[iRider]

According to a german MTB news page, Freecaster (with the help of Nissan) will start a new Pro DH series that runs in parallel to the UCI World Cup. Besides Trek and the Athertons all other Pro teams will participate. Price money will be double to what UCI offers and 8 HD cameras will be at each track. Freecaster will show the race live and for free.

Awesome!

Source: http://www.mtb-news.de/news/2011/10/03/saisonvorschau-2012-freecaster-tv-loest-sich-mit-eigener-serie-von-der-uci/

 

[dump]

Interesting

 

[trib]

If this actually works I'll be very happy.

Considering most of the field struggles to pay its way through the UCI season I'm not sure how they'll pay to run in this series too

 

[Pslide]

If this actually works I'll be very happy.

Considering most of the field struggles to pay its way through the UCI season I'm not sure how they'll pay to run in this series too

Was kind of worried about this too...and scheduling. I imagine attending these races means they won't be attending others, like IXS/Maxxis/GRT/UK National Series.

I still think it's a good idea, and would like to see it take over the UCI World Cup as the top series! But it looks like these races will still be UCI races, so will be second tier races. And they are all in Europe, so not a global series.

One cool thing though is that they will have a UCI Class 2 race Saturday, and the fastest amateurs get to compete with the pros on Sunday.

 

[jonKranked]

a rogue race series?? when this was initially attempted for 4x... uci responded by saying that anyone racing it would have their UCI license suspended. Can't remember if they held to this or not.

 

[IH8Rice]

uci responded by saying that anyone racing it would have their UCI license suspended. Can't remember if they held to this or not.

why would they do that if they chose not to race in their series? too butt hurt?

 

[dump]

Any translation yet?

 

[IH8Rice]

Any translation yet?

use Chrome

At the end of this World Cup season, the messages are skipped. Danny Hart is World Champion , Aaron Gwin won more World Cups in one season than any one driver in front of him. That was the good news, they have come from the athletes.
But there have been more than enough bad news - and often not very conspicuous undisputed UCI is involved. No 4X World Cup in 2012 , no freecaster transmission and a dubious new title sponsor for the World Cup. In a nutshell it sounds like a media blackout. Where the UCI wants to develop our sport? Away from the public and the Internet?
Just over four years, the boys started by freecaster, the race of the World Cup "for free" to stream and with Rob Warner and Nigel Page, they have selected two highly spectacular commentators who have done it, the mood of the track directly to the to carry home screen. Whether pithy sayings by Rob Warner and quiet expertise of Mr. Page - even if it has wiggled off and on during the transfer are the last years of the Mountain Bike World Cup media coverage had her as good as never before.
At the end of the live broadcast of the World Cup in Champery, but then trickled through slowly that it could possibly have with this broad coverage (which is up to the world championships was almost always for free) in the 2012 season to an end. The reason for this difference between the UCI and freecaster were that should have revolved primarily around the issue of money.
To the matter a bit closer to get to the bottom we have much ado, the founder of Freecaster, Ray Dulieu taken, and contact him directly when asked what happened and what we need to brace ourselves. The fact is that at the end of this World Cup season, the contracts between the UCI and expired freecaster principle and interest on the part of the UCI had been there, extend the cooperation. However, as reported by Dulieu, to greatly changed conditions. Thus, the UCI wanted to triple the licensing fees; rumored to over 130,000 €. An amount in this amount is, however, from the perspective of freecaster not afford to have, so no new contract had been concluded, and will not continue the cooperation for 2012. After the UCI had demanded exorbitant sums of the teams to ever shoot at the World Championship race and may significantly complicates mindless regulations, the coverage of the World Cup races , has now also completed with the cooperation freecaster. The result would be for us fans, that it will be much harder in the next season is expected to reach the appropriate information and moving images than in the past few years.
Ray Dulieu is however sure that there will be a transfer of next year's World Cup - performed by whom. freecaster has shown that a plethora of mountain bikers are not able to travel to every World Cup and therefore gladly accept the offer, leading to the relevant Internet content to heart. And freecaster is not out of the race. At the end of our conversation moves Dulieu out with information that many have been expecting but hardly anyone has been officially confirmed: in 2012 there will be a Pro DH type series, which is initiated by free caster and will include as before the World Cup supported by Nissan intended.
This announcement is definitely a shot in the direction of the UCI, but in our view a necessary step. For the winter sports areas are sufficient examples are known where the operators have solved the sport by the sports administrators. In many years of development of mountain biking, the UCI has made it still does not solve the focus of the lively tour de France and is now finally remembered it as the union was supposed to protect the interests of the sport.
The freecaster series will consist of at least seven races, which will be located in between the UCI race calendar. As stations are set out five races in Spain, Belgium, France, Italy and France on the plan. But still more races scheduled in Germany / Austria, England and possibly the Crankworx festival are.
A series of races without driving skills would be hardly worth mentioning and it is particularly pleasing to report that could Dulieu, except that trek and the Atherton's all the top teams have announced their participation. Pity about Aaron Gwin might say - if the format is planned and implemented with transmission, etc., you should not hesitate to trek long and let the others go, there may be here ... Maybe even a limitation on the range but that's racing pure speculation. And even without these two teams, the level of the remaining driver is first class!
What is the racing series from start to finish? On Saturdays it will give the amateurs a UCI Class 2 race. The five or ten best from this race will go on Sunday then again in the pros at the start. In this way - so Dulieu - the young drivers be given the chance to realize a good addition to racing success and even sniff the air to real racing professionals. For the transmission of the races each have at least eight HD cameras planned and the whole is free to look at freecaster be - with no rights restrictions, most recently in Champery, where because of the narrow licenses the UCI, the current junior race could not be transferred, although the riders and drivers were already on the track. A shame for every videographer. A special treat for the drivers would be in addition to the prize money to the UCI race will be doubled! And for the spectators it will be Rob Warner ... Could be better prospects?
All these considerations are, however, not a rejection of the UCI. Freecaster should always get what terms and the bid for the UCI World Cup, they would also transfer this. It is thus clear: The alternative World Cup with less regulation and more money comes - regardless of the decisions not always comprehensible to the UCI. For us this means: downhill could be in the next season even better!

