Tour de Kootenays cancelled

by guidemd on Feb 28, 2009 4:10 PM EST

This UCI 1.2 ranked race scheduled for July 4-5 in BC has been cancelled. The local news article quotes the organizer as saying local highways officials were imposing onerous requirements that are actually against UCI regulations, and the organizer suggests they were doing so purposefully to block the event because they felt it would create too much traffic (it's not like it would be taking place in one of the more populated areas of BC). Kind of sad, in several ways - not only does it reflect the predominance of "car-culture" over everything else, but it also means a lost opportunity for Canadians to get more UCI points in an effort to qualify for more Olympics/Worlds spots (Canadians always tend to complain at Olympic time about "why aren't we doing better?" or "why don't we have more athletes in this event?", yet then events that could help promote development and progression to higher-level competition get blocked).

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i like this quote from Bob Hennessy

"mid level civil servants in a town of 9,000 people have stopped an event which is equivalent, in the cycling world, to the Tour of California," he said.

typical BC, typical Canada. it seems our athletes (especially cyclists) succeed in spite of being from here rather than because of it. O Canada, we stand on guard for bureaucracy and mediocrity…

You may very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment.

by nicknorco on Feb 28, 2009 6:14 PM EST reply actions

PS

i guess i’m especially bitter this year as so many of our top riders have had to head off to other places because there’s no way (i.e. funding support/team/sponsorship) they can make it here. and i’ve heard so many stories of promising, young careers getting stopped in mid-stride/season because of funding getting pulled.

You may very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment.

by nicknorco on Feb 28, 2009 6:21 PM EST up reply actions

Too much traffic?

What do they think is going to happen when the Olympics are in town?

Speed on the descent can easily be lost when you slam into a tree.

by flying dog on Feb 28, 2009 6:58 PM EST reply actions

the roads in Vancouver

will probably all still be ripped up when the Olympics roll into town…

the Kootenays should be an idyllic setting for a road race…

You may very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment.

by nicknorco on Feb 28, 2009 7:11 PM EST up reply actions

we flew through Vancouver coming back from San Fran last week

and a number of people on our flight had baggage that missed the connection (from various places) in Vancouver. The Air Canada baggage centre employee was quite cynical about it when I was reporting the missing piece of luggage – he said something like “Vancouver claims it was a broken luggage belt, just like they always do – can’t wait to see how they handle the Olympics next year” – LOL. (but not so funny if you’re going to be travelling in or out of there next year …)

by guidemd on Feb 28, 2009 7:22 PM EST up reply actions

my cousins flew in

from the UK over Christmas and the airport was in utter chaos because of snow. the city is madness at the moment with construction projects, while at the same time “community gardens” are springing up on developers’ sites who are holding off on new condo construction. the Olympics are already well and truly deep in the hole. homelessness continues to rise and the provincial government has just clamped down on spending for shelter and housing. who knows what kind of shape we’ll be in this time next year…

you’d think they’d let us have a little bike race – it couldn’t possibly screw things up more than they already are…

You may very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment.

by nicknorco on Feb 28, 2009 8:21 PM EST up reply actions