Keeping Tempo: 8-2-07

Want to hear my $.02 on how to fix cycling? Take the focus off of winning as a tacit endorsement of products, and focus instead on actual endorsement of products.

As someone involved in local racing, what's more influential in your purchase decisions? That Cannondale has invested seven figures in pro teams so that they'll ride their bikes in heavily covered races, or that when faced with the need to upgrade his ride, a fellow racer who you see every weekend chose Cannondale over Bianchi, and details the decision in length on his blog? You can't ask Danilo Di Luca how he likes his Cannondale (even if you wanted to), and if you did, he'd probably just tell you he rides what he's told to ride. What kind of endorsement is that? But ask KMAX why CDale and he'll give it to you straight. Heck, he might even let you take it out for a spin if you promise to commute by bike to work just one day next week.

My point is that podiums aren't the only way for sponsors to see a return on cycling investment. And their insistence on them is in no small part to blame for the spot of bother the sport is in now. You want us to renew? Then win is (rightly) translated by racers and directors as Win at all costs or Win if you want to feed your family.

We all like winning (I'm told). But sponsors need to find a different media hook to hang their hats on, or they're creating a moral hazard in the racers and teams they sponsor. And we racers and teams can help too - by finding ways other than winning to make ourselves famous.

Which, of course, is the GamJams.net formula. Now if I could just get a sponsor or two to sample it...

• Kyle of Pedal'n Around has achieved his 2nd victory of the year. No, not at Toona, where he scored a pyrrhic victory by merely staying upright for three straight days. Rather, he won his own TdF pool by placing a bet on Cadel Evans. Félicitations, Kyle.
• Layzeesusan is the Bizarro Kyle. He won a stage at Toona, but tanked in his TdF pool by picking Vino.
• GamJams.net welcomes a new blog to the e-peloton - that of the Stick-Man, who introduces himself by way of a schizophrenic interview.
• Kevin Dillard's first batch of 'Toona Photos are now up. Engorge yourselves.
• Oh, just do the friggin Time Trial for corn sake. Your 'I don't have a TT bike' doesn't fly here.
• And do the Road Race too. The MD Velo guys put a lot of work into this one for you.
• Good news - about 3/4 of you always or usually train in your team kits. Why is that good news? Because the teeming minions I see out there without team kits are probably not (yet) on teams, and probably not (yet) racing. Our sport has some pretty solid growth potential.

Comments

[Kmax]

Hey, saw you didn't make it out to Pleasant Valley this weekend; I hope everything is alright.

Thanks for the shout out on the post by the way. I can totally see your point and I plan on using it and all the "publicity" you have sparked for me when I go to cannondale for my new deal (sorry Union!). Hey, they owe me for this!

[Mike May]

Yeah, I had originally planned to do Pleasant Valley and work for a teammate there. But I had to swap my domestique role for a domestic one, and stayed home to entertain some friends and make sure the baby didn't suck on any electrical cords and like that. Looked like an epic day though - I'll be there next year.