 

[big-ted]

a rogue race series?? when this was initially attempted for 4x... uci responded by saying that anyone racing it would have their UCI license suspended. Can't remember if they held to this or not.

Technically I believe this is true for anyone racing a non-UCI-sanctioned event who currently holds a UCI license (including USAC, British Cycling etc) as it's a condition of the UCI license, however, the UCI seems to turn a blind eye for events like Crankworks...

 

[karpi]

this is really good news!! Hopefully the athertons and Trek comes around...

 

[dump]

Technically I believe this is true for anyone racing a non-UCI-sanctioned event who currently holds a UCI license (including USAC, British Cycling etc) as it's a condition of the UCI license, however, the UCI seems to turn a blind eye for events like Crankworks...

Wtf? What is this, the mafia?

 

[Mo(n)arch]

According to a german MTB news page, Freecaster (with the help of Nissan) will start a new Pro DH series that runs in parallel to the UCI World Cup. Besides Trek and the Athertons all other Pro teams will participate. Price money will be double to what UCI offers and 8 HD cameras will be at each track. Freecaster will show the race live and for free.

Awesome!



Source: http://www.mtb-news.de/news/2011/10/03/saisonvorschau-2012-freecaster-tv-loest-sich-mit-eigener-serie-von-der-uci/

This is definitely the way to go. Fvck the UCI! Indipendence from the roadies is definitely a good thing. This will grow the sport in the right direction.

 

[slyfink]

Have the UCI trademarked the term "World Champion"? I'm wondering if the winner of this series could be called the "world champion" of downhill mountain biking.

This is gonna be fun to watch. With a little luck, there will be some race venues added in NA... I'm thinking Bromont and Whiteface could have a chance now that the UCI won't be there to demand huge fees...

