"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - USA Cycling Communiqué - November 2009

Just showed up in my email, prompting a series of questions in my mind, which I shall share with you, my BF colleagues:

1. As a US-based organization, sending what amounts to an email newsletter, is it really necessary or appropriate to use the word "Communiqué" ? I think not. What's wrong with "newsletter" ? It's good enough for my LBS, should be good enough for USAC.

2. Don't you think the use of the word "Communiqué" is symptomatic of the general out-of-touchness and excessive focus on Europe and elite racing that has always been the problem with the USAC crowd?

3. Is it necessary to shill for the USAC store, as the lead article of the newsletter? Are we that desperate for funds that a few $50 polo shirts are going to change the future of the sport? Or is it just holiday season coming soon?

4. "You can now follow what's happening at USA Cycling on Facebook, Twitter, and You Tube. Become a fan, a follower, and a subscriber today!"
Alert readers will note that this is not phrased in the form of a question. They would be correct, if reading literally. Metaphorically, however, it is absolutely a question.

I eagerly await your thoughtful responses.

thoughtful responses.

Just a reminder: this is BF.

must have gotten snagged by my spam filter.

considering that any race with dirt or gravel roads has roubaix as part of its title, or that every other industrial park crit is called the tour/giro/ronde/rás etc of shijthole shinola, why are you surprised?

I think "communiqué" lends an air of elegance and sophistication, to which we so aspire here in the Colonies.

considering that any race with dirt or gravel roads has roubaix as part of its title, or that every other industrial park crit is called the tour/giro/ronde/rás etc of shijthole shinola, why are you surprised?

I resemble that remark :) (Ronde de Bethel, Tour de Kirche, Ris Van Bethel, Criterium de Bethel, etc). hahaha. We don't have a Giro though.

I figured I didn't want to go the "Blistered Butt RR" route so I did more Euro-centric names. Used babelfish and put in "Tour of Bethel" and looked at what popped up.

Communique - wasn't French the official UCI language for a while? Like Tour Du Pont, they'd announce stuff on race radio in French and then in English. And race announcements, like at a stage race (who got penalized etc) are called communiques. Now it's just English, so point taken.

cdr

USAC actually had a contest last year to come up with a name for the E-newsletter.
Communique seemed to stand out.
If you had a better idea, you should have wrote in.

I thought Communique was a common term in (USAC) stage races.

USAC actually had a contest last year to come up with a name for the E-newsletter.
Communique seemed to stand out.
If you had a better idea, you should have wrote in.

I didn't get the email.

I thought Communique was a common term in (USAC) stage races.

It is. UCI uses it.

Each sport has its own lingo. If we have to dumb it down and homogenize it so that it's all the same, I quit.

I quit.

good. you're better at writing books anyways.

;)

So does this mean USAC surrendered?

I always wondered the same when it came to Communiqué. Thought it was giving too much to the Euro side fo the sport considering it's a communication from USAc. With that in mind it should be named something like the "porta-potty paper" or the "hour late results sheet" or the "city council injunction sheet" or the "after the fact rule change"....wait...no that last one would be UCI.

As for is it necessary to shill the store...are they that hard up? All I can say is....YES. I have donated a meager sum every year and as a result I have gotten my name in print a few times in Velonews and am listed in the annual report that I receive from them. ..... ..... and I didn't give them crap......and there aren't too many names on there with me. So....YES. They need the money.

After seeing the budgets they list in the annual report it's enough to make you cry.

I was afeared it was some nasty letter from some Euro-peeee-an type so deeeeleted it post hastey like. Yesssir thats what I did.

I was afeared it was some nasty letter from some Euro-peeee-an type so deeeeleted it post hastey like. Yesssir thats what I did.

But it was obviously from the French. It could have been your invitation to the Tour de Roubaix.

But it was obviously from the French. It could have been your invitation to the Tour de Roubaix.


Gad nabbit!

But it was obviously from the French. It could have been your invitation to the Tour de Roubaix.

is that the one in Mississippi? I know some people who raced that one.