Soap Box
It’s been a tough few days. I’ve rather suddenly taken a more political stance than usual. I’ve been in a few conversations trying to defend women’s racing and it’s continued support. After a heated conversation last year with the Tour of KC director about his negligence in properly addressing women’s fields, I’m on the soap box again with the coordinator for the Tour of Elk Grove.
You can read the point of my concern here.
It’s a difficult position to be in; to feel like you’re running around, doing what you can to impact a larger issue. It’s embarrassing to show at a race event crowded with men who’ve had to secure their spot in the race months in advance, to line up with 10, 20, and on the best day, 30-50 other women. Where race limits allow for 100 women, we’re lucky if the field is half that size. It’s equally embarrassing for a sponsor or race-coordinator, if not more so. So, then, what should I tell them? How can I argue?
I ask for patience. It’s up to communities like ours to build the racers, to increase the confidence of women enough to stand on the line and learn to take a corner in a field of other women. What we have here in St. Louis may be fairly unique. Sometimes I like to think so; at times like these, I think it’s unfortunate.
I was frustrated with Elk Grove’s decisions because I felt like they made drastic changes without really asking a broad group of women and teams what their incentives were. I complained that, while increasing the prize money, they REMOVED a race from the weekend event; which sometimes is critical in the travel decision-making. A single race with double the pot isn’t the right incentive, I said. If you walk up to a $5 black jack table with $10, are you more likely to blindly double-down or know at least you’ve got two hands to try and win? (Bad analogy, but you get the picture)
Kelly Benjamin, of Cheerwine, attended a race in Kansas City the Saturday before the event and flew to Chicago for Sunday’s race; are these the lengths women have to endure in order to get two races in? Those of us that attended 2007′s race saw Cheerwine dominate the field of mostly single pro riders. They were the only pro TEAM that attended. Other pros showed up, but had few or no teammates to work with. I honestly felt that those women secretly swore to not let that happen again. That they walked away resolving to come back better equipped with their squads.
(*addendum*) I don’t mean to imply that the competition simply rolled over for Cheerwine. Their race execution was enviable and I feel like it would have prompted other women’s teams to show up and try to put up a better performance. No other team was as well represented, in both numbers and standings.
But then “the powers that be” changed the date, significantly dropped the purse and made the race a single OPEN race. And now, here I am, heatedly debating which position to take. how can I continue to justify support from sponsors that aren’t patient enough to see results?
Category: Uncategorized
Women’s cycling as a whole struggles to keep it’s head above water. Not to say that Men’s cycling doesn’t have it pitfalls, however, the support for men’s clubs, and opportunities to begin racing, are greater.
We as advocates for the sport must make it why triathalons, or marathon running has a very large participation by women.
Support is equal and the prize money, really now…is there any to speak of. Hmmm, more even stakes??
Cycling is unique to this point. You can make money racing your bike, given the opportunity.
Mentoring, offering good ambassadorship, and giving beginners opportunities, is how great performances begin.
Why do the men get soooo much publicity, money, and opportunity?
We are as committed to the race at hand, we train just as hard, and I do believe the pro women can rip the legs off alot of guys.
We ask to have the world handed to us and we might get what we are due.
Nothing happens overnight, foundations and planning is the key.
I agree with you on this Chris.
Will they see us at Elk Grove? We’ll see.
Bike companies have just started recognizing the value that women bring to the sport….all this WSD stuff everywhere.
I say patience is the key. The makers of the equipment know the incredible growth opportunity in gearing toward women. They’ve just started investing in them. How long will it take before there’s traction on THEIR investments?
It will take longer if event coordinators stunt that growth by giving them bad time slots or none at all.
But, if you look at the reverse and what a sponsor of a women’s team gets in return, now’s the time for them to sign on. They get great exposure for a less than they’d pay a men’s team. Plus, it’s a lot easier to spot a specific racer in a women’s field, than a men’s.
My two cents.
For this particular instance, I’d say please please please be patient Mr. Promoter. With a payout like that, I bet more than one team will show up with a full suite of guns. But it takes time to work a race into the schedule and our budgets are super slim.
I’m a racer who’s just entering my second season, and I hope to continue building up to races like Elk Grove. The only way to get the experience is to get out there and try, right? So why is it so much easier for men to get started in this sport? Why does is seem to be so intimidating for women?