This is sweet, I'm looking forward to 2012 again!

 

[Pslide]

This is gonna be fun to watch. With a little luck, there will be some race venues added in NA... I'm thinking Bromont and Whiteface could have a chance now that the UCI won't be there to demand huge fees...

Looks like this is a Europe based series.



I don't think it's a rogue series, I think it's just another race series like any other, and will probably be sanctioned by UCI from the sounds of things.

 

[Transcend]

Last i heard it would be a euro based series... for now. I really hope FC and Nissan can pull it off as planned. t will be spectacular if so. The UCI is getting nervous.

 

[Delimeat]

It sounds like a good idea, but there are some things to be concerned about...

We may just end up with a diluted race field, with some of the top riders doing one series and the rest doing the other. While I'd imagine that the dates for each event wouldn't clash, I can't really see riders doing both series, even if they say they will... It costs a lot of money to fly bikes and riders around the world. I want to watch the best race against the best. The UCI may not be giving DH the attention that it deserves, but at least we get to see the top guys fight it out.

The other concern in my mind is sponsorship. Not of the riders and teams, but of the events itself. Lets not kid ourselves, mountain bike racing doesn't exactly attract loads of outside sponsors like other sports do... having another top tier series may force what existing sponsors that we have now to choose between the two, meaning less money and even less resources for the each.

Do any auto racing fans remember when the whole IRL and CART fiasco was going down? That **** show nearly killed open wheel racing in North America. The last thing we need are two series battling it out to try and be "the one" when we'd be much better off if more resources and effort were put into the one that we have now. I obviously have no idea how to make that happen, the UCI is a bit of a mystery to me, but that scenario would be much better than having two series running side by side.

 

[bizutch]

As I've stated in previous threads about this, bike companies have dropped money on riders in the last few seasons like in the old days for one reason. VIDEO MEDIA COVERAGE.

They'll put their riders and bikes where the cameras are. If UCI isn't going to televise a sport that is not Olympic anyway, they'll put their riders at races that are televised.

 

[aaronjb]

Wtf? What is this, the mafia?

Pretty much.

I expect that this won't end well for teams and riders who choose to participate. The UCI holds most of the chips.

 

[iRider]

Was kind of worried about this too...and scheduling. I imagine attending these races means they won't be attending others, like IXS/Maxxis/GRT/UK National Series.

I assume they will use existing races and integrate them into their "Cup", similar to what was done in the US with the Pro GRT.

 

[Transcend]

I assume they will use existing races and integrate them into their "Cup", similar to what was done in the US with the Pro GRT.

Not really, it's a new series altogether from what I have been told. Maybe Ray can elaborate if they are ready to go public now.

 

[gemini2k]

Wtf? What is this, the mafia?

Nah, just severe anti-trust violations.

 

[iRider]

Not really, it's a new series altogether from what I have been told. Maybe Ray can elaborate if they are ready to go public now.

Nissan is already sponsoring an European DH Cup....this is why I thought they would use it as a starting point to build the series on.

 

[Banshee Rider]

I could see this getting ugly.

Even if the best DH racers jump ship to race in this series, and it takes off as the premier series in the world, couldn't the UCI leverage entire teams to bring them back? For example: All riders from TWR compete in the UCI World cup, or all riders from TWR are banned by the UCI. With this scenerio affecting the XC racers, it would actually matter where the DH guys traveled.

Best case scenerio is the UCI finally says they don't care about DH, and gives it away.

 

[William42]

can we have a pay for HD option and a "fyck the UCI, fyck the WC series, and see all major teams on board with this?"

 

[drkenan]

I expect that this won't end well for teams and riders who choose to participate. The UCI holds most of the chips.

I don't see how the UCI holds the chips here. Without athletes and teams, they're nothing. Now that they've successfully gotten rid of Freecaster I suspect the sponsorship dollars will begin drying up.

