US world cup cancelled
Whoops!
From cyclingnews.com:
"A planned 2007 World Cup stop in Providence, Rhode Island in the United States has been put off for at least one year, according to promoters."
Easy come, easy go, I guess...
Maybe this was the fault of all the nay-sayers.
But these promoters are a lot of the same guys who brought us year after year of big talk about SuperCups followed by cancellations.
I guess I better go cancel those plane tickets.
From cyclingnews.com:
"A planned 2007 World Cup stop in Providence, Rhode Island in the United States has been put off for at least one year, according to promoters."
Easy come, easy go, I guess...
Maybe this was the fault of all the nay-sayers.
But these promoters are a lot of the same guys who brought us year after year of big talk about SuperCups followed by cancellations.
I guess I better go cancel those plane tickets.
posted by Dave Carr at 7:49 PM
21 Comments:
Unfortunatly if it was anyone's fault, it was the known chaos of the organizers. Believe me, I would love to have a world-caliber bike race of any kind in my neck of the woods. But I've seen too much of the goings on with those folks to get my hopes up.
But tom simpson said there would be a world cup and to go watch it with also great amateur races? tom simpson said it would happen so how could they cancel it?
Some questions to Consider:
1) When and where did the organizers ever publicly state they WERE putting on a World Cup?
2) Would the coward "anonymous" please tell us what was the "known chaos" at last year's nationals?
3) The posting should read "postponed" and not cancelled.
And finally, there are two types of people in the world, those who do everything and those who know everything.....and they're never the same people.
Any other questions can be referred directly to me, Richard Fries at Richard_Fries@hotmail.com.
Fries:
1) Where was it said? How about this. You saying the UCI are bigger liars than the promoter?
2) "Cancelled": Mea culpa. But this is a blog, not the Washington Post. We're allowed to stir the pot a little. Plus cancelled, postponed, either way there's no race this year.
3) "Known chaos"? Beats me, you should ask the guy who posted on that other blog. We didn't say it.
4) Anyway...Sorry it didn't work out. Really. Hope you can pull it off next year.
- Dave
Richard - I think what everyone is saying is that we appreciate the effort of all the folks who are working to make a US World Cup event happen...
Stop the f**king finger pointing, we're all on the same side of this issue.
1) When and where did the organizers ever publicly state they WERE putting on a World Cup?
They didn't the UCI dude did, Stu posted it on his page first, then Cyclocross.info popped it up... There was language stating that it wasn't a done deal yet...
2) Would the coward "anonymous" please tell us what was the "known chaos" at last year's nationals?
Oh now you are calling them a coward? Come on Richard. As the loud mouth of cycling events pick a word that a marketing director would use eh? Coward? You know there is NO better way to get people to answer your questions than calling them names.
3) The posting should read "postponed" and not cancelled.
How do you spell cancelled? or is it canceled?
Sorry, side tracking, this i a blog comment not a copy edited post.
It is canceled for THIS year. No? Meaning the world cup is NOT coming to the USA this year? So it is canceled. There are hopes that it will be postponed until next year. That is what the release sounds like.
I'm for one, not buying the glitzy wording and all that "Madison Avenue" stuff. Basically it seems that the press release is saying you guys couldn't line up enough big cash sponsors for the event. And heck i'm not trying to get money from anyone, although i know it is tough.
Good luck getting it together for next year Rich. I wish you, Lyle and Tom all the success needed to pull it off next year.
I'm not too surprised...
Euros aren't going to give up that easy anyway.
keep pluggin, it might happen some day!
Personally I have to say that I think Richard is absolutely justified in expressing his frustration this way. On the one hand, he and his colleagues are trying to make something happen. For whatever reasons, it will take longer to accomplish than some people had hoped/expected - most likely this has quite a bit to do with money.
Now, while they continue to work on it, we have a peanut gallery saying "Hey, that would be awesome, I hope you succeed" and AT THE SAME TIME "Boy, you really are disorganized, you probably won't pull this off." This doesn't help.
The fact is, the "loud mouth" and friends have done a lot more over the years for cycling in New England than the entire population of the blogosphere, so perhaps he's entitled to respond to comments on his work.
OK, here's a non peanut comment for ya.
Momentum is hard to come by. So are the commitment of the sponsors, participants, and press.
