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Dame Sarah Storey says she won't risk life by racing on open roadsDame Sarah Storey in the C5 Time Trial at Rio (copyright Alex Whitehead - SWpix.com for Britishcycling.org_.uk).jpg

Dame Sarah Storey says she won't risk life by racing on open roads

14-time Paralympic champ also highlights financial challenge women's team face...
by Simon_MacMichael
Thu, Oct 06, 2016 15:59
7

Dame Sarah Storey, who last month won the 14th Paralympic gold medal of her career, has said she is not prepared to risk her life by racing on open roads.

Speaking to the BBC Sport in an interview coinciding with Women’s Sport Week, the 38-year-old also highlighted the financial pressures facing teams in women’s cycling.

The former Paralympic swimmer, who switched to cycling ahead of Beijing 2008 and has won nine gold medals on the track and the road, told BBC Sport: "You have to keep your wits about you and be prepared to meet a car coming head on when you cross that white line.

“That's not ideal. You should be racing on closed roads all the time.

"That's one of the big things I'd like to see change for women in the UK."

According to BBC Sport, of more than 1,500 races held in the UK this year, 450 are on public roads with 1,077 typically on closed circuits either specifically designed for cycling, or at motor racing circuits or airfields.

Some events, such as the 3 Days of Bedford Women’s Stage Race, rely on motorists to respect the directions of volunteer marshals and stop when riders are approaching, although race staff instructions are sometimes ignored.

> Impatient driver pushes past race marshal onto course – and then stops for an argument

Top events such as the Women’s Tour stage race or the one-day Women’s Tour de Yorkshire employ rolling road closures, while the Prudential RideLondon Classique takes place on fully closed roads.

The latter is the richest women’s race in the world, with prize money equal to that on offer in the men’s Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic, held the same weekend.

Storey also said she wanted to see more women take up bike racing but highlighted the financial challenges facing the sport.

“Although it’s fairly even on the track, when you get to the road there’s still massive disparity.”

She said the introduction of the UCI Women’s WorldTour, while addressing some issues, had “created a ladder to climb.”

Storey, who with her husband Barney set up the Podium Ambition Pro Cycling powered by Club La Santa team, went on: “Unless you’re actually winning those races, you’re not necessarily going to get any coverage.

“But we need to attract the coverage if we’re going to get the sponsorship,” she added.

Dame Sarah Storey
women's cycling
UCI Women's WorldTour
Simon MacMichael

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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7 comments

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Jimmy Ray Will | 8 years ago
1 like

I'd also argue that at an amateur level, womens racing is far better funded then mens. 

Organisers are providing equal prize funds on dual promotions, which is achieved by the mens race entries subbing the women's prize fund.

As a percentage of total racers, there are also far more sponsored female racers then there are male...

The above is in many way good news. It means women are being listened to and people are doing things... its all going in the right direction.

However, i'd also argue that it is a cynical response from the cycling industry... "Women are getting a lot of coverage right now... its a far smaller pool of talent, if I sponsor  a women's team instead of a mans it'll be cheaper coverage for me.... boom!"

Which is business, fair enough.

However, it goes no where towards meeting the two main needs of womens cycle sport, namely;

 - More high quality events at a grass root level that encourage women to take up and stick at road racing

 - A viable professional pathway, where women at the top of the game can earn a reasonable living from the sport

Right now, better funding of non elite level riders is simply sucking money from the top of the sport, and building a more daunting entry point for those coming into the sport. If its your first race, you don't want to be up against an organised team all riding matching S-Works Venges! 

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jollygoodvelo | 8 years ago
0 likes

Really sad news that the Podium Ambition team is closing too.  Hope they find a sponsor.

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OnTheRopes | 8 years ago
2 likes

Not helpful comments from Dame Sarah really.

Amateur road racing simply does not have the budget to race on closed roads. If this line is pursued it will simply force road racing at club Level off the roads and onto closed circuits which are a totally different game than road courses.

 

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Jimmy Ray Will replied to OnTheRopes | 8 years ago
1 like

OnTheRopes wrote:

Not helpful comments from Dame Sarah really.

Amateur road racing simply does not have the budget to race on closed roads. If this line is pursued it will simply force road racing at club Level off the roads and onto closed circuits which are a totally different game than road courses.

 

 

My sentiments exactly. 

I sit on a group that facilitates amateur road racing in my local region so I have a good insight into the efforts and focus put into ensuring that road racing is as safe and viable as it can possibly be. 

I'd love to raise on closed roads, but the reality is, road closures need to be paid for, and at an amateur level that means the cyclists forking out. The recent Velo Birmingham pricing announcement gives an idea what that might look like... its totally unrealistic.

I'd also argue, and argue very hard, that perception and reality are two very different things. Sarah Storey may feel that racing is unsafe, however the statistics and vigourous risk assessments that go on behind the scenes paint a very different picture. 

Road racing is safe. Very safe. 

It vexes me that someone with such a prominent public voice should be using that voice to put the boot into the sport she supposedly loves. She must know that her comments will provide no positive step forward and only serve to put greater pressure on the amateur scene. 

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VeloPeo | 8 years ago
6 likes

YW - you really think the women want to be riding glorified crits at Ride London and TdF last day? Given the choice they'd be riding similar events to the men*

It takes race organisers with a bit of foresight to put on decent events for the women's peloton. Look how sucessful Sweetspot have been with Women's Tour over the last few years. Credit to Tour de Yorkshire for putting on a proper women's race on this year too. 

Women's racing is great to watch - when you're able to - different to men's but still very much worthwhile in its own right

* the fact they can't even do that given UCI mandated race length restrictions is another issue altogether

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kil0ran | 8 years ago
2 likes

Just don't get why women's cycling isn't more popular as a TV sport. 

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Yorkshire wallet | 8 years ago
1 like

Not so sure about this 'equal' pay business. The women's London event was nothing compared to men's event in either distance or elevation. The same for stuff like Tour de Yorkshire - one day vs. three. 

The reality is sport these days is mainly paid for through the demand to actually see it. Women need to help themselves to this extent and actually help provide the viewing figures. 

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