that local government people are wise enough to recognise the potential benefits (i.e. what l'Eroica did), or organise a shamelessly commercial event and try to turn a profit.
ugo.santalucia":1kdoqzrh said:Johnsqual":1kdoqzrh said:I think the Retro Ronde probably manages to keep its price down because there is almost certainly financial and other support available from the local and/or regional government for this type of event. They have realised that the Tour of Flanders is the biggest tourist draw to the area and are willing to invest in making the most of it.
The Belgians are generally quite good at supporting enlightened government investment to kick start tourism. The recent La Savoureuse seemed to follow a similar model, and in Limburg there is a subsidised scheme for tandem hire which attracts people to the region. They then spend money in the restaurants, hotels...
In the UK, since such an enlightened approach doesn't fit with our political culture (slash and burn!), there seem to be two alternatives. Either start out as a 'pirate' event, doing things in a cheap, informal way, and hope that local government people are wise enough to recognise the potential benefits (i.e. what l'Eroica did), or organise a shamelessly commercial event and try to turn a profit.
That is exactly my thought.
Have you been to the Savoureuse?