Don't get everyone's hopes up by creating (or facilitating) all this buzz about a race when the chickens aren't hatched. You may have a legitimate beef with the UCI for spilling ahead of time but the rumors were out there way ahead of that.
The "new england" mafia have done plenty for the sport, sure. However cancelled races also hurt the sport, all those cancelled supercups took a lot of wind out of what had been building into a real national scene. Crank bros is building it up again, we don't need any more deflation.
None of the peanut gallery will do half of what Fries and co have done for the sport. Promoting at this level is hella hard and thankless. But you picked this role, and still have a responsibility to the role you play.
Now go get us a race next year.
Richard again...
I am deeply appreciative of the kind words on our behalf. I also realize most of the folks on this site truly love 'cross...probably as much as we do.
And I'll give you all the real reason for the postponement of the 2007 World Cup.
But first, I must note that what infuriated me was the comments about the "known chaos" of the organizers. A visit to this woman's blog site will reveal a lot. I had considered identifying this person for you. But this is a really sad, really lonely, and really hurt human being who partially blames me for some of her wounds. Animals are most dangerous when they're injured and I'm really sad for her.
She alludes to having "seen too much of the goings on." This is effectively the logical fallacy known as argumentum ad authoritative.
This is why blogs can be so dangerous. With no editing or checking of facts, people can post knowingly false, libelous, and damaging statements.
I hope you will all support our 2008 event. We have many good sponsors. We have a great city. We have a super venue. We have a sport bursting with enthusiastic folks such as the visitors to this site. And most importantly, we have a great staff.
The real cause for the delay was me. I needed to catch my breath - personally, financially, and professionally - if I was to provide the type of return on the investment we were asking of these sponsors.
As stated in the release, everybody wants to go to a wedding; nobody wants to go to a marriage. We're trying to build a strong marriage between our group, the sponsors, the cities, and the riders.
I appreciate your audience. I'll sign off until there is something of greater substance to report.
Again, you can reach me at Richard_Fries@hotmail.com if you need to know anything else.
Regards,
RF
Oh, for goodness sakes. I did identify myself before. No thanks for the totally unnecessary character assassination. Hardly anyone reads my damn blog anyway, what do you care what I have to say?
I quote an email I got yesterday:
"Chaos, starting grid = chaos, way short on volunteers, those who showed up early and gave a full day of back breaking hard work were given a fucking subway sandwich and a can of coke nothing more. Some slacker fat ass shows up, stands at a crossing and gets a fucking jacket and free lunch, beer tickets and lots of schwag. I get a jacket mailed to me eventually...
If they had just added a qualifying event on thursday or SOMETHING for the over registered events... or hell i dunno...
chaotic clusterfuck... charging for parking... oh don't get me started on the bad side of things...
good side? we had a race in Providence. big names showed up... many spectators seemed to have fun."
That's GeWilli, who I hope doesn't mind me using his words. The "known chaos" comes from me hearing this report from numerous people, including frustrated Narraganset Wheelmen, collegiates, etc. Maybe you should take it up with them.
But finally, who cares? Whatever I think is so minor, so under the radar and so insignificant, I doubt any of you should make the effort to even bother responding, especially to be unnecessarily mean.
Chaotic does fit for the event.
There were aspects that worked.
And there were many aspects that i will agree, damn chaotic.
The whole starting mess. I don't have a better answer but i will say it pretty much sucked. Flat out sucked. Esp when the people on the front row were starting part way up the hill and everyone behind them had to line up just a little further down the hill.
That and it was half assed enforcement as to filling spots in front. Some guys gained 10 rows. Some guys got yelled at for moving up one row into a gap.
I did my volunteer work setting up the course in the damp with Stevens and crew, rain i think. I was definitely disillusioned about the seemingly glorious treatment the race day volunteers got relative to the folks who showed up early to do the hard work. I was resigned to getting nothing (jacket as i referred too). And i saw the "sacrifice" of the organizers giving up their "jackets" for the volunteers.
They were short volunteers. I wish i could have worked more than i did, but i was a competitor on a personal level, many folk said i should have saved my energy for the race, maybe i wouldn't have been lapped by Feldman if i hadn't spent the day working and helping Stevens set the course up. I was also hosting a Pro Racer. I also was this Pro Racer's Mechanic. And when not doing the rest of that stuff i was taking care of my two little kids.
