Any black pro cyclist on the tour? I don't think I've seen one yet

[Hip Priest]

The theory is, it's down to the slave trade as they were bred to be big & strong.

Having read the article, it seems the theory is that slaves lived in such horrendous, inhumane conditions that only the very strongest survived.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

@Hip Priest - I don't suppose it was you who posted a comment on a linked post from that blog yesterday, was it? Classic iTypo!

Subarctic cyclingApril 18, 2011 at 8:42 PM
Excellent interview, this blog continues to lick ass
Reply

Subarctic cyclingApril 18, 2011 at 8:47 PM
That should be kicks ass not lick ass. Unless of course your into that. Stupid iPhone keys and fat fingers
Reply
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  AnonymousJuly 27, 2013 at 9:51 PM
  LOLs... loved that one!

 

[Hip Priest]

@Hip Priest - I don't suppose it was you who posted a comment on a linked post from that blog yesterday, was it? Classic iTypo!

Haha! No, it wasn't me.

 

[Noodley]

That thread is just nonsensical drivel in all fairness.

Likewise this one.

 

[Hip Priest]

Likewise this one.

Discussions about race often lead to nonsense.

I'm surprised nobody has said anything about black men having big willies.

 

[ufkacbln]

When I posted the question, deep down, I knew somebody would come along and make a big issue of it. I should have said something to try to prevent it.

I don't watch much cycling, the just finished TDF was what I have watched the most.

Watching the last TDF I couldn't see any black riders but it seems I was wrong. My observation made me think back to what tennis used to be like, not that tennis has changed tremendously but it is changing gradually.

Even if there are a few black pro riders on the tour I can't understand why there aren't a lot more. The same goes for Chinese riders, going back in time, the bicycle was the main form of transport in China but it seems that Chinese aren't particularly interested in competitive cycling but I might be wrong.

I get a feeling that this has nothing to do with race but what sports are popular in a particular country, with exceptions of course. Cycling in Colombia has always been important, especially climbing. I understood that Colombian cyclists were good climbers. The terrain in Colombia helps their training I suppose. French, Italians and Spanish have a long tradition in Cycling, along with many other European countries.

So, I'd like to think this is not a race issue but I know it's a far more complex issue too.

One of the reasons I posted the Major Taylor link

There are ethnic issues across the board with cycling, from certain Islamic groups where a female na bike is abhorrent, to those areas where it is seen as a sign of poverty.

Getting kids on bikes, developing their skills and abilities would be massive challenge in this type of culture.

I am also not sure that this is in itself the whole reason though. Look at the massive popularity of sports cycling in Japan. Keirin for instance has 4,000 registered professional riders, some 50 velodromes that brings in 57 million spectators and gamblers.

Yet the Japanese are also under represented in teh international peloton

I don't know if it is cultural, physiological, due to racism in the peloton, but we need to look wider than the black communities if we are to come up with an answer

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Nairo Quintana has spoken candidly about racism in the pro peloton.

It's also been noted that Quintana gets plenty of racism from other Colombians - for being indigenous. I've also seen some rather dubious comments about his looks on this forum, that show a basic lack of knowledge about indigenous peoples of the Americas and what they normally look like.

Of course, as I said a long time ago on that other thread, there is a big distinction between socio-economic explanations (largely to do with poverty and opportunity) and racial-physiological explanations (people X are naturally better at A or B than people Y). That's not to say that all physiological explanations are rubbish: the particular story of slavery and survival might have created conditions for a kind of selectivity as the program mentioned above explored. But it should be noted that this does not mean 'black people' are naturally of a certain fixed physical type - quite the opposite, in fact.

Pro-cycling developed from Europe, and is still dominated by white Europeans. Some of this is the result of history, some the result of the financial requirements of professional sport and cycling in particular. One thing that is absolutely certain is that it is nothing to do with 'natural' physiological differences - because 'white' is not an physiological cateory with any meaning, any more than 'black' is. However it is certainly a very real one in socio-economic terms.

What I am interested in is the encouragement of cycling in as wide a range of people as possible, and providing opportunities and support to those who would not otherwise get a chance to reach their sporting potential. Sub-Saharan Africa is one of the major potential pools of talent, and there is enormous enthusiasm for cycling in several countries, but it just needs the support and funding. The UCI has been doing a few things, team MTN-Qhubeka is a vital recent step forward, but much more needs to be done. China, also mentioned above, doesn't really need the help - they have both the population and the money should they wish to develop cycling more (and they are doing so on the track and to an increasing extent on the road).

