Who follows women's cycling?
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Who follows women's cycling?
Postby Missy24 » Thu May 06, 2010 9:25 pm
Who keeps up with what's going on in the womens peloton? And if not, why not?
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby nickobec » Thu May 06, 2010 9:55 pm
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.
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby Missy24 » Thu May 06, 2010 10:13 pm
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?
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby nickobec » Fri May 07, 2010 1:39 am
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.Missy24 wrote:Is it purely because its not on TV?
What is print I get all my news online and have done for years.Missy24 wrote: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?
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.
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby ni78ck » Fri May 07, 2010 8:40 am
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby Christine Tham » Fri May 07, 2010 10:30 am
You can draft behind me anytimeni78ck wrote:i do follow women cycling!!!
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.
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby madrapper » Fri May 07, 2010 3:15 pm
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.
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby toolonglegs » Fri May 07, 2010 4:33 pm
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby Robdog » Fri May 07, 2010 6:54 pm
I don't think I'd hold that against you, seeing as it's on so lateChristine Tham wrote:I even fell asleep watching TdF last year.
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby Ross » Fri May 07, 2010 8:39 pm
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.Christine Tham wrote:
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.
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby Missy24 » Fri May 07, 2010 9:49 pm
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?
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby mikesbytes » Fri May 07, 2010 10:46 pm
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby Missy24 » Fri May 07, 2010 10:52 pm
I'm just trying to get a rough idea on why we watch men and not women.mikesbytes wrote: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 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.
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby Robdog » Fri May 07, 2010 11:41 pm
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
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby toolonglegs » Sat May 08, 2010 12:10 am
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.
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby Christine Tham » Sat May 08, 2010 5:20 am
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 menMissy24 wrote: 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.
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).
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby toolonglegs » Sat May 08, 2010 3:41 pm
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby foo on patrol » Sat May 08, 2010 3:54 pm
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.
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby toolonglegs » Sat May 08, 2010 4:07 pm
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby Missy24 » Sat May 08, 2010 4:55 pm
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.foo on patrol wrote: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.
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
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby Christine Tham » Sat May 08, 2010 5:56 pm
Things like this used to annoy me but they don't anymore.Missy24 wrote: 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.
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 "Say What?" 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!
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby Missy24 » Sat May 08, 2010 6:03 pm
Opening doors is polite, I do it, I would expect others too as well, man or woman
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby Christine Tham » Sat May 08, 2010 6:31 pm
That's why the best solution is to kick their a*se!Missy24 wrote: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.
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." ]
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby Missy24 » Sat May 08, 2010 6:42 pm
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 wayChristine Tham wrote:That's why the best solution is to kick their a*se!Missy24 wrote: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.
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." ]
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Re: Who follows women's cycling?
Postby toolonglegs » Sat May 08, 2010 6:50 pm
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