I made lots of sacrifices for that event. Some of them contributed to the event (set up maybe) some not so much.
It sucked that volunteers got raffle tickets and what not for showing up to a party but those who couldn't make it (family, racer support, what not) nah here's a thank you.
Sure they might have been overwhelmed with the number or racers registering. Sure the parking fee might have been a good thing to alleviate last years mess. But heck, no one checked my "sticker" and i know my car was in the minority in the area i was. Almost none of the cars had the pass displayed.
Fact is without the incredible support of the NBW and enthusiasts in the area who GAVE their time, even for a jacket, it wouldn't have worked.
The complete and total lack of local publicity (from a local's perspective) was incredible. And really disappointing.
How can a national event not get noticed? Marketing isn't my life. But i've grown up around marketing being the difference of making Christmas happen or not.
So yeah, I'm still pissed. I'm pissed that a promoter attacks someone founded or unfounded, i will not judge more than just listen.
None of what i've said here or in an email to "what i think" has not been said before.
It ain't anything new.
I've written it publicly before.
I have tried to remain positive and supportive, but will NOT deny that the event definitely was not free from chaos. It seemed to take a positive step from the year before. AND i know from doing repeated events in the same location that every year improves.
Rich is right in his fuming, the event was "a success" but if he is denying that it was not chaotic and that people weren't running around frantically looking for more volunteers or more of this or fixing this or that... then man ya being just flat out blind.
Oh one more thing.
That Gene Petrella guy. Freaking SAINT.
Without him running around it would have been messed up.
Anyway. I'm happy to wait a year. I'm happy to wait two years, three years if it happens here.
That is how geeked and excited i am to have the hope of a CX world cup showing up here.
But with that emotional baggage comes the massive dissapointment. My shreds of positive hope on the success and this year were dashed.
But cool. let me reset and get all geeked about it coming next year.
But then, will it? I hope so.
I really do.
I hope the problems from CX Nats are fixed. I hope they can put together enough money sponsors to make it work for the UCI folks.
Work for Wellens and Nys.
As Tim Gund says:
"Make it work!"
This thread is a serious train wreck.
I'm disgusted at the personal crap in it, but can't stop reading it.
It does however, reaffirm our decision to keep our races small and local like.
When we cancelled an event, the outpouring of support we got from our local racing community was unbelievable.
Now you got me all schmoopy for our NorCross scene.
Muah!
Sabine
This is why I was turned off cyclo-cross before. All the shouting. Remember Trebon's site last fall? I love the fun-loving and laid back atmosphere, but the insult slinging, not so much. Maybe I won't get that 'cross bike upgrade after all.
To be fair, I must add this remark about the cyclo-cross nationals:
"The Providence Journal covered the event both years; the local NBC affiliate ran an event preview throughout the weekend in 2005; and 60,000 copies of the 'cross guide that was featured in The Phoenix got distributed throughout the weekend in 2006. The Boston Globe featured the event in 2005 and of course there was the piece on "Only A Game," which reaches 400,000 listeners nationwide each week. In relative terms, "local" media respective to racers nationwide continue to feature their racers with references to their achievements at 'cross nats. I would be happy to show you the more than two million media impressions recorded for 2005 and then again in 2006. These are conservative figures based on circulation reports, web statistics, and listener audits."
This from one of the PR folks.
So we're all wrong. Which is a position I am perfectly prepared to take.
I have no problem being wrong.
I didn't see the local TV spots, but then, well, i was BUSY.
Didn't see the ProJo till someone showed me the follow up article.
Missed the Phoenix insert...
Yeah, what Sabine said. This blog is not a boxing ring for disaffected Nor'easters to go sixteen rounds in a flame war. Take it outside kids!!
How bout a World Cup in NORCAL baby!
Richard, I beleive we are ALL behind you and your efforts on making the seeming impossible happen. As Bon Scott says "it's a long way to the top if you want to rock 'n roll..." Hang in there!!!
See new articles re: the Providence WC at cyclocrossworld.com
I like the way Richard F. calls the hurt female a animal!
Is he refering to v>b>?
He really seems to be gay?
Yeah Sabine,
You still owe me gas money for canceling your event the morning of the race.
I drove 3 hours to be there for nothing.
I would have paid for a bad starting grid or any type of starting grid that day!
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