[NCNCA] NCNCA Digest, Vol 12, Issue 19

[Dennis Guikema]

It has been 22 years since my first junior race, but I still feel as
strongly about this as does Julian (although I¹m not nearly as articulate).
I hope that Julian¹s voice is heard loud and clear by all promoters.

~ Dennis


~

Dennis Guikema
dguikema at yahoo.com
http://guikema.blogspot.com



On 7/29/06 12:00 PM, "ncnca-request at ncnca.org" <ncnca-request at ncnca.org>
wrote:

> Message: 1
> Date: Fri, 28 Jul 2006 12:22:36 -0700
> From: Julian Martinez <hockeypuck at astound.net>
> Subject: [NCNCA] Giro SF Juniors race
> To: velopro1 at sonnet.com
> Cc: ncnca at ncnca.org
> Message-ID: <A8A66C3A-A391-4930-A5C1-B0131C1B9864 at astound.net>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
> 
> Hi,
> 
> My name is Julian Martinez and I am emailing you about the recent
> changes to the SF Giro that include cutting the Jrs. race. I think
> this will be an extremely detrimental move to the race. In these
> times of cycling, it is important to develop the youth of the sport.
> By not having a jrs. race, a huge damper is put on the development of
> the Jr progression in the sport in cycling. Many people who have
> never raced before, let alone ride a bike, attend the Giro to watch a
> bike race. This may be the only chance they have to see a bike race
> this entire year, as many people do not want or have the need to
> drive out to Watsonville  or or Oldtown Suisin to watch a 45 minute
> crit. Moreover,  the SF Grand Prix is not taking place either, which
> severely affects the development and attraction to beginning riders.
> 
> Just to give an example of how much of an impact a Jr race like the
> SF Giro has on some people. Two years ago, my friend and I who had
> never been in a bike race and had only been riding for about a week,
> decided to go watch the Jr race in the Giro over in SF. We got on
> bart and went over there around 9 AM. We were shocked, but at the
> same time, excited as we watched the 30-mph peloton of Jr riders
> moving through the streets. After watching, my friend and I were
> hooked. We then went up to one of the Jr riders, who then introduced
> us to the manager of Tieni Duro, who invited us to go on a ride with
> the group the following week.
> 
> Two years later, my friend Tyler Gough is one of the top riders in
> the United States, winning some of the most prestigious races in
> California and racing in the sublime Tour of Abtibi in Canada.
> Because we watched the Jr race in the Giro di SF, Tyler and I were
> able to make connections with Tieni Duro, and subsequently, launched
> us onto a passion we hadn't discovered before we watched the race.
> 
> Please reconsider placing the Jr race back into the Giro. The Women's
> field already has a 3s race and a 1-3s race. Looking back on last
> years results, there were more Jrs. than Women's 4s! As you probably
> know, cycling has been placed back in the dark eye with the doping
> scandal, so it is imperative that we continue to develop the sport
> for the riders that will keep it going in the years to come.
> 
> Thanks for your time
> 
> Sincerely,
> Julian

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