All Caucasian/Latino?

I would think Kenyan people would be quite good in a sport such as cycling considering their amazing
aerobic capabilities. They are good in the marathons. I'm not saying running a marathon is the same
as cycling... But they probably have the capabilities to be good climbers.

Asians. They view bicycles as more for transportation and less for excercise/leisure. And if you
live in the cities, it's difficult to seriously train without being ran over one or two times during
a typical 2 hour ride. Less endurance?

"Andy Kriger" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Why are there so few (if any) Asian or African or African-American riders

on

Quoted message said:

class 1 European teams?

This is an honest question. I'm not trolling, and I'm hoping for some

decent

Quoted message said:

answers.

-a

Andy Kriger said:

Why are there so few (if any) Asian or African or African-American riders on class 1
European teams?

This is an honest question. I'm not trolling, and I'm hoping for some decent answers.

-a

There is a pretty strong racing scene in Asia, as evidenced by the teams at the Tour of Langkawi
(among other "smaller nations" races).

As for Africans & African-Americans, I think economics may be a big part of
it. Cycling is an expensive sport, and not a very lucrative one unless you are at the top level.
It's not easy, especially in the United States, to get the equipment ...

--
Steven L. Sheffield stevens at veloworks dot com veloworks at worldnet dot ay tea tee dot net bellum
pax est libertas servitus est ignoratio vis est ess ay ell tea ell ay kay ee sea aye tee why you ti
ay aitch aitch tee tea pea colon [for word] slash [four ward] slash double-you double-yew double-ewe
dot veloworks dot com [four word] slash

In article said:

Andy Kriger said:

Why are there so few (if any) Asian or African or African-American riders on class 1 European
teams?

This is an honest question. I'm not trolling, and I'm hoping for some decent answers.

-a

There is a pretty strong racing scene in Asia, as evidenced by the teams at the Tour of Langkawi
(among other "smaller nations" races).

As for Africans & African-Americans, I think economics may be a big part of
it. Cycling is an expensive sport, and not a very lucrative one unless you are at the top level.
It's not easy, especially in the United States, to get the equipment ...

As opposed to say, golf? Believe or not there are lots of black people with enough money to buy a
bike but still there are very few racing.

-WG

warren <[email hidden]> wrote in :"]news:[email hidden]:

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Steven L. Sheffield

Quoted message said:

Andy Kriger said:

Why are there so few (if any) Asian or African or African-American riders on class 1 European
teams?

This is an honest question. I'm not trolling, and I'm hoping for some decent answers.

-a

There is a pretty strong racing scene in Asia, as evidenced by the teams at the Tour of Langkawi
(among other "smaller nations" races).

As for Africans & African-Americans, I think economics may be a big part of it. Cycling is an
expensive sport, and not a very lucrative one unless you are at the top level. It's not easy,
especially in the United States, to get the equipment ...

As opposed to say, golf? Believe or not there are lots of black people with enough money to buy a
bike but still there are very few racing.

-WG

Really short answer time Euro Teams with euro sponsors love euro riders. Non euro big teams-ie
americian and columbian like to have americian and columbian riders and euro riders also.

Andy

The short answer is it is too expensive in terms of per capita income to buy and maintain good
equipment. Also, other than South Africa - there is no prize money to race for, so it is very
difficult to make a living and feed your family by being a pro racer.

Having said that in SA there is at least one development road team which supplies previously
disadvantages individuals (african-africans, indian-africans etc - got to love them labels) with
bikes / kit and access to pro riders and teams for training. There is also a development initiative
at all provincial cycling organisations / registered clubs etc. where PDI riders are assisted with
kit and training.

We also see more and more african-african riders at races during the year. Some of the SA teams like
Minolta have PDI cyclist on contract and these teams will be feeder teams for the 2 African Trade 3
teams (Barloworld and HSBC) that are currently based in Europe.

