When it comes to bike racing, I've spent the last few weeks angry. Sure, I'm not racing this year, but I'm still involved and I still have an interest in how things go. And I'm getting pretty fed up with how promoters are still treating women like an afterthought or a second class. I mean, look at Judi's experience- she's feeling like she's bad at cycling because she was dropped, when the bad person there is really the promoter who asked women to show up and pay $13 to get dropped by the men, since there's no women's race. Jen drove for hours to the DINO Brown County race and only got to ride a measly 9 miles in the women's Cat2. And here in Illinois, the State Championship road race was so short for women, it didn't even qualify for road race upgrade points. On top of that, when the women's 3/4 was about to sprint for their finish, the pace car neutralized them so that the men's pro/1/2 field (which had laps to go) could pass... and a woman who sprinted like she should have got DQ'd. And now there's a Wednesday night series where the women's races are too early for any woman who works to manage getting down there, much less warming up.
It all sets us up for failure. I've been emailing each of these promoters and getting the same infuriating response-- women don't show up, so we lose money on it, so why do it?
Well, women don't show up because we're not given a chance. We're not going to take off work to race a Wednesday night. We aren't going to drive to downstate Illinois for an insultingly short "road race" that treats us like 2nd class, and we're not going to pay good money to race with the guys and get dropped. Would you? The way to get women to race is to give us a chance. A reasonable race, a reasonable length, a reasonable price, at a reasonable time. Throw a race like that once or twice, and THEN if women don't show up, I'll admit I was wrong.
But here's the thing: Promoters won't do that. It's not in their financial interest. Promoters throw races for many reasons but the bottom line is, they're about the bottom line. Why risk it on women's racing when you make money hand-over-fist on the men's 4 and 5 fields? The free market ain't going to fix this one.
So, who can fix it? USAC and local cycling associations.
Here's how I see it: Local cycling associations have to approve each USAC race permit. According to the USAC website, "USA Cycling's Local Associations (LA's) are set up to serve the general population's best interests in regards to licensing, events, and officials." I would say it's in the general interest of the cycling community and the future of competitive women's cycling in the States to have women's events of the same caliber as the men's. Local associations can deny permits for safety reasons, for timing reasons (not having overlapping events), and in truth, there's no place where parameters are spelled out for what can or can't be grounds for denial. Events that exclude women or don't treat women as serious, equal racers are against the general interest of the future of cycling and the cycling community and should be denied USAC support.
Now, I'm not even talking about payout parity here. I'm just talking about having a women's race, and having it at a reasonable time and for a reasonable distance such that women who want to race don't have to go to extremes to make it happen. It's pretty easy. If we don't ask men to take off work to race because we schedule their races outside of work hours, why would we ask women? And if the rulebook says 25 miles is the minimum for it to count for road race points, why are we allowing promoters to have 22-milers? Duh.
As-is, it's pretty inappropriate for the logo of our Olympic governing body to appear on leaflets for events that exclude women. This de-facto endorsement is truly shameful.
So, that's my argument. If you agree, email your Local Association. If you're in Illinois, email ICA President Steve, steveh at illinoiscycling . org. If you want to see what women's racing done right looks like, check this out.
(And there is a photo of a robot and a cake. Have a nice day.)
Ridden and Reviewed Kona Libre CR
8 months ago
12 replies:
angry women get shit done and I love it. Keep on, Julie!
Yeah, and what about all the business with the Allvoi cup maybe canceling the women's race all together. Sheesh.
Cheers.
The women on my team have endless frustration at getting email blasts from promoters: "We're going out on a limb letting women race so you're going to have to show up to prove that women deserve a race," when often, these races are still too early, too short, and otherwise neglected (results not published, no prize money, open field, etc).
The Harlem Skyscraper Criterium, on the other hand, beckoned for women to come register and race by doubling the prize purse.
Anyway, what you've written is the best take on women's cycling yet. Clearly there are many well-attended events that prove that there are a lot of women who want to race. Promoters just need to realize that the things they do prevent them from accessing that market.
http://www.yale.edu/cycling/LuxEtVelocitas/crit.html
We had a Women's 4 race at our race weekend this year just for this reason. Well, actually to show promoters that there should be a separate women's 4 field in road races and that it shouldn't be just a single women's field or a women's/men's combined field. There was a good turnout, and hopefully that helps convince other promoters.
Thanks for this post, Julie. Naz linked it on Twitter and I haven't been able to get it out of my head. So I posted about it on Gapers Block: http://gapersblock.com/merge/archives/2010/06/12/women-wanna-race/index.php
Congrats on the baby, too. Y'all are going to be awesomely cool parents.
well i'll be sending this on to some people. thanks julie.
Great Post! THANKS!
I used to race back in the mid-80's...and when I returned a year ago...it was hard to believe that almost nothing had changed.
Actually, the Harlem race's promoter doubled the money from a measly $750 (measly when compared to the pro men's purse), and then had the temerity to threaten the future existence of the women's race if a certain number of women don't register. That pisses me off.
Julie, I've been complaining about the precarious state of women's racing for years. There are more women than ever in the sport, but you'd never know it by the some promoters' schedules.
For example, the Fitchburg Longsjo Classic used to have a separate 4, separate 3, and a pro 1/2 field. Then it became a 3/4 field. This year, the 3/4 women have a two-day event, the time trial and the crit. So who is going to want to drive any considerable distance to get shorted on their racing experience? How does that develop the sport?
THANK YOU. I thought I hated racing b/c my only options were to race with men and get dropped and get yelled at when passed and cross the line way in the back. Then I did a race with only women. I still didn't do very well, but I felt more competitive. I had more fun. I had more room to work and got a mental boost racing with only people at my level.
BUT, in order to do that race, I had to rearrange my work schedule because it was the first race of the evening (early). The professional photographer who always shoots the mens' fields ignored us.
The crit series within walking distance of my house has no women's-only fields, even though it's one of the only local series and both men and women sometimes drive an hour and a half to ride in it. And how are those women supposed to get points without being able to beat a field of 50 guys? How are they supposed to stay inspired if they can't shoot for a podium finish, even if they are good?
Great post.
...and then, shockingly, numbers are going up and up for women's cyclocross...because we actually usually get equal racing time to the men, and typically get nice start times...one race even made mention of babysitters. I don't know how scientific it is, but the women's 3/4 category in New England cross is downright respectable - I think it's 70+ racers at the bigger races.
WORS does it right too! Hopefully the IHRS does it right too (hmm...by the way what awesome shizzy could we cross promote for the women's race at Palos?!)
WaaWaaWAAAWAAAA!!!! Take the example of Cobb Park two weeks ago. Great race, not an early start for the women, prize money comparable to the men and 6 people going for places. Stop complaining, making excuses and start showing up and promoters will actually respect you and give you a race. They only complain because you find excuses not to come and then whine afterwards on blogs about being treated like second class citizens. As for Illinois, anyone complain before the race and tell USA Cycling about the race distance? Probably not-that would take some forethought! Not all the races I have raced in are at a time convenient to me but at least I show up and race and you should too! Angry women do not get things done, they just show their anger on websites! Show up and race regardless of the distance and money and promoters will take notice of this! If you do not they will not put on races for you and USA Cycling cannot force them to!
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