'Podium Girls' in pro cycling...

Wish I could be as eloquent as you are when telling someone to fuck off and do one

Rep

At first, I was all "whu?", then I was click, click, and all "ahhh".

Plus ça change, eh.

WAC

women like podium girls, I like podium girls and podium girls like the work...

Really? You believe this? It's such a cringefest. Women being paid to kiss some sweaty bloke standing there in Lycra bibshorts. It's very far from being manly or attractive!

Not sure "Like" is a scale for what is good or bad

Professional sport attracts people that say "mangina". That's why they have 'dolly birds' on the podium.

Hear hear hear!

Whilst I don't agree with @Fignon's views, it is perhaps useful to try to understand that attitudes like his/hers exist and why they exist. Therefore his/her contribution to this thread is useful in that it is maybe indicative of the sort of opposition any campaign against the use of attractive females in prize giving situations may generate. I would say though that the language used in @Fignon's post was deliberately inflammatory and perhaps was intended to troll those posting here.

Fignon was def. trying to troll and succeeded. But, in the process came across like a real dick.

Definitely trolling but there's times when it's still worth responding to some of the things trolls say.
Beneath that veneer of trolling was an air of superiority, priviledge and assumption that their views are the good and right ones. Also an element of fear that things are changing and what they're comfortable with is about to be stripped away unchecked. Or worse than that, that the status quo has already slipped away unnoticed and they're just clinging desperately to a fading shadow. An impassioned defense of vitriol and rhetoric to restore the "proper order of things" and put the upstarts in their place.

Given the racism he's been spouting elsewhere on the forum, he's either trolling or honest about his extreme ignorance. Either way, he's an utter tosser.

Well yes but it's also worth observing and understanding that views such as theirs may be quite commomplace, widespread and ingrained and will take reasoned and balanced reponse if progress is to be made, rather than telling them to fuck off which doesn't make anyone look good.

will take reasoned and balanced reponse if progress is to be made, rather than telling them to fuck off

Which is what TSK just did

So we're all good

TBF, I didn't tell @Fignon to fuck off, I told him he was fucking wrong. I'm not trying to exclude him from the discussion.

And yes, I could have been more diplomatic in my responses in an attempt to foster health debate that changes minds. However, I suspect that if I had done, it would only have strengthened his view that I'm a "mangina" and whatever the hell that's actually supposed to mean.

And if he runs off to lick his wounds from a forthright response from a "mangina" then that's for him to square with himself of what that means for his own perceived manhood. The same applies as to whether or not he exhibits the capacity for balanced and reasoned discussion.

Yes, those views will be common and pervasive and a careful campaign and debate with those in positions of control and authority within cycling is definitely the way forward. But Fignon isn't one of those people and if he ends us disaffected by the sport because he can no longer gawk at the pretty ladies on the tellybox, I won't lose any sleep over it. It'll just mean he didn't really care about the cycling as much as he would have had us believe.

I don't believe anyone has ever tuned into the tour awards ceremony expressly to make the bald man weep, but hey - who knows how weird the world really is.

Professional sport attracts people that say "mangina". That's why they have 'dolly birds' on the podium.

Rep. x lots.

... trying to undermine everything that straight men are into.

Seeing as whatever type of porn is so easily available in this day and age there's simply no longer a need for such trivial titillation? No doubt back in the day people had to get their jollies wherever they could. I think these discussions often descend into madness about punishing models for being attractive and wanting to work which draws attention away from the bigger picture, Fignon has managed that pretty damn well. Luckily people on here are smarter than to fall for that.
As tame as podium girls are compared to other aspects of their industry(overly-sexualised bikini girls in the car/motorbike industry etc) it's certainly a tragic dinosaur that doesn't benefit anyone really. The models look bored, the riders awkward. The fact that there is an obvious alternative in using junior riders/sponsors to hand out cuddly lions makes it a no-brainer really.

I'm not smart/useful enough to drive this campaign forward but support those that do.
Sorry for not contributing anything new/useful but just spotted/read this thread for the first time...

I like podium girls...

Quelle surprise.

Make a tragic dinosaur give out the trophies.

In many ways thats a beautiful and compelling suggestion. However, at the risk of sounding petty, I don't want to see a bikini clad Fignon trying to snog Quintana in Spain.

I don't want to see a bikini clad Fignon trying to snog Quintana in Spain.

^ campaign slogan still needs work, but I'd wear this on a t shirt any day.

rep TSK. i am enjoying this thread.

Make a tragic dinosaur give out the trophies.

No, no backdoors for Lance Armstrong to return to pro cycling!

Somewhat disappointed with the use of "flower girls" at the CTT National 25 today. Female members of the club on the stage in their leggings and jerseys to hand out bits to the medalists. No kisses tho.

Statoil, the 16th biggest company in Europe, doing its bit for gender equality.