The SA entry for the Trans-Alp also had 2 black South African racing, unfortunately had to drop out
prior to finishing due to injury. If you want to have a look at SA cycling, start at
www.supercyling.co.za

Hope that answers some of the questions, I believe the biggest stumbling block is that in Africa it
is really an expensive sport and there is no prize money to race for unlike athletics which is
comparatively cheap to be involved in and there is lots of prize money to race for. Fortunately
cycling is currently the fastest growing sport in SA and the situation wrt prizes will improve.

Jean

"Andy Kriger" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Why are there so few (if any) Asian or African or African-American riders

on

Quoted message said:

class 1 European teams?

This is an honest question. I'm not trolling, and I'm hoping for some

decent

Quoted message said:

answers.

-a

"J2" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Andy

The short answer is it is too expensive in terms of per capita income to

buy

Quoted message said:

and maintain good equipment. Also, other than South Africa - there is no prize money to race for,
so it is very difficult to make a living and feed your family by being a pro racer.

Having said that in SA there is at least one development road team which supplies previously
disadvantages individuals (african-africans, indian-africans etc - got to love them labels) with
bikes / kit and access to pro riders and teams for training. There is also a development
initiative at all provincial cycling organisations / registered clubs

etc.

Quoted message said:

where PDI riders are assisted with kit and training.

We also see more and more african-african riders at races during the year. Some of the SA teams
like Minolta have PDI cyclist on contract and these teams will be feeder teams for the 2 African
Trade 3 teams (Barloworld and HSBC) that are currently based in Europe.

The SA entry for the Trans-Alp also had 2 black South African racing, unfortunately had to drop
out prior to finishing due to injury. If you

want

Quoted message said:

to have a look at SA cycling, start at www.supercyling.co.za

Hope that answers some of the questions, I believe the biggest stumbling block is that in Africa
it is really an expensive sport and there is no prize money to race for unlike athletics which is
comparatively cheap to

be

Quoted message said:

involved in and there is lots of prize money to race for. Fortunately cycling is currently the
fastest growing sport in SA and the situation wrt prizes will improve.

Jean

Isn't it awfully dangerous to train in South Africa? Not exactly the place I would want to be 50
miles from home all alone. High crime rate, and all. Much safer to play soccer and practice in a
nice stadium, or field.

"Jiyang Chen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I would think Kenyan people would be quite good in a sport such as cycling considering their
amazing aerobic capabilities. They are good in the marathons. I'm not saying running a marathon is
the same as cycling...

<SNIP>

Haven't you been paying attention? Running a marathon is exactly the same as cycling - as long as
you ride a Kestrel.

-T

"Andy Kriger" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Why are there so few (if any) Asian or African or African-American riders

on

Quoted message said:

class 1 European teams?

This is an honest question. I'm not trolling, and I'm hoping for some

decent

Quoted message said:

answers.

-a

Throw out all of the racist garbage spew you are reading. It is essentially because many potential
athletes are primarily influenced by role models they can relate to, and some cultures put a much
higher weight on role models of their own race.

If you were an elite athlete and could play football, basketball or baseball why would you choose cycling?

How many scholarships are available for cycling vs any one of those other sports?

How many profitable careers exist in those other sports compared to cycling?

"never_doped" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

If you were an elite athlete and could play football, basketball or baseball why would you choose
cycling?

People aren't born "elite athletes".

They become elite athletes, but years and years of practice in their chosen sport. Usually they pick
a sport because they like it (unless they have Little League Parents).

Andy Kriger said:

Why are there so few (if any) Asian or African or African-American riders on class 1
European teams?

This is an honest question. I'm not trolling, and I'm hoping for some decent answers.

-a

Vinokourov is from Kazakhstan Wong Kam po is a pretty decent rider, though not afaik
riding in Europe

Jan

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (grisoft.comgrisoft.comOpen ↗).
Version: 6.0.506 / Virus Database: 303 - Release Date: 01/08/03

Andy Kriger said:

Why are there so few (if any) Asian or African or African-American riders on class 1
European teams?

