# No crowds at Tour of Qatar?



## Roadrider22 (May 24, 2006)

Just watched the video of the prologue and it was very interesting to note the lack of spectators at the start and along the course. Anyone watch a live feed and was this noted?


----------



## spade2you (May 12, 2009)

Is it going to get televised anywhere?


----------



## MSDos5 (Jun 3, 2010)

At 6:30 this morning, I missed it.  



spade2you said:


> Is it going to get televised anywhere?


----------



## tom_h (May 6, 2008)

All the spectators were at the camel races


----------



## jd3 (Oct 8, 2004)

What if they gave a race and nobody came?


----------



## thechriswebb (Nov 21, 2008)

Tour of Qatar never has good crowds.


----------



## kbwh (May 28, 2010)

What's worse: No podium girls.:cryin:


----------



## moabbiker (Sep 11, 2002)

It's always like that. Government sponsorship writes it off as tourist media promotion for Europe and that's good enough for them.


----------



## Retro Grouch (Apr 30, 2002)

If I had oil money oozing out of every orifice of my body, had a thing for sweaty guys clad in lycra, I would host a bike race in my backyard too 

Plus:

The spectator(s) threat the ToQ like the riders do. It's an early season training session that happens to involve a bunch of teams.


----------



## AvantDale (Dec 26, 2008)

Lol...the riders get to stay at a 7 star hotel too.


----------



## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

I was at the end of one of the Ladies' stages and the teams and riders couldn't care less about the people who do show up. There's also very little promotion - the only sign there was a bike race was the direction arrows going up on lampposts and then the finish line being set up on the day itself. 

The organisers do put on a show at the end of the last day of the ToQ and the sprint along the Corniche does attract a number of cycling fans and a much larger number of curious passers-by. 

On the plus side, because they do 7+ laps of the Corniche you get to see the peloton repeatedly before the sprint - which is an incredible sight. It's also a great chance to see the pros and have a chat before a stage starts, or meet them afterwards as the mechanics are busy putting everything away. The atmosphere is relaxed and you're not battling with thousands of others, that's for sure!


----------



## dougydee (Feb 15, 2005)

Its these sort of races that if you can get to them, you can get up close to the teams and have a good look at their buses and talk to the riders and support staff.


----------



## config (Aug 16, 2002)

If you wish to get up close and talk to the riders having no crowds is great. I was there in Doha in 2005 and we were going downtown and were disappointed since they closed down Corniche. Turns out the ToQ was going on. I think that was when it wasn't that popular yet and were still trying to get the big names to attend.


----------



## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

Was at the race start today: met Mark Cavendish, got his autograph and a picture taken with him. Also got sigs off Bradley Wiggins and a couple of others. Didn't have as long as I'd have liked to mill around beforehand but it was a memorable experience. The riders all seem very relaxed and enjoy having a few days getting up to speed with less pressure on them. Mark's arm and leg looked sore after his crash yesterday but he cracked a smile when I did his "phone-in" victory gesture when having my pic taken with him.


----------



## ZoSoSwiM (Mar 7, 2008)

I watched the TOQ last year and noticed the lack of fans and people then. Looking at some pictures and the info I saw last night showed even fewer.. I don't think they care for cycling much in that area of the world..


----------



## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

What would you expect in a country where the majority of the population are essentially slaves?


----------



## DZfan14 (Jul 6, 2009)

stevesbike said:


> What would you expect in a country where the majority of the population are essentially slaves?


+1 

I guess the Filipino and Palastinian houseboys aren't really big cycling fans. More tea sir?

..afwan


----------



## vismitananda (Jan 16, 2011)

DZfan14 said:


> +1
> 
> I guess the Filipino and Palastinian houseboys aren't really big cycling fans. More tea sir?
> 
> ..afwan


I am Filipino and I love cycling.

Too bad most of the OFW's working in Doha were females, and none of them fancied cycling.


----------



## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

> What would you expect in a country where the majority of the population is essentially there to make more money than they could back home?


FIFY.

