[Acadian]

from: www.singletrackworld.com

Due to new UCI rules that limit sponsors logo space on the jerseys of national champions, Tracy has been forced to drop her UK races for fear of winning.

Here's the press release/letter from Tracey that we've just received...
Over the last couple of months a UCI (Union Cyclisme International) rule has been enforced, which states that any rider who is the national champion must wear their national jersey for the race at all uci registered events. If you fail to comply there is a considerable fine and loss of uci points.

This ruling has caused a lot of problems within the trade teams of the world cup circuit especially. The problem arises as the space for sponsor’s logos on the national champion’s jersey is restricted, and the area available is much less than the space used by sponsors on most riders existing jerseys. Therefore a lot of companies who pay to have a certain size logo and location on the jersey would no longer be able to have their logo visible. Hence Kona have asked me to not take part in this years National Championships in case I was to win, as they do not want to have restrictions placed upon the jersey I would have to wear as this could effect our contract with our teams sponsors, whose financial input into the team make the team happen.

I totally understand their decision, however it is very disappointing for me as this is an important race for me and this year would be my only race in the UK. Great Britain is having and amazing year on the world cup circuit and a lot of this success is down to having a great standard of racing and riders in the UK. So I am disappointed that I will be unable to support the UK race scene this weekend.

I really hope that this problem is resolved in the near future as decisions such as this put a major strain on our already fragile sport.

Tracy

Team manager Russell Carty told us that the ruling has always been there but up until now the wearing of the national champion's jersey has always been optional. The UCI have now decided to enforce their rule despite the protestations from teams and team sponsors.

Carty, president of IMTTO a non-profit organisation representing mountain bike teams and event organisers, has written to the UCI to explain the problems with this new enforcement.

"A team needs to create brand recognition for their sponsors and team, this is done through the colour and design of the team clothing the riders wear, when you have a few national champions on a team they are all in different colours and there is no team branding."

He goes on to explain the financial implications of reduced branding space on the national jerseys..

"..if we were to win a national championships we would be forced to re-negotiate the contracts with our sponsors as they would be receiving less branding space.."

Mountain biking is a sport that is losing sponsors, or having a hard time keeping them. Why is the UCI making it harder, and for what reason?"

All IMTTO members have expressed that they would like to keep the national championships as they believe this is a major event and they also want to support the federations and events in all the countries our members ride in, however this current enforcement is causing major problems for us all."

We will be watching this issue closely and will report back with any responce we get from the UCI.

 

[dw]

Maybe the UCI should consider letting winners add a UCI champ armband to their jersey design or something. That could work for everyone.

dw

 

[ska todd]

I 100% agree with Tracy's decision and expect other top riders to follow suit.

-ska todd

 

[Tenacious Doug]

Surely as a sponsor (Todd/DW), having a rider who is a national champion is in itself a benefit to the sponsors. Starting to pull riders from National Champs not only means you dont have the opportunity to go to sponsors and say "we have one world champ and 2 national champs" on our roster but it also means your riders are at less races where there will likely be major coverage. Perhaps similar what DW said, some sort of jersey that gave more flexibility for sponsors logos rather than the stifling rules in place at the moment??

 

[ska todd]

Surely as a sponsor (Todd/DW), having a rider who is a national champion is in itself a benefit to the sponsors. Starting to pull riders from National Champs not only means you dont have the opportunity to go to sponsors and say "we have one world champ and 2 national champs" on our roster but it also means your riders are at less races where there will likely be major coverage. Perhaps similar what DW said, some sort of jersey that gave more flexibility for sponsors logos rather than the stifling rules in place at the moment??

There is a tradeoff between the draw of a "National Champ" and the loss of prime real estate on the jersey. You would probably lose more by not having the ability to run sponsor logos.

If you did have "one world champ and 2 national champs" on your roster they could be in 3 different jerseys! In road racing it's different b/c you have a team of 10+ riders. For mtn bikes you are lucky if you have 3!

-ska todd

 

[Tenacious Doug]

There is a tradeoff between the draw of a "National Champ" and the loss of prime real estate on the jersey. You would probably lose more by not having the ability to run sponsor logos.

