Bike racing and sustainable transportation unfortunately have very little in common. Although the bicycle is the world’s most efficient form of transportation, when pure speed is the goal, everything else becomes secondary.

One look at a race like the Tour de France, with its caravans of motorcycles, support cars, and parade of corporate advertising vehicles, is enough to exemplify the divide between racing and commuting. Even on the grassroots racing stage, it becomes difficult to compete in a season of racing without racking up substantial road miles. As a dedicated amateur bike racer and carectomy patient, I struggle with this aspect of the sport myself.

However, two recent stories have shown that bike racing can positively impact the cycling world as a whole, and can help to promote bike commuting.

In 2007, the Tour de France stage race kicked off in London with a short time trial event on July 7th and the Tour’s first road stage on July 8th. Transport for London reported that one million people lined the streets to watch the time trial and two million witnessed the road race from London to Canterbury.

In addition to the £88 million that the race brought to the city, the race focused the country’s attention on bicycling. As a result, the rate of cycling in London spiked by 11 percent over the previous year.

As London’s mayor, Ken Livingstone, told In the News UK:

Bringing the Tour de France to London has been hugely successful, boosting cycling and showing Londoners' huge interest in watching and participating in sport that is growing as we approach the 2012 Games.

As well as demonstrating that great sporting events can inspire people to take up physical activity, the success of the Tour de France also shows the economic benefits that these types of event can bring to London.

On this side of the pond, my adopted hometown of Albuquerque just wrapped up hosting the winter training camp for ProTour team Astana. Johan Bruyneel, formerly the director of Lance Armstrong’s Team Discovery, has taken the helm of what looks to be the team to beat for 2008. Joining Bruyneel are 2007 Tour de France winner Alberto Contador, US national champion Levi Leipheimer, and an international squad that’s among the best in the business.

The presence of this world class team has focused the cycling world’s attention on the sleepy city of Albuquerque, and has encouraged locals to get out and ride their bikes. But Bruyneel wanted to do more to make a difference in the community.

On Sunday, January 27th Bruyneel launched the “Johan’s Kids” program in conjunction with Bernalillo County. Bruyneel selected 25 local kids, many of them from poor homes, to receive new Trek bicycles and Giro helmets. Bruyneel and several of the Astana riders were on hand for the ceremony and offered pointers to the children.

Although Astana chose Albuquerque and Bernalillo County based on the favorable climate and cycling-friendly roads, biking is not as popular as it could be. Albuquerque, although it does feature a centralized downtown area, is a quintessentially sprawling, western city. 50% of the population is overweight and the incidence of related health problems, such as diabetes and heart disease, are high.

The donated bikes have cyclo-computers that will track mileage. The kids will have access to a website where they can discuss their cycling and read personalized training tips from Bruyneel. Considering that Bruyneel has directed the winning team for the last seven-consecutive Tour de France’s (including six with Lance), the kids certainly could have found a worse coach.

"He's going to try to be a mentor to some of these kids and hopefully get them to exercise, live more healthy lifestyles," said Charles Ovis, a local training camp representative.

Astana donated one hundred percent of the proceeds from their official team launch in Albuquerque to fight childhood obesity and to local chapters of the American Diabetes Association and the National MS Society.

Via Albuquerque Tribune & In the News UK.

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Ron said:

Joshua, I'm still not sure what trickle down effect really is. Are you saying the challenges of becoming a racer discourages you from commuting totally? I do see the disparities in cycling teams choosing certain regions for training camps and the overall health of the region's population. Thats a compare and contrast situation, I don't really think racing discourages commuting. All the folks I have known have turned to things like commuting to school or to work in winter to accumulate base miles. You can try that too? Yet, I have to stick with you on the fact that not a lot of high professional cycling teams advocate cycling in general. They're all there for the passion, money and fame. Nowadays you find bike companies doing things for advocacy. The other irony is how top professional bike racers buy flashy cars and other expensive transportation means that are known to smoke out hydrocarbons. (Boonen for Lamborghini...) But I guess when you've worked your butt off for most of the year on the cobbles of Paris and the mountains of the Alps, you have your right to do whatever you please with the money. Professional bike racers get a lot of prize money and other royalty from media publicity, at least the successful ones. The idea that they live lavish lifestyles and don't really commute by bicycle per se may mean something but I don't know how true that is. Thanks.

February 08, 2008 | url

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