We spend just as much time (if not more) than the men do killing brain cells on loooooong indoor training sessions during the winter, so what makes our sacrifices worth so much less in terms of races, prize money, and opportunities?
While we are seeing more attention being paid to WSD in bicycles, I’m afraid it seems to be only a token to cash in on a different market. No manufacturer has yet taken women racers seriously. The WSD models you see out there are more of the “recreational” type bikes with inferior componentry and construction. Ever try to find a WSD specific TT frame in carbon?
I’m not beating down the manufacturers for selling to what they believe is a money-making market, but for now, I don’t believe anyone has taken us as seriously as they should. We seem to be fighting a two-front war with ignorance and apathy, and the only way to win out is to keep trying to make our voices heard, and to get out there and be examples for as many women as possible.
I agree, it will take time.
Luke here from XXX Racing and Chicago Bike Racing.
What factors other than the lack of 4 or 3/4 fields do you think make the sport intimidiating for women? Because it’s more than just race availability. The weekend before Elk Grove, only five women entered the women’s 4′s race in Elgin. Five women out of the entire Chicago area! Two weeks later, the week after Downers, Sherman Park (my team’s race) and the Glencoe Grand Prix each had women’s 4′s fields and neither had more than 10 riders. One can argue that that if you create the opportunities, women will come … but the races are there, and women still aren’t coming.
So, what else can we do? What can individuals, teams and promoters do to make racing less intimidating?
As for Elk Grove, I hope people are gentle with the mayor. His heart is in the right place, and it’s really remarkable that an event of this prestige has amateur racing at all, let alone so much.
The races are still eight months away. Hopefully the schedule can be reconsidered by then. I know that most guys support the need for more and richer racing for women, and most of us would happily yield some of our races and purses to make it happen.
Of relevance to this discussion might be this interview with Paula Plant up in Minnesota.
A brief note about the intimidation factor for women (pardon my naivety toward upper-level racing):
Competitive cycling is not an easy sport to get into. There are so many little things you need to know before you even think about the first race, and the resources aren’t always easy to find. For women, finding someone with whom to ride and learn, it can be doubly hard.
Compared to cycling, getting into a sport like running is easy. Sign up for a local 5K — you need no license or special equipement, just you and shoes — and that’s it. You can be quite successful with very basic equipment and steady training.
But to be quite successful at bike racing, you have to spend hours and hours and hours on the bike. Most women — most people — don’t have that luxury. My wife rides quite often and has thought about racing, but the thought of lining up against six other women and getting smoked isn’t appealing. She has the desire to race, but not the time necessary to train.
Building numbers takes a grass-roots effort, something not every community or club can support. When efforts like that become commonplace — and centered on women — the races will be full.
I think the promoter has a responsibility to the sport of cycling to provide a gender equitable schedule. If equity is of no concern then the promoters of this sport are no better than corporate America with profit and numbers above all. For the sake of Sport not profits please be reasonable.
Team Revolution can relate to the examples and information stated herein. We have read the articles we were directed to. We have battled these challenges the last 3 while our organization has been cutting its teeth. We by no means have all the solutions, nor the most glamorous programs. We held a womens Racing 101 clinic to support the need for beginner knowledge and to eliminate the uncertainties and intimidation. Out of 12 women, 7 stood at the start line in August to race their first race, 4 of these women have committed to training to acheive their goals.
We understand that not every community has an organization like ours, however, this is why we are working on our reach and committed to bringing home the message that “community” starts with organizers, bike shops, elite individuals, and cycling companies.
Our struggle here in the midwest is one of mentality. The west coast has numbers, accessiblity, and support, which breeds enthusiasm and committment on many levels. We are developing programs that come straight from what the women say they need and want here in St. Louis. By reaching out to other communities that have made the endeavor successful, we are on the right track, be it slow, but sure. I invite all women from Nebraska, Arkansas, Kansas, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky to speak up and let someone know what they are looking for.
Team Revolution exists because there was no ‘womens-only’ support in St. Louis, and someone needed to change that. We cannot be everything to everyone, but we connect women, invite them into a learning environment, and encourage them to stay involved. Racing is only a flower from the seed of cycling. Build great interest and passion, people will take it where there heart desires.
I challenge the elite riders of the midwest to mentor someone in 2008 (just 1)!!!!
For those women who feel they are lost in the gray area. Contact us.