Thats kinda what I mean, there is a tradeoff and with the rules at the moment where there is such a limit on sponsors space it swings it against the sponsors. But perhaps with relaxing the rules so the national champions logo/stripe/polka dots was a feature on the normal team tops would keep everyone happy?

 

[dropmachine]

What i think would be best is if Tracy raced, but kept her eye on the clock. Have a coach or something at the bottom, and if her time is near the top, have her STOP right before going though the gate. Have her stand and look right at the official, and when the time is right, roll through the gate.

Can you imagine the controversy and message that would start?

 

[tmx]

oh man. i feel like a knucklehead for moaning about my own piddily ranking issues with norba...this thing with tracy is HUGE! can't imagine how miserable this news must have been to her, and to have to make such a decision...life throws a curve ball that knocks you out. NFG.

i like dave's idea alot, to include a uci champion badge/logo on her team jersey. the other suggestion to have her stop just before the finish line is juicy!!

 

[Transcend]

I fully support her. Having the UCI dictate what jersey you can wear is BS. The only way these pros GET to the races is through the contractual sponsor deals.

Way to further kill the sport UCI, you bunch of flaming retards. Maybe we can start anew when the world cup ends in 2006.

 

[Supa8]

How about a sponsor cape. That would get noticed.

 

[MMike]

I bet it's all a lie. She's actually pregnant and hiding it from the tabloids to avoid a scandal.

 

[ssaddict]

I think the arm band or a special logo you can put on your team jersey is the best idea. But I think until the UCI changes something she should just start stopping at the finish line. That would really get the point across, especially at the finish where most of the crowd and ALOT of cameras are.

 

[G30RG3ryan]

she should race, win the national championship, then race at the world cups but refuse to wear the national champion jersey.

 

[c2001]

she should race, win the national championship, then race at the world cups but refuse to wear the national champion jersey.

it's like a $1200 fine and loss of points for the race...basically defeats the entire reason for racing.

i agree w/ the stopping so you get 2nd place or not racing nat'l all together. sponsors are getting f'd.

 

[OGRipper]

Way to go Tracey, I support ya. That's a stupid rule and it helps explain why sponsor dollars are being drained out of the sport. They seem to miss the fact that professional racing is driven by sponsors, without which there will be no national championship series.

I just don't get it. Do they really need to promote the race series amongst the racers? Is anyone not interested in racing going to see the champion's jersey and say, "Gee, I should check out that race series." No, anyone that sees or recognizes the jersey already knows what it's about. The prestige of winning should benefit the sponsors who rolled the dice and put up money KNOWING that chances are pretty good their riders will be little more than pack fill.

It's true that the rules are the rules, and until they change them, any sponsor agreement should include acknowledgment that logos will be smaller if a rider wins a championship so they're not forced to choose between winning and fulfilling contract obligations.

But the rule seems like a remnant from better times. At this point things are damn lean and the sanctioning body should be doing everything it can to generate more sponsors. Right now they are forcing the riders to basically abandon their sponsors just when exposure should be maximized.

If I was the sponsor, I'd say go ahead and win, don't wear the jersey, and I'll pay the fines. The exposure generated from the controversey would be worth it and just might convince them to change the rule.

 

[Tully]

I like DW's armband idea. That way, the national champs still have something to mark them as such, but the sponsors are still happy.

 

[Tenacious Doug]

This caught my eye on another forum, interesting eh.......

Maxxis-MSC advised Marielle Saner to compete, but not to win. Marielle is now negotiating with the Swiss federation, and they came up with an interesting solution: The size of sponsor logos and names is fixed, as is the flag design - but guess what? Not the colour! We're gonna have a maxxis-orange Swiss champ's jersey, I guess.

 

[Repack]

The UCI is so f****** gay.

EDIT: Why don't the various national federations redesign their nat champ jersey? Too bay they are all roadies who don't give a s about MTBers.

 

[grimm]

If I was the sponsor, I'd say go ahead and win, don't wear the jersey, and I'll pay the fines. The exposure generated from the controversey would be worth it and just might convince them to change the rule.

Agree completely with that..

UCI are dicks, and the soul reason why ill never get into racing. Im tired if fascism.. however small it may be

 

[crashing_sux]

While it sounds like a good idea to race and then wait at the finish making the statement you want in that situation is up to chance, will you be the fastest and by enough to stop and wait?

