DID YOU KNOW? The Tour Down Under was first put on as a means of promoting Adelaide following the citys loss of the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix to Melbourne. Italian Daniele Nardello won his first professional race with a stage victory at the 1995 Tour of China. Russian legend Vjatcheslav Ekimov won the event overall. The Tour of South Africa was to originally be organised by the same company that runs the Tour of Britain, SweetSpot.

24 FEBRUARY 24, 2011 www.cyclingweekly.co.uk

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Will IrwinAS if power output and lead-out trains werent enough for professional cyclists to worry about, theyve now got to watch out that their passports dont fill up with visa stamps.

This weeks issue of Cycling Weekly includes stories from high-level races in Oman, South Africa and India. Last weeks issue had stories from the Tour of Qatar. Other recent events of interest have included the Tour of Langkawi in Malaysia, the

Tropicale Amissa Bongo stage race in Gabon, the Tour de San Luis in Argentina and Australias Tour Down Under.

Any newcomer to cycling could be forgiven for thinking that bike racing is a truly global sport. It is scenes from the windswept Arabian desert and South Australian vineyards that make it to our television screens in January and February, while the traditional European season-openers seem relatively forgotten. Events like the Tour of the Mediterranean, the Etoile de Bessges and the Grand Prix dOuverture register as little more than mere blips on the radar.

The emerging prominence of races in such unlikely places as the Middle East and India is due to the fact that they suit a lot of people. For the UCI, a more globalised sport allows it to tap

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Formula 2: two wheels replaced four in Adelaide

ThE hOT NEW DATES ON ThE RACING CALENDARRaces in far away placesExOTIC LOCATIONS ARE spicing up the early season for fans and riders

To many of the top riders, these races are good-weather training

into the revenue streams of emerging markets. Promote cycling in these places and you get a head-start on other sport and entertainment formats. Meanwhile countries and cities that are new centres of wealth and influence want to host major events to boost their images. For riders and teams, the warmer climes, short transfers and good hotels suit their needs too. Although the similarities between the Arabian peninsular and Flanders may not seem obvious, flat and windy conditions at the Tour of Qatar makes it the perfect training race for the Classics. And to many of the top riders, these distant races are simply that: good-weather training exercises for the season proper ahead.

Fabian CancellaraSure, thereve been a couple of little teething problems that need addressing, but being able to race in this weather is well worth coming back for, as opposed to being back home in Europe.Christian Prudhomme (Tour of Oman organiser)Apart from witnessing great racing, its the Omani people themselves who have really made this race what it is. To see their pride in their own race makes me very happy.Eddy MerckxIf I was still a rider today, I would definitely ride these races. First you can ride the Tour of Qatar, where you can work on your speed, and then in Oman you have climbs. What more do you need? And on top of that, riders arent going to get any hotels as nice as this for the rest of the year!

Taking in the local fauna

After all, cycle racings hardcore fanbase is still largely European. Places like Flanders, the Basque Country and Northern Italy remain the heartlands of bike racing. The focus shifts back towards these places in late February and March, and a win at this weekends Het Nieuwsblad, for example, holds much more significance than Mark Renshaws victory in Qatar.

Teething problemsIt is no coincidence that Europes newest major race, the Strade Bianchi, has swiftly become a hit, whereas races such as the Tour of Colombia and Japan Cup have attracted interest and then fallen out of vogue.

Races in non-traditional locations also can have their share of cultural problems. While sponsors, councils and promoters welcome the expansion of the sport, there is not always a local appetite or understanding.

While Qatar attracts barely any spectators, Oman and Mumbai both had problems with spectators on the course. On Sunday, stage two in the Tour of South Africa had to be neutralised after cars infiltrated the finishing circuit.

See pages 30-33 for our Tour of Mumbai feature.

SEASON openers have been globalised, but could the mid-season follow? Whether the Tour of California can continue to coexist alongside the Giro remains to be seen, but history has not been kind to other American Tours that have taken up spots in May and June. Two new races in Canada last year were given WorldTour status but how will the new Tour of Beijing be received?

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