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World cycling championships in Qatar



El Presidente

El Presidente

The ONLY Gay in Brighton
Helpful Moderator
Jul 5, 2003
39,705
Pattknull med Haksprut
The races have had to be shortened due to health concerns in relation to the heat.

Can anyone think of another major sporting event that is taking place in Qatar that could be subject to the same issues?

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studio150

studio150

Well-known member
Jul 30, 2011
29,610
On the Border
Why are any major sporting events scheduled in Qatar given that the high temperatures are a given.

Is money now placed above the safety of athletes
 


Stat Brother

Stat Brother

Well-known member
NSC Patron
Jul 11, 2003
73,663
West west west Sussex
studio150 said:
Why are any major sporting events scheduled in Qatar given that the high temperatures are a given.

Is money now placed above the safety of athletes
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In fairness to cycling over this the Tour of Qatar has been on the cycling calendar since 2002, admittedly in the spring when it's just hot.
Yes the UCI have been courting 'new' money but it does have a few races in the middle east, with a slightly dubious new team sponsored by Bahrain arriving next season.

Also the World Championship is the longest one day race on the calendar, much of which is superfluous miles.


As for any other event this might effect, I've been paid $10m to not know what you're talking about. :lol:
 


M

MattBackHome

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2003
11,723
El Presidente said:
The races have had to be shortened due to health concerns in relation to the heat.

Can anyone think of another major sporting event that is taking place in Qatar that could be subject to the same issues?
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All the more time to visit the famous Qatari National Felching Museum & Tromboning Centre - a must do in this proud and diverse land.
 


G

goldstone

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
7,115
Qatar is a joke of a country populated by some very unpleasant, corrupt and bored rich arabs. There is absolutely not one good thing to say about the place. I lived there for 10 months a few years back and so I'm talking from experience.
 




Badger

Badger

NOT the Honey Badger
NSC Patron
May 8, 2007
12,777
Toronto
goldstone said:
Qatar is a joke of a country populated by some very unpleasant, corrupt and bored rich arabs. There is absolutely not one good thing to say about the place. I lived there for 10 months a few years back and so I'm talking from experience.
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That's all very well, but what are their CATERING facilities like?
 




M

Martlet

Well-known member
Jul 15, 2003
679
I spent a day with one of the pros (a teammate of Cavendish) this summer. He said the whole peloton is scathing of these events - there's a small crowd in the city, mainly overweight Arabs who haven't been near a bike in their lives. After a gala start, they send the cyclists out into the desert, where nobody comes to watch, for the day, before coming back in for a sprint finish.

It's totally money-dominated, a chance for the UCI to top up the coffers, is useless for cycling (sand gets everywhere) and soul-destroying for the riders.
 














Triggaaar

Triggaaar

Well-known member
Oct 24, 2005
50,167
Goldstone
Stat Brother said:
As for any other event this might effect, I've been paid $10m to not know what you're talking about. :lol:
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I am not currently working for any interested parties, and I shall reveal the facts behind this and other sporting events on Friday 14th October.

Unless doing so would contravene any legal contract I have signed in the meantime.
 


1066familyman

1066familyman

Radio User
Jan 15, 2008
15,185
Martlet said:
I spent a day with one of the pros (a teammate of Cavendish) this summer. He said the whole peloton is scathing of these events - there's a small crowd in the city, mainly overweight Arabs who haven't been near a bike in their lives. After a gala start, they send the cyclists out into the desert, where nobody comes to watch, for the day, before coming back in for a sprint finish.

It's totally money-dominated, a chance for the UCI to top up the coffers, is useless for cycling (sand gets everywhere) and soul-destroying for the riders.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't expect you to, but it would be interesting to know who that pro was. Probably a dom working for Cav on a sprint stage.

In fact , both Qatar and Oman serve as very useful prep for the Classics riders and the Spring Classics in Northern Europe. There can be some nasty winds out in those deserts and some of the stronger riders/teams lick their lips at the thought of some echelon action.

