(I edited my analogy above so that it's more in line with how the Trade Team system works. Basically, the HS students keep their points and qualify for State by forming a team of players who scored the most points that season.)

I think that's part of the problem...the fact that the World Cups serve 2 purposes:
- Qualifying for the World Championships (and moving the events around the globe to allow more access to qualifying events).
- Serve as a qualifying events for the Olympics.

The UCI was charged with developing the criteria for the Olympic Cycling events. I guess the single system doesn't serve both goals equally well.

Yes, Olympic basketball is boring. But, that's why we have the NBA, to see the best play the game.

I think if you think of Olympic sports as the ultimate extension of all amateur sports (high school, college, AAU, etc...), then it makes sense.

...a little.

What track cycling needs is a WC series and a "ProTour"series.

WCs being national only, where trade team riders can compete for their national team, and points earned are kept by the National Fed. 4 plus the World Championship events run every second month, from Sept-Apr/May, so as not to compete with the road season. It's not a schedule that's too overbearing for smaller nations, so you get more global representation.

ProTour, like the road series, is a commercialized series, basically an extension of the Six Day circuit/Revolution/Wheelraces/..., but qualifying points are not awarded. It's strictly a separate series where any rider can compete, under any banner, National or Trade. It doesn't need to have/follow a standard program, but recognizes winners/placings, and allows riders to build on those results. Race organizers can apply for ProTour status by meeting a prize purse threshold. Rider fields can be determined via invitation/application by/to organizer, or through local qualifying events, be they UCI events or otherwise.

Have a cumulative leader's competition in each series, exactly as the white WC jersey, with white jersey winners recieving a prize at the end of each series. Cash for the ProTour, and extra qualifying points for the WC series, sort of like double points in a final points race sprint.

Yes it creates parallels/duplication, but it gives the sport a chance to grow/globalize, reach new markets, while also giving the opportunity for the best to race each other in deeper/tighter/closer fields, without each series influencing the other. And yes, riders are already doing events for cash outside the UCI series, but at least not you can bring some organization and continuity to the season, by making each event count for something more than just the event by itself.

You can sign BEAT's open letter to the UCI protesting these proposals here:
https://www.beatcyclingclub.com/blog..._SSDfsYBqRK6t0

I haven't seen these posted in here yet:

Any press is good press?
https://www.velonews.com/2019/07/com...ckwards_495513

2019 Junior and elite track national results here:
Event Schedule

Interesting thing on grass velodromes, which I admit I hadn't heard about until just now.

https://www.velonews.com/2019/07/new...lodrome_497324

Dolan even make a "grass track" pre-cursa. Not sure what the difference is (other than it likely comes with different tires)

Yeah, interesting. Looks like the default is 30c tires, and 165mm cranks (even shorter than usual to deal with no banking I assume).

Apparently in UK and Australia and stuff they're super common.

Not in Australia. We have an abundance of Velodromes (many country towns across the country had one), but never seen one that is grass.

Last week, the NSC Velodrome hosted its final Fixed Gear Classic in a ten-year run of the event. It's the first track race I saw, back in 2009, and I've had the privilege of competing in it the past 3 seasons. A local MPR reporter came out and wrote this nice article (with photos) about the event: https://www.mprnews.org/story/2019/0...track-last-lap

And I snapped a few portraits of all the riders, which can be seen here: https://flic.kr/s/aHsmFNrVrD

If anyone has memories from attend FGC, I'd love to hear them!

Martin Toft Madsen back at it taking the Danish Hour record back. 53.955km.

Faster than his attempt at Aguascalientes, must be wishing that he hadn't went right after they sanded the track.

They've built a second indoor 250 in Japan, this one at the kern academy. Here's a cool video of the construction:

Where? Chiba?

The keirin academy is in Izu, Shizuoka prefecture. Wish they would build one on my side!

2019 Japan Track Cup available here: JPN Track Cup

This is at the new (second) 250 in Izu. Lots of big names; Theo Bos, Matt Glaetzer, Botticher, Dmitriev, Lee Wai Sze, Stephanie Morton, Simona Krupeckaite, etc. Rare chance to watch the earlier rounds of an international race in full (if you're into that sort of thing).

Oh, and omnium and stuff, too.

Saw this on Facebook the other day... narrrrrrowwww
https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...c64a17978d.jpg

I bet it's faster, too.

Here's some info from Drag2Zero on their new aero extensions - currently about the only other options are full custom (speedbar.nl) or the off the shelf ones like Wattshop sell. Nice alternative (cost wise)
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...7e061b490a.jpg
https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...0a2e1eff78.jpg
https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...1b24c0ffae.jpg

For those who want some winter indoor trainer programs:

https://www.bikeforums.net/33-road-b...cipe-book.html

Article (in Japanese) about the new Anchor/Bridgestone national team bike: New Anchor

Nice!

The cool bits:

https://i2.wp.com/morecadence.jp/wp-...19/09/7416.jpg
https://i0.wp.com/morecadence.jp/wp-.../09/7435-1.jpg
https://i0.wp.com/morecadence.jp/wp-...dc5c9ade9d.jpg
https://i0.wp.com/morecadence.jp/wp-...19/09/4281.jpg

Bonus: Apparently it can be adapted to use standard stems (like the TK1 / TKFRD)
https://i2.wp.com/morecadence.jp/wp-...19/09/7523.jpg

Interesting acquisition.

https://bikerumor.com/2019/09/24/wah...ls-on-the-way/

Interesting indeed. I hate to jump on the bandwagon, but it seems like PM pedals would be leading assumption as to why.

This begs the question: Does the bike world need another Power Meter?

I really can't see there being much opportunity there. And it's not like people swap PMs a lot. People will go through more frames than PMs over time.

Yeah, there is a lot of money to be made, but the price wars seem to be ending in a race to the bottom to provide the cheapest device that can technically be called a "power meter".

Maybe they simply had cash to burn and didn't want to pay taxes on it?