 

[Pslide]

The way I read the translated article, it sounds like Freecaster is not saying "F- the UCI". It sounds like they may still be bidding on the televised rights to the World Cup series, and that their own series will still be UCI sanctioned. I think they still want to try to work with the UCI but can't afford to cover World Cups and don't like the media restrictions. So they move their support to a series that doesn't have the restrictions and try to lead by example. Hats of to them!

 

[iRider]

The way I read the translated article, it sounds like Freecaster is not saying "F- the UCI".

You are right, they don't say it. But I think UCI will be offended by a competing top level series that has their former World Cup title sponsor on board.

 

[Pegboy]

"At the end of this World Cup season, the messages are skipped. Danny Hart is World Champion , Aaron Gwin won more World Cups in one season than any one driver in front of him. That was the good news, they have come from the athletes.
But there have been more than enough bad news - and often not very conspicuous undisputed UCI is involved. No 4X World Cup in 2012 , no freecaster transmission and a dubious new title sponsor for the World Cup. In a nutshell it sounds like a media blackout....blah blah blah,,"

That Translation is almost unreadable..

I am not taking sides with the UCI but how would starting your own race series cost less than the $175,000+/- that the UCI wants for liscensing fees? How is it going to be sponsored? Advertisers? If so why doesn't Freecaster seek the sponsors to cover the UCI fees? How are things still going to be free at Freecaster, and if not, what makes them think that the cheapskate fans who camplain about paying for Freecaster now are not going to bitch in the future about a series that may (or may not) be missing some of its biggest players? What about the feed and the issues that are connected to that?

A lot of unknown going on and while DH is making a comeback, this certainly ads some fragility to that. I guess we'll see how things play out.

 

[Transcend]

"At the end of this World Cup season, the messages are skipped. Danny Hart is World Champion , Aaron Gwin won more World Cups in one season than any one driver in front of him. That was the good news, they have come from the athletes.
But there have been more than enough bad news - and often not very conspicuous undisputed UCI is involved. No 4X World Cup in 2012 , no freecaster transmission and a dubious new title sponsor for the World Cup. In a nutshell it sounds like a media blackout....blah blah blah,,"

That Translation is almost unreadable..

I am not taking sides with the UCI but how would starting your own race series cost less than the $175,000+/- that the UCI wants for liscensing fees? How is it going to be sponsored? Advertisers? If so why doesn't Freecaster seek the sponsors to cover the UCI fees? How are things still going to be free at Freecaster, and if not, what makes them think that the cheapskate fans who camplain about paying for Freecaster now are not going to bitch in the future about a series that may (or may not) be missing some of its biggest players? What about the feed and the issues that are connected to that?

A lot of unknown going on and while DH is making a comeback, this certainly ads some fragility to that. I guess we'll see how things play out.

People are completely fed up with the UCI on the gravity front. From racers, to media, to managers to sponsors. The UCI is doing everything they can to get rid of gravity events, as it isn't olympic and as such carries no weight over there. They are making it almost impossible for teams to shoot their own athletes at certain events - teams that have already paid massive fees to the UCI for the "right" to participate in the events as it is. They made editorial outlets pay absurd video fees etc, and then they can't even provide a working press centre for these people to actually take their coverage live. It's absolutely ridiculous.

It isn't so much about the money, but about trying to make a change. If Nissan and FC can pull off something that betters the gravity side of the sport, then why not? Certain (very large) teams have been discussing the possibility of a breakaway series for some time now.

 

[EVIL JN]

Sounds like a small step in the right direction. It may take a year or two for it to grow to the premier series but as long as the UCI keep up with their current buisness model i think all major teams will come onboard. Biggest factor is what we the audience watch and FC has a big advantage there with everbody knowing them and hopefully Warner will be commenting the events.

 

[Pslide]

You are right, they don't say it. But I think UCI will be offended by a competing top level series that has their former World Cup title sponsor on board.

But as someone already mentioned, the Nissan European DH Cup already exists. This is really no different, except that looks like top level teams are committing and FC will do the coverage. Which I guess is quite different now that I say it. So yeah, maybe the UCI is getting a bit nervous. Hope so.