The crowds are woeful though, and the other year there was a sand storm that whipped up on one stage and riders had to shelter in a tunnel until it died down. I think it was Cancellara ( I could be mistaken), as sort of peloton shop steward, who was leading calls for the stage to be abandoned and was not a happy chappy.

I'm not disputing the money aspect, but just pointing out that there is also a slightly bigger picture going on.

It should also be pointed out that temperatures can get a bit silly in the Vuelta a Espana some years too.
 




Filipino Pat

Filipino Pat

New member
Aug 24, 2014
19
I lived in Qatar for a couple of years. They held pro tennis tournaments there attracting Federer and co, presumably for financial reasons. I went along a few times (games started about 9pm to avoid the heat) and on one occasion when Federer was playing I was literally able to count the number of spectators. It came to under 100. And, everyone just talked throughout points - there was a constant noise of chatter and phones ringing whilst they were playing. The World Cup will be a shambles - but everyone knows that...
 


G

goldstone

Well-known member
Jul 5, 2003
7,115
Filipino Pat said:
I lived in Qatar for a couple of years. They held pro tennis tournaments there attracting Federer and co, presumably for financial reasons. I went along a few times (games started about 9pm to avoid the heat) .... And, everyone just talked throughout points - there was a constant noise of chatter and phones ringing whilst they were playing. The World Cup will be a shambles - but everyone knows that...
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The bloody Arabs and their mobile phones. They believe that talking on their phones the entire time makes people think they're important.
 


Badger

Badger

NOT the Honey Badger
NSC Patron
May 8, 2007
12,777
Toronto
goldstone said:
The bloody Arabs and their mobile phones. They believe that talking on their phones the entire time makes people think they're important.
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It's only because their clothes don't have any pockets. They've got to hold their phones the whole time, so they might as well use them.
 


1066familyman

1066familyman

Radio User
Jan 15, 2008
15,185
1066familyman said:
I wouldn't expect you to, but it would be interesting to know who that pro was. Probably a dom working for Cav on a sprint stage.

In fact , both Qatar and Oman serve as very useful prep for the Classics riders and the Spring Classics in Northern Europe. There can be some nasty winds out in those deserts and some of the stronger riders/teams lick their lips at the thought of some echelon action.

The crowds are woeful though, and the other year there was a sand storm that whipped up on one stage and riders had to shelter in a tunnel until it died down. I think it was Cancellara ( I could be mistaken), as sort of peloton shop steward, who was leading calls for the stage to be abandoned and was not a happy chappy.

I'm not disputing the money aspect, but just pointing out that there is also a slightly bigger picture going on.

It should also be pointed out that temperatures can get a bit silly in the Vuelta a Espana some years too.
Click to expand...

And there you go. A World's that has favoured the strong men and teams because of the cross winds.

Belgium and Norway split the race apart and about half of the big sprinter race favourites gone.

Say what you like about racing in Qatar, and yes the crowds are almost non exsistent, but for the TV viewer we've got a good hard classics race on our hands essentially.

Here's hoping Cav can bring this home, but with Belgium so strong, Kristoff & EBH there, Matthews and Viviani as well, not to mention Sagan... it isn't going to be easy.
 


E

essbee

New member
Jan 5, 2005
3,656
Martlet said:
I spent a day with one of the pros (a teammate of Cavendish) this summer. He said the whole peloton is scathing of these events - there's a small crowd in the city, mainly overweight Arabs who haven't been near a bike in their lives. After a gala start, they send the cyclists out into the desert, where nobody comes to watch, for the day, before coming back in for a sprint finish.

It's totally money-dominated, a chance for the UCI to top up the coffers, is useless for cycling (sand gets everywhere) and soul-destroying for the riders.
Click to expand...

Top flight football is already doing this by fleecing supporters
 


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