Think back to the 1980s and did anyone think the USA would come on in pro cycling like we did? (Please don't turn this into another dooping thread...start your own if you want)
It opened up huge untapped markets for cycling. Lots of new customers with $.
Is China the next huge market for pro cycling? They need local stars of course.
I just can't see it not happening. In the next 20 yrs China will have a TDF winner
http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/hong-kong-star-soon-to-be-courted-by-pro-teams
A) you can't separate the US' rise in cycling w/o discussing doping. They are completely intertwined. I'll leave it at that.
B) Hong Kong is not really China. Completely different culture, language and still have their own borders and customs.
C) Cycling, as a sport, is in its infancy (at best) in China. The is very little support and infrastructure for it. People just don't care that much about it. A a result, I don't know if you will see a Chinese TdF victor in the next 20 years. Even in the more "traditional" aerobic sports (track & field, etc) they have not really emerged as a power.
China might be happier producing TdF winning components and frames, and then there is always those components and frames for the masses.
Do they even ride bicycles any more in China? I thought they all drove Range Rovers and Ferraris.
A) no comment
B) yes I know Hong Kong and China are different. It was the only article I could find with an Asian bike racer. What is bike racing like on main land China. Grass roots? Much like in the US in the 1970s ?
C) I think China suffers like most " white " populations when it comes to track events. Cycling on the other hand still has a " white" element to it. look at the US, what do our cyclists look like ? what do our track runners look like ? I would think that China would stand a better chance in cycling then track.
There have been a couple of Asian professionals in Europe. Definitely a couple form Japan (one rode for Motorola for awhile as they expanded their market presence in Japan) and I am pretty sure there was at least one Chinese rider.
I have no idea what the racing scene in mainland China is like. I have never seen anyone out training when I am there, but higher-end bike shops are beginning to pop up in urban areas as the middle class continues to grow. Personally, you would never catch me out training on roads in China....drivers are WAY too scary.
China won a sailing gold in London this summer. To say that China didn't exist in sailing 10 years ago would be the understatement of the millennium. Culture, infrastructure - anything that Chinese cycling can be said to lack, Chinese sailing lacked more. It will surprise me if China hasn't won a Tour in 20 years.
Wow you don't get much time to edit. Anyhow, if a "short" people can produce Yao Ming (and a bunch of others like him), there's no physiological trait they haven't got among their population size.
Think East Germany, with all of the political will to legitimize their regime on the world stage through sporting achievement, with like 40 times the population size and nearly limitless resources.
As the Chinese domestic market develops, Chinese riders will have the leg up that American riders (and athletes of many types) have had, in that they represent a better value for a lot of advertisers. If you had two athletes at absolute physiological par, you take the American. The same will happen vis a vis Chinese athletes, I'm sure of it.
I sort of take it for granted that China will have top competitors in every field of competition within the next 20 years.
with population size and the type of govt currently in place I think China could easily develop a Tour champ or 2 in the next 20 years. It would only be a matter of it becoming an official priority. It has worked for them in other sports, they just put the resources in place and hire the right personnel to coach.
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1813961,00.html
Chinese riders have become reasonably successful on the woman's atb scene have they not?
while Western children are pre-occupied with murdering zombies on their Xbox and consuming heavily processed "food" 3 year olds in China have SRM equipped trikes, coaching and a nutrition plan in place
Could be just a matter of time
If/when it comes on it will be a huge boost to cycling. Much like when the USA got hooked. A huge increase in market size.
I think the Euro's sucked us in. Next up China..... Then India. Good marketing plan if you ask me.
As always it's about the $$$$$
with population size and the type of govt currently in place I think China could easily develop a Tour champ or 2 in the next 20 years. It would only be a matter of it becoming an official priority. It has worked for them in other sports, they just put the resources in place and hire the right personnel to coach.
The Chinese target the Olympics because of national prestige. The smart way to do that is putting resources into sports that give out a lot of medals. The chance of winning gold in the Olympic road race is small. It does not make sense to put resources there instead of a sport like swimming. I doubt the Olympics provide much incentive to develop a Tour winning cyclist.
The best best would be a Cafe de Columbia-like team that is sponsored by a big Chinese company that is looking to build an international brand.
Would a Chinese tour winner have a positive impact VN forum membership?
Well we'd find out how they feel about the campag vs shimano debate. I'm betting they are all campag over there given how they like to antagonize Japan.
There was an African rider in the TdF last year. Froome is from Kenya/South Africa.
All these "less developed" countries will be represented in the coming years.
The internet has changed the ability to reach markets that were unreachable even ten years ago.
Ten years ago I had no idea about the Brabantse Pijl. Now it is one of my favorite spring races because of the internet.
I have been updating my friends British Car restoration page on FB. In the past four weeks I have had people like my the page from the Ukraine and Korea.
The ability to reach markets has changed everything for sponsors as well as participants. I don't think there will be a rider winning multiple tours ever again. Certainly not 5 in a row.
20 years? He'll give them whatever the Olympic swimmers took and they'll win next year. They seem to be light years ahead in doping.
If the Chinese government decides to put the resources to it, it will happen. If not, forget it. The roads and pollution in much of China are not exactly ideal for road racing/training, so individuals without government support are not likely to break into the international scene any time soon.
This is the reason it's so difficult for riders from "developing" countries to make it in the pro ranks. Heck, even Japan, which has a strong history in international competition, can (mostly) only shine on the velodrome, not on the road.
FWIW, I think the reason the Columbians have done as well as they have is that all their roads seem to go straight UP! I would love to see more riders from Africa, but for the moment they'll have to be recruited early and brought to Europe to develop.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=4193295598653&set=vb.1472557557&type=3&theater
I submit my son for your consideration...okay...he's only 49% Chinese (there was the odd Dutch trader in my family tree some centuries ago), but it's close enough.
Tai
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