 

[Akula_7]

As far as I know this is not some brand new race series, but just an extension or expansion of the Nissan European DH Cups from last season, organised by X-Free from Belgium. They have the calender planned for next year already, Spain, Malmedy in Belgium, Sestriere in Italy, Oz en Oisan in France etc… So nothing new per-se. But if they can attrack even more big names and ad some more global rounds, aswell as double the prize money it will be nothing but good for the sport. UCI World Cups, iXS seris growing, this expansion of the Nissan Euro series, nothing but good things! Actually makng money for all the passion, risk and dedication we put in!

 

[aaronjb]

I don't see how the UCI holds the chips here. Without athletes and teams, they're nothing. Now that they've successfully gotten rid of Freecaster I suspect the sponsorship dollars will begin drying up.

The UCI is the recognized governing body. The rainbows still matter, as well as IOC recognition and association. Witness the pressure they apply when this sort of talk (and action) happens on the road.

Dirt's different, yeah, but the sponsor players are the same.

 

[aaronjb]

But as someone already mentioned, the Nissan European DH Cup already exists. This is really no different, except that looks like top level teams are committing and FC will do the coverage. Which I guess is quite different now that I say it. So yeah, maybe the UCI is getting a bit nervous. Hope so.

Isn't the Nissan Cup a UCI-sanctioned event?

Will this new series have a UCI class ranking as well?

 

[Pslide]

Isn't the Nissan Cup a UCI-sanctioned event?

Will this new series have a UCI class ranking as well?

As I said in my other posts, it sounds like it will be UCI sanctioned from how the article reads.

The reason the UCI might get nervous is if the media, viewership, and sponsors start moving their focus away from World Cups and towards a new series.

 

[vikingboy]

Good counter move by freecaster. Uci better stand up and listen now as I'm sure freecaster don't want to spin off their own series but if uci don't reconsider it looks like it would be a possibility given their interested parties. Would the uci risk it.......time will tell. I wouldn't want to see a fractured field split across two race series if it can be helped.

This should make for entertainment viewing through the winter.

 

[LMC]

I could see this getting ugly.

Even if the best DH racers jump ship to race in this series, and it takes off as the premier series in the world, couldn't the UCI leverage entire teams to bring them back? For example: All riders from TWR compete in the UCI World cup, or all riders from TWR are banned by the UCI. With this scenerio affecting the XC racers, it would actually matter where the DH guys traveled.

Best case scenerio is the UCI finally says they don't care about DH, and gives it away.

They could get round this by forming separate teams i suppose. The only thing that couldnt be gotten around is the World Champion title and the rainbow stripes should the UCI see fit to ban certain riders for competing in a rival series. I can see it getting ugly too, hopefully not!

 

[ska todd]

In relation to banning of athletes, from my understanding as long as the events are UCI sanctioned or held under the auspices of a national federation there is little/nothing the UCI could do to the riders. The gray area comes in if the events are not sanctioned by a federation.

Technically the UCI could fine/ban(?) a rider who competes in a non-sanctioned event. The specter of this was raised several years ago when the US Open & Angel Fire races were held on the same weekend. The AF race was UCI sanctioned and due to it's classification was the only UCI sanctioned race that could be held in N America on those dates. Due to this, athletes were to only race at this race if they were to race in N America on that date.

Allegedly some riders were tacitly warned that their participation in the US Open could go afoul of this particular regulation. The rationale given by USAC/UCI to me at the time for this was that 1) pros can only race against other licensed pros (so not an open format as used by the US Open) & 2) lack of doping control at the event. With that said, the riders I were checking for went ahead and raced US Open and to the best of my knowledge were never sanctioned by UCI or USAC.

-ska todd

 

[Mr Lahey]

I would be pretty bummed if I had submitted a bid to cover the WC this upcoming season.

 

[IH8Rice]

With that said, the riders I were checking for went ahead and raced US Open and to the best of my knowledge were never sanctioned by UCI or USAC.

-ska todd

i guess that still holds true since there are always top UCI pros at the Open