The Vuelta was slightly disappointing I would say. But nothing terrible either. In particular, following the career of both Schleck brothers from the US is not always possible in real time.
Of course it is some disappointment and also somewhat worrying to have seen them drop out for health reasons. But it seems that both will be fine. We look forward seeing them in the future.
The Vuelta itself had some major flaws, which makes it only a very junior member in the family of Tours. At least that seems to be the public perception, that it is a minor event. Why? Probably because it was late in the season, the field of champions was small, the first stages in Holland may have seemed awkward and disruptive for everyone.
I believe that for worldwide recognition, the Vuelta is not well covered by the international Press. This could be the number one urgent issue that needs to be addressed.
Before the Vuelta, I shared on this blog places that were accessible online such as:
http://cyclingfans.com/live_race_coverage
and
http://www.universalsports.com/mediaPlayer/media.dbml?id=365052&catid=-2&sid=13044&db_oem_id=23000
with live streaming video.
Universal Sports' streaming video was of good quality. But how many people could access it? After a couple of days, their reporting was no longer available for free and they charged for internet access. In my view this was a disservice to the Vuelta, to themselves and to the riders who live from being well known. Viewers here just dropped out.
Whereas by now it should be known that cycling is a sport that thrives on free access, mass recognition and support by the public which motivates the sponsors to be there with their deep pockets, the most fatal error the organizers can make is to cut out free access. And that's certainly true for their presence on the internet, which cherishes a culture of "free".
Where were you, Versus!?
Egide Thein
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