Eroica's coming to the UK

[Old Ned]

I don't need 3 days camping, there and back in the day is easy (even if the ride itself wouldn't be!). Can I have 66.6% discount then?

 

[vivelesalpes]

If you are successful in getting a discount Ned, let us know. I live that close I could camp and go back home to use my own toilet !

 

[bugloss]

BTW, who is going to Retro Ronde next year. I've GOT to do it soon!

I'd be interested in the Retro Ronde.

 

[ededwards]

I'm now completely confused as the £15 reduction in entry fees, without any explanation I've noticed, means with 5,500 riders there will be over £60k less income - what will be missed out as a result? Or were the initial sums just a bit off? I genuinely wish the organisers all the best but from a straw poll of UK riders at l'eroica at the weekend I think they will really struggle with entries for an unproven event at high cost.

As for the RetroRonde, I'm definitely intending to go back in 2014. A bit nearer the time I'll post up with details of accommodation etc. and we can see if we can get a small group together.

 

[ugo.santalucia]

The strade bianchi of L'Eroica are unique and have a definite connection to cycling, being the remnants of roads like the ones that people like Coppi, Bartali, Magni, Anquetil and so on would have ridden on.


It may be a nice route, but it's one you can enjoy for free yourself.

THat's not the case either... there is no connection betweens the strade bianche (with the E at the end) and the eroic cycling days of Coppi and Bartali. I am not aware of any race in the area and they are mostly farm tracks used as an access to vineyards. They mock what roads used to be like before everything got covered in tarmac, but they are unlikely to have ever seen Coppi and Magni...maybe Bartali, just because he was local and he might have trained on some.

I know the Monsail trail is open, but if you don't live there, how likely are you to ever cycle on it? The Strade bianche are open too and so is the Koppenberg and the Arenberg forest, but if you don't enter the event it's not even particularly easy to actually find them.

 

[pigman]

in summer the monsal trail is heavily used by walkers, inexperienced cyclists, families and dog walkers. Plus there have been complaints that some cyclists travel to fast on it for other users. So that should make for an interesting day with 5000+ Anqueteil wannabees living their dreams

 

[Johnsqual]

The strade bianchi of L'Eroica are unique and have a definite connection to cycling, being the remnants of roads like the ones that people like Coppi, Bartali, Magni, Anquetil and so on would have ridden on.


It may be a nice route, but it's one you can enjoy for free yourself.

THat's not the case either... there is no connection betweens the strade bianche (with the E at the end) and the eroic cycling days of Coppi and Bartali. I am not aware of any race in the area and they are mostly farm tracks used as an access to vineyards. They mock what roads used to be like before everything got covered in tarmac, but they are unlikely to have ever seen Coppi and Magni...maybe Bartali, just because he was local and he might have trained on some.

I know the Monsail trail is open, but if you don't live there, how likely are you to ever cycle on it? The Strade bianche are open too and so is the Koppenberg and the Arenberg forest, but if you don't enter the event it's not even particularly easy to actually find them.

My point was not that they ARE the roads Coppi etc would have ridden on, but that they are LIKE those roads (as I said above). They are probably the closest available thing to the roads used in races of that period, given that most of the roads and mountain passes used in classic races have long since been paved over.
L'Eorica is the closest you can get to riding in similar conditions to that period, that is one of the things that makes it so unique and interesting.

And the fact it takes place in a region where one of the greatest Italian cyclists originates is another connection to history, even if Bartali didn't actually race there as a professional (just like Normandy has a connection to cycling via Robic, Hinault etc).

The route of RVV is signposted and reasonably easy to follow, and maps are also available. So it's not that hard to find the Koppenberg, Muur, Oude Kwaremont etc. The RVV also has the necessary connection, since these are indeed the roads used in some of the most important races.

Up to now, the French don't seem that bothered about making the same kind of tourist attraction out of Paris Roubaix. In fact, there are stories that local government officials used to rush to pave over the cobbles in their area if they heard the race might come through. They thought the cobbled farm tracks gave the area an image of being backward and underdeveloped (consolidating the impression of the people of Le Nord as 'ch'tis').
I think the practice of numbering and preserving the cobbled sections was started by amateurs.
It's a shame, because a Retro Paris Roubaix would be a very interesting event.

And my point about the routes is that the organisers are being misleading, perhaps even dishonest, in claiming that the access to the routes is 'exclusive'. I think this is unfair of them.

As I have said before, one of the various disappointing things about the Eroica Britannia is that there has not been any real attempt to connect the event to British cycling heritage, either by using a route that connects with famous cycling locations, or a region with a strong cycling heritage (Yorkshire would have been the obvious choice via Barry Hoban, Victor Sutton, Brian Robinson, Beryl Burton, Malcolm Elliott etc). Many of these people don't get enough credit and it would have been good to have seen them included in the event somehow.

L'Eroica was originally used to make a political point about the destruction of the strade bianche. The organisers of L'E B could have (gently) made a point about the lack of good cycling facilities in the UK, as well as making a point that Britain has some road racing pioneers who don't get credit for what they did. But they seem to have chosen to use the event to flog cornish pasties and Brooks saddles instead.

 

[ugo.santalucia]

L'Eroica was originally used to make a political point about the destruction of the strade bianche. The organisers of L'E B could have (gently) made a point about the lack of good cycling facilities in the UK, as well as making a point that Britain has some road racing pioneers who don't get credit for what they did. But they seem to have chosen to use the event to flog cornish pasties and Brooks saddles instead.

On this we agree, although we don't have the lowdown of how the event is going to pan out. I think criticising the event before it even takes place is a bit excessive. We can argue on the price, as for the rest we don't know anything yet.

I am in two minds... on the one hand I am curious and would ,love to enter it, on the other hand the Retro ronde the week before is a safer bet of course

 

[NeilM]

I am in two minds... on the one hand I am curious and would ,love to enter it

I am in the same boat, as my whole motivation for starting to build my 70's clubman's bike was the anticipation of this event.

Now I am torn between curiosity and the hope that the ride outclasses the excessive marketing hype, and the fact that it appears to be a food and drink festival with a bit of (expensive) cycling on the side.

I have pre registered and I'll see what transpires as the event gets closer, keeping my fingers crossed for a concession for those of us who do not wish to camp for three days.

 

[Johnsqual]

L'Eroica was originally used to make a political point about the destruction of the strade bianche. The organisers of L'E B could have (gently) made a point about the lack of good cycling facilities in the UK, as well as making a point that Britain has some road racing pioneers who don't get credit for what they did. But they seem to have chosen to use the event to flog cornish pasties and Brooks saddles instead.

On this we agree, although we don't have the lowdown of how the event is going to pan out. I think criticising the event before it even takes place is a bit excessive. We can argue on the price, as for the rest we don't know anything yet.

I am in two minds... on the one hand I am curious and would ,love to enter it, on the other hand the Retro ronde the week before is a safer bet of course

For me, the best scenario would be that the organisers take on some of the criticism and change the event before it takes place.

They could add a charity donation like the Eroica does (I think the Eroica organisers should've made that a condition for giving the franchise). They could include an exhibition about British cycling pioneers or British frame builders. They could add a petition for better cycle paths in the UK. They could offer reduced rates for people from the local area. They could offer training in mechanical skills to local people who might then get a job off the back of it.

Better to make these criticisms and suggestions now than to say they should've done XYZ differently afterwards, surely?