Is cycling a dead sport?

Question

It was never really big in the states with no true racing heroes to cheer for, until fairly recently (Lemond and Team 7-Eleven being at the forefront). But now, with all the Americans cheating, will the sport settle back into its quiet grave in the US?

I know for a fact that in Europe, where cycling was more popular, it was still considered a niche sport, one that would never take the place of soccer in the mind of the European sports fan. So, is cycling doomed across the globe? What will it take for the sport to hold itself in the public eye if it hasn't already completely dropped out?

Answer 1

It would be hard to consider it dead since it never got big here in the first place, unless you consider Lance and his livestrong fad getting big in the states.

It will never die though, the Tour de France will continue to be an internationally acclaimed event in the same way that sporting events such as the Olympics and the X-Games are covered.

It's not the best sport you want to get into if you want fame and fortune, but it will never die or fade away completely...

Answer 2

Cycling is not dead in the US, in fact it continues to grow. The US now has two international caliber stage races the Tour of Georgia and the Tour of California. There are more races than ever and more racers. Just this weekend at the Cyclo Cross Worlds the US put 3 racers in Silver, a junior in second, elite Women in second and for the first time ever a podium (second) for and American in the elite men.

Time to relearn your "FACTs" Cuz you couldn't be more wrong. Cycling is not even close to a niche sport in Europe, I don't know where you get your info from but time to cut off that source. Cycle has always rivaled soccer in terms of popularity. The tour De France alone is the single largest annual spectator event in the world. More than 1 million people a day line the route, with a near 98% viewer ship per day in France and over 90% in all of Europe. The world cup soccer has a great single day viewer ship in the world but it only happens once every 4 years and only the final game draws the numbers. The tour is 20+days every year, one years viewership of the Tour crushes the World cup. It was estimated in 1999 the value in on camera exposure in the Tour was worth 40million for the US postal service, a bargain for the 5million the paid for that years sponsorship. All this is just the Tour de France, The Giro, and tour of Spain are also huge. Not to mention the classics like the Paris-Roubaix which can have over 40,000 people standing along a 1.5km section of pave.

Answer 3

If drug scandals had something to do with human beings being drawn to activities, no person could watch baseball. the priority with biking is that individuals think of that the excursion De France is the only race that concerns, and that they are no longer likely to observe a French race if an American isn't winning it. It only seems too distant. there is a few very severe high quality racing occurring on the close by and native tiers that's no longer even getting a point out on the evening information because of the fact they're too busy speaking approximately severe college activities. If human beings have been being uncovered to the racing that's going on in the U. S., there could probable be so a lot greater interest.

Answer 4

The sport of cycling may not be dead to others throughout the world, but it is dead to me. I used to love to watch the Tour de France, Olympic cycling events, etc. But no more.