Sure, some of the living conditions suck and there are serious abuses. But being poor in Sri Lanka, Nepal or the Philippines is no joke either. Or in the west for that matter.

Bear in mind that Sunday is a working day here, so not many people would be around to watch a 2,5km cycling prologue in any case.

Edit: Vismitananda, there is a large and rapidly growing Filipino cycling community here - both MTB and road riders. In fact, they're probably the biggest single nationality riding bikes recreationally.


----------



## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

qatarbhoy said:


> FIFY.
> 
> Sure, some of the living conditions suck and there are serious abuses. But being poor in Sri Lanka, Nepal or the Philippines is no joke either. Or in the west for that matter.
> 
> ...


Qatar is classified as a tier 3 country re human trafficking, the worst level offender. The fact that it does so with such a high GDP/capita (which is concentrated in so few of its citizens) is beyond excusable. 

http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2007/images/06/12/trafficking.in.persons.report.pdf


----------



## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

Sorry Steve, didn't realise you were posting from an Earthly paradise with no social issues. Obviously the USA with its glorious history of slavery and genocide of indigenous peoples has much to teach the world about human trafficking and social equality.

Tier 3 merely indicates that Qatar 1) doesn't ascribe to the US law known as TVPA and 2) will do what it chooses to address the issue. It's a bit like the US not ratifying the Kyoto Protocol - "It's up to us to do what we want to sort out this problem. Er, which isn't to say there is even a problem." It's not ideal, but it doesn't necessarily mean Qatar's record is the lowest of the low - look at the sex trade in SE Asia for a worse example of exploitation (funded by western sex tourists and paedophiles among others).

In short, take the plank out of your own eye before removing specks from others. Here endeth the sermon.


----------



## bigmig19 (Jun 27, 2008)

its not that the crowds are "bad", they are nonexistent. There is NOWHERE in the world that would like a pro cycling event? Miami Fla would be great relative to Qatar.


----------



## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

Question: what's the difference between the Tour of Qatar and hell? 
Answer: There are people in hell.

Watched the versus video of this race yesterday - talk about a desolate, wind ravaged hell hole of a race, including barriers flying into riders and wind storms. Only upside is good early season echelon practice.


----------



## Fignon's Barber (Mar 2, 2004)

tour of qatar proves that just because you buy off the UCI and even Eddy Merckx, you don't automatically have a great bike race. throwing a band of asphalt across a field of sand is just that. the tour of qatar will never have the prestige or class of a mid-week belgian kermesse race. period.


----------



## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

Fignon's Barber said:


> tour of qatar proves that just because you buy off the UCI and even Eddy Merckx, you don't automatically have a great bike race. throwing a band of asphalt across a field of sand is just that. the tour of qatar will never have the prestige or class of a mid-week belgian kermesse race. period.


sort of like racing to bakersfield


----------



## tinkerbeast (Jul 24, 2009)

stevesbike said:


> Qatar is classified as a tier 3 country re human trafficking, the worst level offender. The fact that it does so with such a high GDP/capita (which is concentrated in so few of its citizens) is beyond excusable.
> 
> http://i.a.cnn.net/cnn/2007/images/06/12/trafficking.in.persons.report.pdf


nice read... i particularly liked the numerous references to the united states  

if you really think you're in a position to belittle other countries i suggest you take it to the political forum.


----------



## stevesbike (Jun 3, 2002)

den bakker said:


> sort of like racing to bakersfield


hey, at least the district championship race course there has hills!


----------



## den bakker (Nov 13, 2004)

stevesbike said:


> hey, at least the district championship race course there has hills!


and I prefer a mid-week kermesse


----------



## qatarbhoy (Aug 17, 2009)

Well, my riding buddies and I got to meet the aforementioned Eddy Merckx, as well as Sean Kelly, Mark Renshaw, Mark Cavendish, Tom Boonen, Russel Downing, Daniele Bennati, Fabian Cancellara, Sean O'Grady etc etc so we're not complaining. If you're a cycling fan you get access here you would never get at most other races.


----------



## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

As a big, ugly, fat American, I'm enjoying this thread.


----------