St Louis and Indy areas:
carrie@stlrevolution.com
Lincoln and Omaha areas:
sydney@stlrevolution.com
Jay Baumeister of Tenspeeds Production (Tour of Grandview, Tour de Berg, etc. in Ohio, the Melon City/Quad Cities/etc. races) is one of my favorite promoters because, among many other reasons, he always strives – and most often succeeds – in providing equal purses and racing opportunities for men and women alike. He makes it a theme, promotes his women’s races like crazy, and gives us a hard time when our fields don’t live up to his expectations and hard work. He motivates women racers to motivate women racers – and that, I believe, is what will ultimately do the trick.
The Elk Grove fiasco is a shame. I was nearly upset enough to boycott myself this year when I saw that they cut the women’s racing to one day despite adding an additional stage and cash for the men. (In fact, at first I thought it was a mistake on the schedule) Yet, the purse drew me and I caved in. Turns out our race was likely one of the most eventful of the weekend – with constant attacks, breaks, etc. and a last minute sneak attack off the front for a Cheerwine win. From a spectator perspective, I’d rather watch that than 160 frantic pro/1/2 men crashing in the straightaways any day.
Our field wasn’t 160, but it wasn’t lackluster either. Considering it was a one-day event, in the midwest (many of the pro teams are based out of the east and wast coasts, Colorado, etc.) it wasn’t half bad. And from what I recall, it drew the Canadian national road champion and possibly a few other non-USA cyclists. I’m disappointed in the way they are downplaying the women’s turnout. It didn’t rival the men’s, and was bested by other NRC races, but it wasn’t the pity party they are making it seem. The competition was tough, and most of the people they lost were the pros from last year (when it was 2 days) who went elsewhere where they could race for the whole weekend.
Like Chris noted, women’s teams just don’t have the resources to attend each and every race in the US. If they can’t justify it because it’s not on the NRC calendar, and they can’t justify it because it’s not nearby, AND they can’t justify it because it’s not an entire weekend of racing, they are likely to go elsewhere. If Elk Grove made this a three-day stage race like it was and is for the men, it would virtually guarantee a better turnout.
That being said, more encouragement is needed from any and all cyclists and cycling advocates. Groups like Team Revolution and other womens’ teams and clubs have to continue to take the first step and introduce this fantastic sport and all its benefits to the female racers of tomorrow. We need to give credit where credit is due and support the companies, teams, shops, promoters, and cities that welcome and highlight women’s racing. It will take a community-wide effort, but it can and will be done.
Great to see that this issue has hit a nerve with so many people.
I don’t think boycotting the race will accomplish much unfortunately. Writing NICE letters to the mayor and promoter explaining the perspective of womens racers and the challenges we face seems like a better alternative. Nothing is written in stone yet and with enough grassroots discussion perhaps we can get a day of racing added for the women.
This is a concern that my team, Team Kenda Tire, is also addressing. We need to encourage others in our sport to be vocal (and respectful!) and fight for change. It won’t happen easily or quickly but together I think we can see results.
Kudos to Team Revolution for your advocacy and commitment to improving the sport for women. It’s all about the grassroots efforts!
Team Revolution opened the whole world of competitive bike racing to me. I did not even realize that so many opportunities existed for women in bike racing before this year.
I think that this is the case for many recreational riders. I had always enjoyed biking, but always participated in running events because they require a lot less gear (less intimidating) and less money than cycling. I also think that while you have little chance of winning anything in a 5K race, its appealing because it requires little training and very little pressure. I’ve never once felt pressure to stay with the lead group of runners so that 1) I could take turns drafting them for more efficient running and 2) I might be able to pull off a win at the finish line! Just the pressure to stay w/ the pack in a bike race can be stressful and intimidating to women who do not understand the dynamics of the pack and may be scared to death if they were riding within inches of someone.
It is programs like the Racing 101 clinic that Team Revolution put on this summer that will help take the mystery out of pack dynamics and help women work on bike handling skills before lining up at a local crit.
As I enter 2008 I am training hard to race next season. I am excited to line up and test myself and I know I will encounter races where I’ll be lucky to have 3 other Cat4 riders to race against. It will also be demotivating and most definitely intimidating as a Cat4 to line up with a women’s open field and I think many Cat 4’s will avoid races with only a women’s open field. If we don’t give Cat 4’s a chance, they will never become Cat 3’s, 2’s, or 1’s. It seems we are just scratching the surface in the Midwest and I hope that race organizers consider this when they plan their time slots and fields. Give us an equal chance, and we will grow!
