Who follows women's cycling?

[Missy24]

I'll be the first to admit that I know more about the leaders in the mens peloton than I know about the women's.

Who keeps up with what's going on in the womens peloton? And if not, why not?

[nickobec]

Don't really follow women's cycling, it just does not get the same coverage on TV aka streamed on the net as the men.

As willing to watch live or on TV men's or women's cycling.

I can recognise Emma Pooley, she does summer here in Perth and I have seen her riding a couple of times. Her performance in La Fleche Wallone Feminin was outstanding, riding away from the bunch on the Mur, was even more impressive than Cadel's effort.

I am a huge fan of Jeannie Longo who is my age and still winning French National titles as well as competing at the highest level.

[Missy24]

Is it purely because its not on TV?

Do you read print articles about what's happening in the women pro teams?

Would you actively search for articles about women's pro cycling teams?

[nickobec]

Is it purely because its not on TV?

And it does not get the same level of press coverage. I probably know more about what is happening in the Men's Pro Continental Teams, than the Women's UCI Pro teams because of level of coverage.

Do you read print articles about what's happening in the women pro teams?

Would you actively search for articles about women's pro cycling teams?

What is print I get all my news online and have done for years.

I will read articles on women's pro cycling at cyclingnews.com, velonews.com and similar sites, when I visit.

I would actively search for articles or more particularly race results of events, that I knew where on. But other than a few big events, I don't know the women's calendar unlike the men's.

[ni78ck]

i do follow women cycling!!!

[Christine Tham]

i do follow women cycling!!!

You can draft behind me anytime

I don't even follow mens cycling (sure, I watched TdF and TDU but I'm really bad at recalling names and teams - I have already forgotten who won TDU).

I did watch the womens cycling events on Jayco Bay classic on One HD. Can't remember who won either.

But then I've never been a "sporty" person. In school, I would have been the one thinking up excuses to skip gym/PE classes and I don't have the patience to watch any sporting event. I even fell asleep watching TdF last year.

[madrapper]

Don't really follow the womens pro peleton - but do keep an eye on a few riders results.

Sonya Looney & Danielle Musto - semi-pro mtber's in the States both have decent blogs.

I like to keep an eye on riders like Sarah Kent & Melissa Hoskins mainly because they are quite visible in the local road & track scene. It's always a bit of a buzz to see riders of that calibre rock up to local races.

Also some of the other Aussie riders including Bridie O'Donnell, Peta Mullens & Tiffany Cromwell to name a few. Always good to see them doing well. Ruth Corsett (sp?) is another rider that seems to hit above her weight.

[toolonglegs]

Not really...I know the names but there isn't much coverage and I don't actively search it out either.

[Robdog]

I even fell asleep watching TdF last year.

I don't think I'd hold that against you, seeing as it's on so late

[Ross]

I don't even follow mens cycling (sure, I watched TdF and TDU but I'm really bad at recalling names and teams - I have already forgotten who won TDU).

I did watch the womens cycling events on Jayco Bay classic on One HD. Can't remember who won either.

But then I've never been a "sporty" person. In school, I would have been the one thinking up excuses to skip gym/PE classes and I don't have the patience to watch any sporting event. I even fell asleep watching TdF last year.

Same for me. I like hearing about the local elite Canberra girls that are making it in Europe and in Aus but don't actively go searching for news, just read about it when someone posts an article or a link on a forum.

[Missy24]

So how about womens sport in general? Is it something that you follow? Or support, is there a women's sport out there that you support?

Or is the reality of sport that its a mans game and the women will never ever get equal coverage as men?

Even though where in Australia and pretty much the only sports they show are cricket, tennis and AFL, I'm not suggesting that these sports don't have their value. Why do you think we don't see coverage of women's sport on TV?

Is it more appealing to men to watch men than it is to watch a women race on the road?

[mikesbytes]

Its a valid point, apart from Woman's tennis, generally woman's sport isn't followed that well. With the increase in free to air TV channels and the ever improving affordability of video over the internet, perhaps we will see an increase in interest in female sport.

