So I see that the August issue of MBA has a 4 page anti-UCI rant about the shorter XCO tracks and dumbing down of pro courses. It's a bit ironic that they use the Sea Otter race as an example, as I think the paved section of that course exceeded the maximum allowance under UCI MTB regs of 15% of the total course length.
But aside from that, they're lamenting the loss of 20 mile long lap races in the mountains dictated by the UCI with the shorter courses that are to be between 4-6km in length.
They were pointing out that the UCI requirements to make races spectator friendly by keeping them compact is a waste of time because no one comes out to watch anyway, again using Sea Otter as an example.
I think that Mont Sainte Anne is pretty typical of the attendance in many European World Cups, and that is a 5km course that is easily accessible by the thousands of spectators that show up, and a pretty challenging course for the riders.
I personally think it was a poor idea of the UCI to shorten the race length from 2 hours to 1:30-1:45, as endurance should be a bigger component of a race, but aside from that, it seems that the MBA idea of 20mile long laps almost guarantees that it won't be spectator friendly and won't encourage people to attend or sponsors to support the races.
It's also a bit ironic that on the page preceding the anti-UCI rant to take back mountain bike racing, there's a full page ad for a product called EPO Booster. What are they really saying about their viewpoint on MTB racing? :skep:
Anyone else read the article and have any thoughts?
But aside from that, they're lamenting the loss of 20 mile long lap races in the mountains dictated by the UCI with the shorter courses that are to be between 4-6km in length.
They were pointing out that the UCI requirements to make races spectator friendly by keeping them compact is a waste of time because no one comes out to watch anyway, again using Sea Otter as an example.
I think that Mont Sainte Anne is pretty typical of the attendance in many European World Cups, and that is a 5km course that is easily accessible by the thousands of spectators that show up, and a pretty challenging course for the riders.
I personally think it was a poor idea of the UCI to shorten the race length from 2 hours to 1:30-1:45, as endurance should be a bigger component of a race, but aside from that, it seems that the MBA idea of 20mile long laps almost guarantees that it won't be spectator friendly and won't encourage people to attend or sponsors to support the races.
It's also a bit ironic that on the page preceding the anti-UCI rant to take back mountain bike racing, there's a full page ad for a product called EPO Booster. What are they really saying about their viewpoint on MTB racing? :skep:
Anyone else read the article and have any thoughts?