This is a statement that needs to be made and can't be left to chance, not racing is a good way to do that.

 

[Tenacious Doug]

UCI are dicks, and the soul reason why ill never get into racing. Im tired if fascism.. however small it may be

To be honest.......I find that pretty sad. You deprive yourself of something for the one and only reason that there is a bunch of suits sitting around somewhere who's views you dont share, just like letting the bully win? There are plenty of races you could go along and do without being affected by any of the UCI's 'facism'. Besides, its all very well sitting there complaining about them but if you are not going to get off your butt to experience it for yourself then you cant really make up a considered opinion on it all

Now get out and race

 

[grimm]

To be honest.......I find that pretty sad. You deprive yourself of something for the one and only reason that there is a bunch of suits sitting around somewhere who's views you dont share, just like letting the bully win? There are plenty of races you could go along and do without being affected by any of the UCI's 'facism'. Besides, its all very well sitting there complaining about them but if you are not going to get off your butt to experience it for yourself then you cant really make up a considered opinion on it all

Now get out and race

Dont get me wrong. i still ride bikes, i just dont compete.
And i didnt really complain, i only said their dicks becouse if you dont ride roadbikes, you never really get any real support, and i dont have the energy to change the racing scene as im not involved in it and its not very appealing to me. All power to those who try to change UCI, they are fighting for a good cause and have a hard struggle, and i mentally support them. But for the forementioned reasons i dont join in the fighting. Its like you propably dont fight for things that really doesnt apeal to you, even if you support the fight.

i :heart: bikes and spend a fortune on them..

so if you took it the wrong way when i said the soul reason, well maybe i exaggerated slightly, but let me rephrase and put it like this.

The soul reason i never got INTERESTED in racing, is becouse UCI are dicks.. better?

 

[Hrelp]

I guess this is what happens when you choose to compete in a unoin run by the french.

Heres a poem truely worthy of the french.

Eleven thousand soldiers
lay beneath the dirt and stone,
all buried on a distant land
so far away from home.

For just a strip of dismal beach
they paid a hero's price,
to save a foreign nation
they all made the sacrifice.

And now the shores of Normandy
are lined with blocks of white:
Americans who didn't turn
from someone else's plight.

Eleven thousand reasons
for the French to take our side,
but in the moment of our need,
they chose to run and hide.

Chirac said every war means loss,
perhaps for France that's true,
for they've lost every battle
since the days of Waterloo.

Without a soldier worth a damn
to be found within the region,
the French became the only land
to need a Foreign Legion.

You French all say we're arrogant.
Well hell, we've earned the right--
We saved your sorry nation
when you lacked the guts to fight.

But now you've made a big mistake,
and one that you'll regret;
you took sides with our enemies,
and that we won't forget.

It wasn't just our citizens
you spit on when you turned,
but every one of yours
who fell the day the towers burned.

You spit upon our soldiers,
on our pilots and Marines,
and now you'll get a little sense
of just what payback means.

So keep your Paris fashions
and your wine and your champagne,
and find some other market
that will buy your aeroplanes.

And try to find somebody else
to wear your French cologne,
for you're about to find out
what it means to stand alone.

You see, you need us far more
than we ever needed you.
America has better friends
who know how to be true.

I'd rather stand with warriors
who have the will and might,
than huddle in the dark
with those whose only flag is white.

I'll take the Brits, the Aussies,
the Israelis and the rest,
for when it comes to valor
we have seen that they're the best.

We'll count on one another
as we face a moment dire,
while you sit on the sideline
with a sign, "friendship for hire."

We'll win this war without you
and we'll total up the cost,
and take it from your foreign aid,
and then you'll feel the loss.

And when your nation starts to fall,
well Frenchie, you can spare us,
just call the Germans for a hand,
they know the way to Paris.

Don Fichthorn, Major USMC (Retired)

 

[ska todd]

I guess this is what happens when you choose to compete in a unoin run by the french.

The UCI is based in Switzerland...

-ska todd

 

[dante]

I guess this is what happens when you choose to compete in a unoin run by the french.

Heres a poem truely worthy of the french.

blah blah blah

Yeah, good thing we didn't listen to them about that whole WMD thing, we proved them wrong, huh?



take it to the politics board...