[Missy24]

Its a valid point, apart from Woman's tennis, generally woman's sport isn't followed that well. With the increase in free to air TV channels and the ever improving affordability of video over the internet, perhaps we will see an increase in interest in female sport.

I'm just trying to get a rough idea on why we watch men and not women.

I will be the first to admit that I will watch a mens iron man or tri before a womens, but I think men do the same thing, they're more likely to watch other men.

Now I wonder if this is to do with society's expectation of women or the traditional roles that women have been expected to play, lets face it, it hasn't been that long since women fought for the ability to vote or to even get a home loan in their own name.

I believe society has come a long way in equalizing gender issues and creating a fair society but I wonder if the past expectations are shapping what sport we watch today and why we watch mens sport more frequently yet we don't watch women...

Or my other thought is.... Do you have to have THAT personality as a women, take Cathy Freeman, she was out there a lot using her name and doing something with it. The Williams sisters have big personalities who seem to do well, possible it helps that they are American and the Yanks do publicity brilliantly.

[Robdog]

I think it's to do with the participation numbers, and if you take that train of thought a little longer, promotion.
NRL/AFL/Rugby are probably the most popular spectator sports in the country, and it happens to be a male dominated sport. On the other hand, Lawn Bowls (I have first hand experience with it, that's why!) has a 1 hour slot on ABC every Saturday, and the men and women get nearly equal coverage. It's probably fair to say that as far as the telly networks are concerned, cycling is still a bit of a niche and even - dare I say it - weird sport and it's definitely dominated by men in terms of the elite level at least, so it gets not so much coverage of the actual event, and virtually nil time on the news unless the TdF is on (and even then they only tell you where the Australians came).

In short, it's much easier to find men's sport of almost any flavour on the telly (still our most dominant source of visual coverage), and because it isn't present in popular media it's less likely that many people will pick up an interest in the sport at all - let alone the women's competition - if it isn't presented to them.

Hope it makes sense, I'm sleepy
BTW I don't harbour any prejudices against Women's sport or anything like that

[toolonglegs]

I only watch cycling...maybe the odd olympic games every 2 years or so ...but probably only the mens and womens rr and the mens tt!.
There isn't a lot of womens stuff to watch...going to watch cycling racing live is pretty boring...I even find going to watch the TDF a bit boring sometimes...but taking the little ones along makes it more fun.So really there is very little TV coverage you can watch.
And there is a big history thing in the old school cycling countries (this is only my opinion btw)...mens cycling has 100 years or more of history...the names of the actual races are sometimes as important as the actual people riding them.Women's cycling doesn't have that history.
Womens cycling in Oz is pretty big...compared to here for example where I see very few women racing...maybe 1 out of 250 in last Sats race.Not great odds.
I see Madame Longo every so often around here training...she is local...next time I will try out my French or her and let you know ...now there is a women who really inspires!.

Yes someone will no doubt go and drag up a 100 year old women's race...but I would have never heard of it and neither would 99.9% of even the general cycling population.

[Christine Tham]

I'm just trying to get a rough idea on why we watch men and not women.

I will be the first to admit that I will watch a mens iron man or tri before a womens, but I think men do the same thing, they're more likely to watch other men.

I wouldn't necessarily discriminate between men and women events. If anything, I would prefer to watch women's events because there is more pink on the bikes and uniforms, and ... let's face it guys ... women are naturally better looking than men

However, sometimes I think the men's events may be a bit more exciting to watch, mainly because men I think are more willing to take risks (or do silly things, depending on your perspective) - I have to admire those foolish enough to do breakaways at the start of stages. And I do cheer for them when against all odds they manage to win! And the men's sprint finishes always seem a bit more exciting.

And sometimes it's the personalities (flamboyance, arrogance, whatever). Whether the media plays this up or not, I'm not sure, but sometimes I think the camera manages to capture some of this during a race - maybe in the smiles, the sneers and the hurt. It certainly comes through when they win - Mark Cavendish for example looks like a cute boy during interviews, but has a really arrogant look about him when he wins (well, he entitled to be I guess).