Chris thank you for stepping up and speaking about this issue.
I was thinking about this for a couple days and came around full circle to agree with you. They really should consider bringing back the two days of racing at the Elk Grove race, and even consider a series or an overall.
I hope they also consider that we had a general threat of rain in the forecast all week.
My big thought is that maybe some team managers didn’t want to risk injury to their athletes the weekend before the National Championships. So..considering this …perhaps this was a one time dissappointment?
As for women in sports in general. Well. MY opinion is this:
Ask any woman you meet to name a famous female athlete. GO ahead. Ask the woman on the street to name a woman in any sport! So many can’t even come up with ONE woman athlete! Guys are better at this than gals are.
I do believe that this lack of participation in women’s sports, lesser money for competitions, and fewer big competitions in general is also related to the lack of interest in even watching these sports.
Heck women did not even have a marathon event in the Olympics till 1984! It takes time and lots of hollerin’!
It is slowly getting better and better. I hope that the youth growing up in America today will grow up being more open to watching women’s sports now that the networks are airing a greater variety of women’s competitions. Hey~ that professional woman’s basketball league is a huge deal!! They tried to take that league away but the outcry of women won and now its back and strong as ever.
Just give it time.
Cycling rises to the pinnacle of every single definition of what it means to be defined a competitive sport!!
ALL women’s sports should be supported. If it happens that women start to make the ‘big’ money in basketball then it will most certainly trickle down to other sports including the sport of Cycling.
Well…I sure do hope so. But one thing I know for sure, as long as we have women like you around to raise enthusiasm and support for women’s bike racing. I feel it has a chance to grow.
Keep the faith!
These same comments about keeping the faith, it will get better, etc, have been said forever and ever about women’s cycling.
It isn’t going to happen. Women are not as interested in being as selfish and inwardly-focused as men are, and you need that in order to successfully race.
Women’s cycling in the US is a teeny fringe part of a fringe sport.
Unlike successful women’s sports such as tennis, watching a local bike race is not that interesting. It isn’t that interesting even for the Pro12 men, let alone the women’s field of 12 racers.
It should come as zero surprise that the organizers are not excited about doing equal prize money and more races. They only have so much time, so much money. They SHOULD cater to the people who compose their races.
Women must first prove that they are interested in this sport, and then they will get taken seriously, fields will be expanded, and prize money doled out in a way that makes sense to them.
But we all know that is not going to happen.
Thank you, “anonymous”, for your enlightening response. I’m trying to figure out why you bothered to write at all. I considered removing your comment, but decided that we should be open to both sides of the story. Your version seems to be so well thought out and optimistic…
I should note that we’re not complaining about inequalities in prize money, we’re campaigning for race time and the opportunity to grow the sport by having entry level races (with enough financial incentive for women to try the sport).
As far as “interesting to watch” I’m not sure where your experience in watching races (or racing in them?) comes from. Maybe it’s because you, like many, don’t know HOW to watch the race; you don’t know what’s going on in the fields or enough about strategy to appreciate it as a spectator. That’s NOT because it’s simply not as interesting (which is so subjective anyway) as tennis or whatever sport, it’s because the way that people can experience the event isn’t at the same level as tennis. You don’t have the luxury of sitting watching the game unfold in front of you. Bike racing happens stretched out over a mile or two which can’t be watched adequately from a single vantage point. If cycling should ever become less of a “fringe” sport, and get some exposure TV coverage, commentating and multiple course views, it’d be far more entertaining to the general public.
Spectators that understand a bit about strategy, racers’ agendas and the best location(s) on the course appreciate it much more than some supportive “fan” that sits on a single corner the whole race and watches people fly by at 25-30 miles an hour.
It’s also worth noting that while cycling demographics are slanted about 90/10 in male/female ratio, spectators for those races are divided equally. So, then, who really should the promoters cater to, those that “compose” the races or the people that come WATCH them? I’ll bet its the opinion of the sponsors FOR those racers and races that spectators are of equal importance…
Your response is lazy speculation that’s easy to sit at a desk and write. I’m sure the sole purpose of writing was to diminish hope and belittle any effort. While you’re on such a role why don’t you run to your local grade schools telling kids there’s no Santa?
YOU will never impact women’s racing and participation and your attitude will keep a lot of others from even trying. Thanks very much for your support. We’ll not quit trying.