This is an honest question. I'm not trolling, and I'm hoping for some decent answers.

I have some anthro books that say everyone is African.

Koreans would probably make good TdF climbers: small body frame, thin, enjoy marathons.

Jiyang Chen said:

I would think Kenyan people would be quite good in a sport such as cycling considering their
amazing aerobic capabilities. They are good in the marathons. I'm not saying running a marathon is
the same as cycling... But they probably have the capabilities to be good climbers.

Asians. They view bicycles as more for transportation and less for excercise/leisure. And if you
live in the cities, it's difficult to seriously train without being ran over one or two times
during a typical 2 hour ride. Less endurance?

"Andy Kriger" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Why are there so few (if any) Asian or African or African-American riders

on

Quoted message said:

class 1 European teams?

This is an honest question. I'm not trolling, and I'm hoping for some

decent

Quoted message said:

answers.

-a

The same reason there are not many white Sumo wrestlers.

Andy Kriger said:

Why are there so few (if any) Asian or African or African-American riders on class 1
European teams?

This is an honest question. I'm not trolling, and I'm hoping for some decent answers.

-a

"Khoomei" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The same reason there are not many white Sumo wrestlers.

shhhh, don't tell the American Sumo Association.

Dashii

Dashi Toshii said:

"Khoomei" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The same reason there are not many white Sumo wrestlers.

shhhh, don't tell the American Sumo Association.

LOL!! Call back when they start dominating in Japan.

Lindsay
----------------------------
"One of the annoying things about believing in free will and individual responsibility is the
difficulty of finding somebody to blame your problems on. And when you do find somebody, it's
remarkable how often his picture turns up on your driver's license."

P.J. O'Rourke

In article <[email hidden]>, Lindsay

Quoted message said:

Dashi Toshii said:

"Khoomei" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

The same reason there are not many white Sumo wrestlers.

shhhh, don't tell the American Sumo Association.

LOL!! Call back when they start dominating in Japan.

You mean like the Hawaiian guy (Akebono?) who did just that?

-WG

"warren" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In article <[email hidden]>, Lindsay

Quoted message said:

Dashi Toshii said:

"Khoomei" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...
> The same reason there are not many white Sumo wrestlers.

shhhh, don't tell the American Sumo Association.

LOL!! Call back when they start dominating in Japan.

You mean like the Hawaiian guy (Akebono?) who did just that?

-WG

Akebono retired not too long ago, the other Hawaiian Yokozuna is Musashimaru, he's been out the last
few tournaments with a wrist injury.

There are no Japanese Yokozuna (Grand Champions) right now, the only two active are from Hawaii
and Mongolia.

The lower ranks (Jurio) have many foreigners from Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, one Black
guy from St. Louis, South America, Holland, Germany, and many others, Some South Africans also.

I got interested in Sumo when stationed in Japan, now that I am back in the States, I subscribe to
TV Japan , there's a Sumo tournament about every two months.

And one of my wives is Japanese.

Dashii

Hi Andy I seen on Italian TV some years ago...5 I think, an Afro/Italian young man who belong to a
team, my guess armature, who was teaching young kids bike riding/racing in some mountain resort. My
Italian is not good so I can't give any details. It was so fast and my shock so great, I couldn't
get a tape to record it. If my memory serves me right, Oliver 'Butch' Martin raced both in Italy and
here in the '70s his parents was Afro American and Italian.

It would take a parent/child relationship like a Tiger Woods and his parents, to perhaps guide a kid
who will want to go to the pro ranks. My nephew was very good bike handler but when he reached age
to drive, bikes rust in basement.

It took Greg Lemond to force sponsors to pay a decent living wage. That didn't happen till the mid
'80s. and still those wages can't compete with major American sports.

It could happen, but I think it may first come as a Euro racer not American. Its all about the money
(among other things). <paul