[toolonglegs]

The women's races are usually half the length of the mens...I mean only 130 km'ish for the worlds is like a 3 hour race...where as the mens is 6.Makes them very different tactically but maybe not as exciting in terms of viewing for the women.

[foo on patrol]

I don't mind watching when they are on TV, and love it when they kick butt, on the world stage.

Didn't like racing with them though. It goes against my grain, as in I treat them the same way as in life.( I am old fashion in a gentlemanly way) I could never ride aggressively against them, and would feel rely bad if one came to grief through josling for position.

[toolonglegs]

Genetics...Taylor's mummy

[Missy24]

I don't mind watching when they are on TV, and love it when they kick butt, on the world stage.

Didn't like racing with them though. It goes against my grain, as in I treat them the same way as in life.( I am old fashion in a gentlemanly way) I could never ride aggressively against them, and would feel rely bad if one came to grief through josling for position.

It attitudes like this that annoy me and it annoys most of the women out there as well, trust me, I've asked enough people to know.

Its not being old fashioned in a gentlemanly way its actually being chauvinistic when you think that you have superiority because of your gender, group or kind.

You could never ride aggresively against them because your afraid of failure, your afraid of being beaten by a women who in all seriousness should have half the strength of a male and she should 'need' you, oh please... grow up and welcome to the future, women are on par with men.

Old fashioned in a gentlemanly way... LMAO

[Christine Tham]

It attitudes like this that annoy me and it annoys most of the women out there as well, trust me, I've asked enough people to know.

Things like this used to annoy me but they don't anymore.

Let's face it, I'm not getting any younger, any looks/beauty that I may once have had are long gone, and these days I'm grateful if someone opens the door for me etc. Usually it's the older men, the young ones will generally shove me out of the way to get to the door first.

I remember a long time ago I was really annoyed when I visited Sovereign Hill at Ballarat and at least two people said to me "You shouldn't be wearing jeans. Women should wear dresses" I was going "WT??" until I realised they were just teasing me [what they meant was I should have dressed in period costume then I could have looked nicer on photos]

Anyway Missy you are a fast rider. You should know the best response is to overtake someone to show them who is "da boss" Someone said to me today that the first time he rode with me, his ego took a big dent when he realised he was being overtaken by a Hello Kitty bicycle!

[Missy24]

I'm not saying don't open a door, I'm just saying don't assume that you can kick a womens arse just cause your a man, that's the chauvinistic part.

Opening doors is polite, I do it, I would expect others too as well, man or woman

[Christine Tham]

I'm not saying don't open a door, I'm just saying don't assume that you can kick a womens arse just cause your a man, that's the chauvinistic part.

That's why the best solution is to kick their a*se!

Then, when they realise they are hurtin' and they still can't catch up to you that ... maybe ... just maybe ... you're not just "sugar and spice"

[I must admit it works both ways too. I was complaining to someone that I was getting dropped regularly on my bunch rides because "I don't have the same strength as a man." His reply was "That's BS. You just need to HTFU." ]

[Missy24]

I'm not saying don't open a door, I'm just saying don't assume that you can kick a womens arse just cause your a man, that's the chauvinistic part.

That's why the best solution is to kick their a*se!

Then, when they realise they are hurtin' and they still can't catch up to you that ... maybe ... just maybe ... you're not just "sugar and spice"

[I must admit it works both ways too. I was complaining to someone that I was getting dropped regularly on my bunch rides because "I don't have the same strength as a man." His reply was "That's BS. You just need to HTFU." ]

If your gonna bunch ride with men, either be the leader of the crew (which I what I tend to do) or prepare to ride hard, personally I like it my way

[toolonglegs]

Better start crit racing then Missy...I might hold the door open for you if I know you...but not in the last 1000 meters,then you are just in my way .