Why are there no black or asian riders on the Tour de France?

we are all mixed race.

Good article by science writer Malcom Gladwell on race, genetics, culture and sport.

http://www.theafricancyclist.com/The%20Idea.html

wow that was great.

If East Africans prove the same ability in cycling's more well known races, as they do in long distance track running? Will the West Africans, Jamaicans, Bahamians and even the black Britons, be able to show cycle sprinting success, as they have done on the track too?

I loved watching Seb Coe against Steve Ovett, and its been very different since the arrival iof the East Africans (Kenyans, Ugandans, Ethiopians). Will the tide turn, or will the Lance Armstrongs on Miguel Indurains of this world show that natural ability isn't everything, and technique and training win the day? I hope the challenges come in the next few years.

Both Lance Armstrong & Miguel Indurain were hovering right on the extreme top end of the bell curve physiologically. Indurain's 8 litre lung capacity (an advantage shared by Coppi) and Armstrong's ridiculous lactate tolerance set them up nicely.

Natural ability is always a large part of it.

Remember, that historically it was said that the track and field "4 minute mile" could never be done? With the lowering and lowering of the 100 metres track and field sprinting, I really do wonder how far the human body can be pushed. Will seconds also come off the 200 metre cycle sprints, and what about Le Tour, will it be the same bastion of Euro goodness, or will Africans have arrived at the party? I can't wait.

Good article by science writer Malcom Gladwell on race, genetics, culture and sport.

Fantastic article! I'm going to see if I can find anything as good on gender. I sense an obsession coming on...

Well if Astana were in it there would be an Asian presence...

Interesting subject and some good points on whether race is a causal factor or just correlates with social position and the accessibility of cycling as a sport. One thing is that, until fairly recently, quite a few pro cyclists came from the poorer parts of European society and it was often a means of escape from rural poverty. I guess that provides some motivation to train and suffer day in, day out.

Too fecking much!

But how much is a racing BMX and the associated racing fees, body armour, etc?

not much, bmx racers only tend to wear helmet & gloves these days.

A quality lightweight racing BMX is quite pricy though.

Fantastic article!

+1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=53xa5DHwvG4

anyone mentioned this guy yet?

you have,
whats his name?
what team and country?

gregory bauge, reigning sprint world champ. Born in guadalope, brought up in the suburbs of Paris, rides for France.
I would alos like to scotch all this talk of 'its a rich mans sport'. It is not: it is, historically at least, a poor farm boy's sport and, in france, spain, belgium, italy at least, access for poor riders is through hand-me downs from a huge infrastructure of enthusiasts. Contrys without that infastructure (UK, USA) have to rely on posh boys trying to look cool and continental :)

He ain't ever going to be in the TDF though is he.

(thread title)

awright smartarse, fumiyuki beppu then

rode the tour for skil-shimano and is japanese which i think counts as asian!

Between 1910 and 1920 two Africans were brought to the Tour de France to compete, and for many days they hammered the competition. This was back in the days when slipstreaming was seen as cheating, and each rider rode solely for himself. One of the Africans had to drop out through illness, but the other kept a huge lead over the opposition.
At one point he ran out of water, and was passed a bottle by a spectator. The rider necked the lot, only to discover it was wine. The rider was Muslim, and had never drunk alcohol in his life, so the vino pole axed him. The spectators caught him as he fell, and realising he was pissed, laid him under a tree to sleep it off.
By and by the other races caught up and passed the sleeping African, and the crowds drifted away.
Hours later he awoke.
It dawned on him what had happened, so he leapt on his bike and raced off in pursuit. He pedalled furiously, but failed to catch any of the other riders.
Why?
In his befuddled state, he set off in the wrong direction.
If it wasn't for one bottle of wine, then an early Tour winner would have been African, and with him as a hero, the face of cycling would have (literally!) been changed forever.

I think we shall make him a patron of our forum drinks.

By the way, it's not true, there are no black cyclist in Tour de France

http://www.theafricancyclist.com/Images/home2.jpg

almost

There has been a problem for years!

http://www.pezcyclingnews.com/default.asp?pg=fullstory&id=3596

Read this link/story about Maurice Burton, fantastic rider from Forest Hill London,
now owns De Ver Cycles. I was riding with VCL in the early 70's, the racism bit was
well known about by all of us at the time. Maybe nothing has changed, awfull shame!

http://nabcyclists.ning.com/

Between 1910 and 1920 two Africans were brought to the Tour de France to compete, and for many days they hammered the competition. This was back in the days when slipstreaming was seen as cheating, and each rider rode solely for himself. One of the Africans had to drop out through illness, but the other kept a huge lead over the opposition.
At one point he ran out of water, and was passed a bottle by a spectator. The rider necked the lot, only to discover it was wine. The rider was Muslim, and had never drunk alcohol in his life, so the vino pole axed him. The spectators caught him as he fell, and realising he was pissed, laid him under a tree to sleep it off.
By and by the other races caught up and passed the sleeping African, and the crowds drifted away.
Hours later he awoke.
It dawned on him what had happened, so he leapt on his bike and raced off in pursuit. He pedalled furiously, but failed to catch any of the other riders.
Why?
In his befuddled state, he set off in the wrong direction.
If it wasn't for one bottle of wine, then an early Tour winner would have been African, and with him as a hero, the face of cycling would have (literally!) been changed forever.

You're wineing us up with that story.

This is all great inspiration for a Cool Runnings 2.