 

[Weaver]

Kyle Bennett was almost fined $15,000 for not having the UCI world champ thing displayed on his jersey... how ridiculous....

 

[Lex]

Yeah, good thing we didn't listen to them about that whole WMD thing, we proved them wrong, huh?



take it to the politics board...

Thank you for stating what I was thinking. Since when does disagreeing with US foriegn policy constitute spiting on our soldiers or "siding" with the enemy?

 

[Tashi]

I like the waitin at the bottom idea- you caould add to that a "Legalize my race kit" logo to her bike and clothes to really get the point accross. Although I think that that pissed off the UCI already.
Reminds me of the time Cycling BC enforced the "no logos unless you're sponsored by them" rule. Just picture a bunch of junior sport and expert racers being told that they've got to turn their jersey's inside out or put duct tape over the logos or they won't be allowed to race. Result: alot of littering on the course and a bunch of pissed racers.

 

[Tenacious Doug]

The UCI is based in Switzerland...

-ska todd

The worlds most neutral company.......

Crap poem, France is a great place

 

[Tashi]

I guess this is what happens when you choose to compete in a unoin run by the french.

Heres a poem truely worthy of the french.


...Americans who didn't turn
from someone else's plight....
[except it tooka abombing of American soil to get them into that war]

Eleven thousand reasons
for the French to take our side,
but in the moment of our need,
they chose to run and hide.
[except 10,999 of them were lies]

And try to find somebody else
to wear your French cologne,
for you're about to find out
what it means to stand alone.
[oh right, whatever will they do without the support of Spain (oops), and all the other powerful countries of the "Coalition of the Willing" (gullible?)]

You see, you need us far more
than we ever needed you.
America has better friends
who know how to be true...
[like the Taliban, oh and Iraq]


...We'll count on one another
as we face a moment dire,
while you sit on the sideline
with a sign, "friendship for hire."
[umm, you mean like the Taliban, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Various dictators in central america...]

We'll win this war without you
and we'll total up the cost,
and take it from your foreign aid,
and then you'll feel the loss.
[ahh right, the great contribution that the US makes to foreign aid. When was the last time the US paid what they owe at the UN?]

And when your nation starts to fall,
well Frenchie, you can spare us,
just call the Germans for a hand,
they know the way to Paris.

Don Fichthorn, Major USMC (Retired)

Sorry wrong forum. It's just hard to resist a sitting brainwashed duck.

 

[Mani_UT]

I guess this is what happens when you choose to compete in a unoin run by the french.

Heres a poem truely worthy of the french.

Eleven thousand soldiers
lay beneath the dirt and stone,
all buried on a distant land
so far away from home. blabla

LOL, funniest load of **** I read in a long time...

Long live disinformation, ignorance, undereducation and stupidity

Oh by the way, the UCI is run by the swiss...

 

[kidwoo]

LOL, funniest load of **** I read in a long time...

Long live disinformation, ignorance, undereducation and stupidity

Oh by the way, the UCI is run by the swiss...

Welcome to america


Sorry Mani. I think you know that kind of sh!t frustrates some of us who were born here as well. Rush Limbaugh probably told him all the bad things about France that he thinks he knows and he's just acting like the good little robot he's supposed to be.

But hey that's his problem with France......it's so unamerican ya know?

 

[MMike]

I hate all the frickin' foreigners in Europe....

 

[SlackBoy]

Do What JK did in New Zealand. He raced and won the nat champs and the oceanias.
But cos he entered on the day, He ain't the champ of either.
Everyone knows he won but he don't ahve to wear funny jerseys, well other than the funny maxxis one anyways

 

[Heath Sherratt]

Why can't the sponsors create a jersey with her national flag and their logos integrated like the Cannondale americana jersey? The rules say that the person raceing only has to have a flag represented on the jersey with certain dimensions on it. The sponsors could work with the UCI and create jerseys that meet the demands of both and with no loss to anyone. I would be honored to race a worlds event and represent my country along with my sponsors. There are definetly more creative ways to solve this tiny, tiny problem. Try fixing things like crabgrass or something really important.

 

[DHblur]

The UCI and Norba both seem to be a lot like politicians... Simply focusing on useless things and rules while all the time, racing as we know it is falling apart. Makes me sick!