 

[Flying_Monkey]

When I posted the question, deep down, I knew somebody would come along and make a big issue of it. I should have said something to try to prevent it.

What's the problem? There's no need to worry, we're all reasonably intelligent people who can deal with important issues, I would hope.

 

[Doseone]

More historically there was also a black guy who did things like Le Tour back in the early '50s, and who ended up penniless. Many years later, and quite by chance he was recognised by someone as he begged on the streets of Paris and spent his last few years getting the help he needed.
Abdel Kader Zaaf I think he was called. Apparently he got himself distracted in (I think) the 1950 tour and cycled part of a stage the wrong way!
He was one of several Algerians and Moroccans to have ridden in Le Tour over the years (They were both French Colonies remember).

Here he is, was just reading about him this morning. Retired injured in the 1950 Tour and finished 66th in 1951.

Of course it matters. What a pointless and ignorant comment. Perhaps you would like to read some of the links in the 'Good news' thread on African cycling, where some of us have occasionally been noting the rise of especially Eritrean, Ethiopian and Rwandan cycling.

I can't wait for 1st August and the release of Tim Lewis' book about the rise of the Rwanda cycling team.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

When I posted the question, deep down, I knew somebody would come along and make a big issue of it. I should have said something to try to prevent it.

To me your question merely seemed to be an observational one. I have made such innocent observations myself occasionally in the past but unfortunately, anything to do with colour/race seems to set off a hair trigger, gets everyone's panties in a twist and it rapidly gets out of hand, because, well, that's the way things are now and everyone is scared of saying anything, even stating the bleedin' obvious that observations bring. I have often found that some people seem to have great difficulty in separating mere observation from bias/bigotry/racism etc.

I get a feeling that this has nothing to do with race but what sports are popular in a particular country, with exceptions of course. Cycling in Colombia has always been important, especially climbing. I understood that Colombian cyclists were good climbers. The terrain in Colombia helps their training I suppose. French, Italians and Spanish have a long tradition in Cycling, along with many other European countries.

Each country/continent, even race of people/ethnic groups have sports they are into and are not. Snooker for example is a fantastic example. If you were to look at the geographical distribution patterns of professional players, particularly in recent years, you would see a peculiar pattern of players in Britain/Ireland, and then China/South East Asia/Australia, with only a handful of exceptions in between. A gap that stretches half way round the world!. It isn't even played seriously on the Continent (although Billiards is).

So, I'd like to think this is not a race issue but I know it's a far more complex issue too.

As I say, each sport is different, so yes. Why these sports are not played in certain countries or by ethnic groups is another question in itself, but yes, I think you might be right.

 

[Noodley]

This thread is just nonsensical drivel in all fairness.

Just in case anyone missed this...ok, I may have slightly changed it.

 

[ufkacbln]

[QUOTE 3001573, member: 1314"]Posted up by Brixton Nihilist Cycling Club @theclaud @Cunobelin

Marshall Walter "Major" Taylor.
During his career he had ice water thrown at him during races, and nails scattered in front of his wheels, and was often boxed in by other riders, preventing the sprints to the front of the pack at which he was so successful, because he was black.
He kept racing, he kept winning. True Nihilist Legend.
(Gracias Andrea!)
View attachment 41043 [/QUOTE]

... and a lasting legacy with the College and other programs

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

20 years ago who would have predicted a British winner of the Tour, never mind two in a row ? All things are possible, a black winner of the Tour is just a matter of time, fingers crossed they'll be British.

 

[brand]

Of course it matters. What a pointless and ignorant comment. Perhaps you would like to read some of the links in the 'Good news' thread on African cycling, where some of us have occasionally been noting the rise of especially Eritrean, Ethiopian and Rwandan cycling.

Not only do you talk the words of the Politically Correct Liberal Thought Police you look like the epitome of the Politically Correct Liberal Thought Police. Yes it does matter that there are hardly any white marathon runners, sprinters and clearly blacks are massively over represented in football.

 

[brand]

PS Burnley Nelson Colne are very big on cycling even own there own pub/club houses. Also big on Muslim Asian population. Only whites cycle though.... What do you read into that Flying_Monkey?