VV podium, the implications?
 

If VV ends up in the top three, how much does his efforts do to erase the stain landis has put on cycling in the U.S.? I'm not talking about in the eyes of cyclists, who are going to be fans no matter what, I am talking about your average sports fan that pays attention once a year. During the Armstrong years cycling was pretty huge, and definetely a topic around water coolers. Also, VV has been tested extensively according GarChip's doping program.

I envision kids doing hill repeats up and down State Street in Lemont, Illinois. Traffic be damned!

My gut feeling is that it will be marginal.

If he does well (i personally want to see him atleast put on yellow, and finish top 3) and does it clean, then the implications can only be GOOD.

I think for the general american public to pay attention it would have to be a win, nothing else will even matter.

We can only dream...

I agree. Ask your neighbor if he knows who Levi Leipheimer is.

How many wins did Lance Armstrong have before John Q. American knew who he was? Even with Armstrong's back story of being a cancer survivor, it was only after two or three wins that the average non-cycling American paid attention to Le Tour.

So if VV wins this year, I'm sure it will make the news and a year from now a few more people will recognize the name and maybe even watch some of the TdF 2009. Will the TV ratings change? No. Will the Giro d'Italia be on Versus every morning? No.

Sad to say, but Landis will still be a more recognizable name.

I can't see a huge impact unless he repeats 7 times.

The average american sports fan, won't even know the Tour is going on except for the
30second snippet about doping the local newscast might show.
so to answer your question: The avg american sportsfan could give a rat's patoot about
the tour or a bunch of skinny guys in lycra riding bikes.
I also highly doubt they remember Landis, nor care.
marty

He needs to get cancer or some other horrible disease, beat it, then win more than 1 Tour. Then start banging actresses and models. Then we might care.

maybe green bay will start a cycling team

Then all they know is Armstrong .... and that he raced clean, of course.

The French are bad m-kay. :lol:

... Brad

VV finishing on the podium will just make people talk about Lance more, not VV.

A colleague at work saw me watching the Tour on my computer live streaming. His comment: "Without any Americans in the Tour, you don't see it on TV anymore".

That about sums up the level of interest of the general American over the Tour.

Sadly, I agree that "just" winning the race would probably only be a fleeting blip on the radar of the average American sports fan's interest. In that respect, Armstrong had been a double-edged sword. He generated tremendous amounts of interest because he had such a compelling story, but he has set the bar very high for what will get Joe Six Pack's attention. Even Floyd was unusual because of his Mennonite background, and winning* with a deteriorating hip. When LeMond won in '86, he created some interest by being the first American to win the Tour. However he didn't become the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year until 1989, after battling back from his hunting accident. Americans love underdogs who come from behind despite major challenges. Think of it as "the Rocky syndrome". If Christian were to simply win the Tour, after overcoming being forced to wear argyle, it would not be enough to make a significant impact on the casual viewer.

As others have already said, I think your premise is wrong, Floyd had his 15 miutes two years ago, I don't think most Amercians would know or care about the last two years.

Win or he will get as big as Bobby Julich has. Bobby who?

That said, its refreshing to live in Golden, CO where most of my neighbors know who VDV is, who he is riding for and how he is doing. Of course most of them can put the hurt on me on the road as well whihc isn't the cool part, or maybe it is.

Not sure what premise you are referring to. I was just asking for an opinion.

However, in response to many posts, I disagree that "your average sports fan" doesn't know about Landis. That simply isn't true. Yes, you "average American" might not know who he is, but those people watching ESPN, listen to sports talk have a substantial knowledge of the situation concerning Landis. Since Landis interest in the TdF has gone down in this country and if VV wins some, not all, will take notice.

Freudian slip?

:lol: hardest I have laughed all day. Hill repeats....that is some good stuff.

I'm not sure most non-cyclists in the U.S. are even aware of Floyd Landis to this day. U.S. Postal did a job propagating Lance/cycling to the U.S. general public since just about everyone in the U.S. interfaces with the postal service. But a American rider riding for foreign team in a foreign sport, might as well a foreigner to the American general public.

I hope VV does well, but I doubt it anyone will notice that isn't following the Tour already. Most NFL training camps open as the Tour comes to an end and that is where all attention will be, by both sports fan and media.

Well regardless of what others say, yeah most americans probably don't even know the tour is even going on. I would like to see vv do well. I would like to see two american teams place well. They are new, and both could use the boost. Assuming no scandles erupt then even better. We came we raced clean and we did well. I don't think he will get yellow overall but a couple of strategic stage wins would be nice. :D

Garmin-Chipotle is definitely an American Team, on American bikes, with an American sponsor. So is Columbia now.

Also, although nobody will know who CVV is, at least it's an olympic year. NBC will at least have to give him a cool human interest piece with a Costas voiceover (hahaha). At least that's a slim bit of exposure at 2am or whenever they'll show cycling.