How to Follow US Domestic Racing
02-09-21, 09:40 PM
#1
Rouleur
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How to Follow US Domestic Racing
For years I've followed the major European races, but completely tuned out in 2020. I'm really excited for the 2021 season, but I really want to follow US racing. My sense is that these guys are doing this out of passion on shoe string budgets and as an American fan of bike racing I want to give them more attention.
Seems like the obvious place to start is USACycling Pro Road Tour.
The USA CRITS Series seems like another good resource.
Any advice for how to figure what races, teams, and riders to follow?
Seems like the obvious place to start is USACycling Pro Road Tour.
The USA CRITS Series seems like another good resource.
Any advice for how to figure what races, teams, and riders to follow?
02-09-21, 09:51 PM
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A serious racer races in Europe. USA racing is recreation reguardless of what the license says. There is no real way to figure USA racing out. Some may be good enough to race in Europe,but choose not to. It is a hard job.
If you want to follow the best in the US, follow juniors. Juniors may be World Tour Pros give them a few years. The rest are just out there having fun.
02-12-21, 10:36 AM
#3
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Don't.
A serious racer races in Europe. USA racing is recreation reguardless of what the license says. There is no real way to figure USA racing out. Some may be good enough to race in Europe,but choose not to. It is a hard job.
If you want to follow the best in the US, follow juniors. Juniors may be World Tour Pros give them a few years. The rest are just out there having fun.
A serious racer races in Europe. USA racing is recreation reguardless of what the license says. There is no real way to figure USA racing out. Some may be good enough to race in Europe,but choose not to. It is a hard job.
If you want to follow the best in the US, follow juniors. Juniors may be World Tour Pros give them a few years. The rest are just out there having fun.
The American scene is different, for sure. But it's cool in its own regard.
Criteriums in the US are an art form that should be celebrated and exploited by USAC instead of focusing so heavily on developing American riders to the European teams. They are two different sports on two very different continents. Why are we trying so hard to play the European game??
The problem is that coverage is so spotty. USACycling Pro Road Tour is a shadow of it's former self because they charge promoters so much to be a part of the PRT that it can kill and event. Plus, they seem to re-brand or re-tool it every few years which makes it confusing to follow. USA Crits is a great series that live streams their races.
02-19-21, 07:29 AM
#4
Rouleur
Thread Starter
I'm actually quite ticked at USAC now. I decided to try some crits this season. I've done a few sanctioned races and bought one day licenses and I thought if I buy a USAC license I may be be motivated. Turns out the $50 they charge is just a novice license. I need to pay another 50 to cat up to 4, which i can already do since i won my last race. they didnt make that clear.
but Im looking forward to following usacrits.
but Im looking forward to following usacrits.
02-28-21, 11:17 PM
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Do!
The American scene is different, for sure. But it's cool in its own regard.
Criteriums in the US are an art form that should be celebrated and exploited by USAC instead of focusing so heavily on developing American riders to the European teams. They are two different sports on two very different continents. Why are we trying so hard to play the European game??
The problem is that coverage is so spotty. USACycling Pro Road Tour is a shadow of it's former self because they charge promoters so much to be a part of the PRT that it can kill and event. Plus, they seem to re-brand or re-tool it every few years which makes it confusing to follow. USA Crits is a great series that live streams their races.
The American scene is different, for sure. But it's cool in its own regard.
Criteriums in the US are an art form that should be celebrated and exploited by USAC instead of focusing so heavily on developing American riders to the European teams. They are two different sports on two very different continents. Why are we trying so hard to play the European game??
The problem is that coverage is so spotty. USACycling Pro Road Tour is a shadow of it's former self because they charge promoters so much to be a part of the PRT that it can kill and event. Plus, they seem to re-brand or re-tool it every few years which makes it confusing to follow. USA Crits is a great series that live streams their races.
I have some ideas why races collapse and others don't. From a spectators point of view, I see no point in trying to understand that. Since you say they should, can you explain the racing part?
03-06-21, 12:42 AM
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I approach it the other way. Instead of following teams or riders, I try to do all I can to support local professional races. Financially successful races are at the heart of any professional racing circuit, so I visit the town, have a nice meal at a local restaurant, tell the locals I am there to watch the bike racing, etc.
These days I trek out to watch the Ladies Tour of Norway at the border with Sweden every August. It takes place in smaller towns, where a UCI pro women's race is a *huge* deal and the crowds are sizeable. As a result, I think the race is one of the most popular among the riders.
These days I trek out to watch the Ladies Tour of Norway at the border with Sweden every August. It takes place in smaller towns, where a UCI pro women's race is a *huge* deal and the crowds are sizeable. As a result, I think the race is one of the most popular among the riders.
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03-08-21, 02:28 AM
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I'm actually quite ticked at USAC now. I decided to try some crits this season. I've done a few sanctioned races and bought one day licenses and I thought if I buy a USAC license I may be be motivated. Turns out the $50 they charge is just a novice license. I need to pay another 50 to cat up to 4, which i can already do since i won my last race. they didnt make that clear.
but Im looking forward to following usacrits.
but Im looking forward to following usacrits.
I honestly don't know for sure but I thought the upgrades/downgrades were free until the jump from Cat 1 to Pro. You're buying an annual membership, not a specific license. I do know for a fact that all memberships expire on 31 Dec.
BTW, you can get a credit for a previous one day membership when you buy an annual. I think they'll look back 12 months for that (but only in same year). Also Novice to Cat 4 upgrade can be done voluntarily; points at that level are behind the mandatory upgrade.
A month ago I was trying to get in touch with USAC through customer service. It was a ghost town. So the ability to action or further inquire to this may be limited at the moment.
03-28-21, 10:07 AM
#8
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I wrote a couple of books about it.
I think American Pro does the best job of explaining the American scene.
I think American Pro does the best job of explaining the American scene.
03-28-21, 11:13 PM
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Sorry - I am not planning on reading the book. American Pro is not the level of American juniors currently/the last decade. American pro is recreation and not a job, or ex-pros looking for something to do. USA is not where folks looking to support their families race bikes, or play soccer. A real pro - good or not, is competing in Europe.
03-29-21, 06:52 PM
#10
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You asked if I could explain the sport. I can.
Now you don't want to hear it because you'll be proven wrong.
Now you don't want to hear it because you'll be proven wrong.
03-30-21, 04:09 AM
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Geez, Jamie. At $14.50 for the Kindle edition, can anyone on an American Pro contract even afford to rip away the thin veneer to bare the heart and soul of their struggling sport?
04-04-21, 08:10 PM
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04-05-21, 05:44 AM
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You're probably right. Truly magnificent tomes are immune to price elasticity of demand. Maybe inverse, where a premium price increases the consumer's enjoyment of the premium product. Why doesn't Amazon get this? I thought they were data driven. Sorry they're not taking care of you.
Can you mark it up to $29.99 for me?
04-24-21, 09:01 AM
#15
Rouleur
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