[jct]

Geoff Kabush: Athlete or influencer? Can athletes just be athletes anymore? - CyclingTips

I hope there is still room for young athletes who have performance goals without follower or subscriber goals.

cyclingtips.com

always liked kabush...he brings up some valid points about the state of racing and particularly the Life Time Grand Prix.

happy friday!

 

[Crankout]

And here are the nominees....

Meet Your 2022 Life Time Grand Prix Race Series Athletes

Life Time increases field size from 40 to 60 following influx of diverse and worthy elite off-road athletes in the series’ inaugural year

www.outsidebusinessjournal.com

 

[pinkpowa]

And here are the nominees....

Meet Your 2022 Life Time Grand Prix Race Series Athletes

Life Time increases field size from 40 to 60 following influx of diverse and worthy elite off-road athletes in the series’ inaugural year

www.outsidebusinessjournal.com

hey I don't see Geoff's name on that list...

 

[jct]

hey I don't see Geoff's name on that list...

true story.

 

[skunkybiker]

Uggh, social media walled garden race series. Completely agree with Geoff.

 

[ShortTravelMag]

What is possibly wrong with just having races like the old days? Whoever shows up, races? Having to submit applications? Prove your social media worth? Yuck. That completely ruins that whole series for me. Since the races themselves, individually, can be entered, why on earth did someone think it a good idea to put them all together only for 60 people?

I'm older than Kabush, and for me, I could care less about social media for the racers I follow. I like to watch them actually race and ride. What they eat, and especially how many bizarre weights and routines they go through cracks me up.

 

[bikeranzin]

I truly hope that one or two dark horses come in and do well enough that they would have gotten a payout if they made it into the walled garden (bonus points for winning events outright). Probably the single worst way I can think of growing the sport is by ensuring that only known entities can compete for meaningful rewards. If this model gets copied en masse, then the only non-60 riders that could be on the rise would be the independently wealthy or the children of them. Which is already a problem with equipment-heavy sports like cycling, or even sports in general.

 

[Exmuhle]

I agree with him; however, it's the world we live in, I'm not sure what the answer is. I mean, what the hell is an 'influencer'? I absolutely detest the term....No social media 'nobody' is influencing me to purchase a product I've never heard of.

 

[darth tracer]

I hope the dark horses can pull off a few wins and would be top placing in the overall just for grins, also some of the 60 have openly stated that they wont be racing all of the events. That kind of seems like why bother being included. I was listening to a podcast interviewing one or two of them and they were like were not racing that "one" because it doesn't suit them. If a non included athlete wins an event vs. a included rider, is there a different payout for the victory?

 

[ShortTravelMag]

I didn't look closely, but I'm guessing no payouts for non 60-chosen? I'm still trying to wrap my head around why Lifetime thinks this is a good idea. 250K payout? Great, it's their money, but if any of the 60 decide to not do even one event, and others do them all, then they'll just say, let's bail on another one or two. Pure XC racers might not want to ride 200 miles of gravel.

This is kind of what happens in all of life though. One company buys up a bunch of independent companies, and things change - often not for the better. The freedom for riders to not race Lifetime events comes into play.

I like that Kabush is at least bringing the subject to the masses. Even if he didn't get in, and man, I'd have to argue why he didn't, he's one of the most experienced XC and now Gravel guys on the planet, it needed to be said.

 

[jrob300]

I didn't look closely, but I'm guessing no payouts for non 60-chosen? I'm still trying to wrap my head around why Lifetime thinks this is a good idea. 250K payout? Great, it's their money, but if any of the 60 decide to not do even one event, and others do them all, then they'll just say, let's bail on another one or two. Pure XC racers might not want to ride 200 miles of gravel.

This is kind of what happens in all of life though. One company buys up a bunch of independent companies, and things change - often not for the better. The freedom for riders to not race Lifetime events comes into play.

I like that Kabush is at least bringing the subject to the masses. Even if he didn't get in, and man, I'd have to argue why he didn't, he's one of the most experienced XC and now Gravel guys on the planet, it needed to be said.

This seems like the wrong direction for our sport. Super glad that Geoff was unafraid to say.... "the king has no clothes".

 

[Jayem]

Never heard of her.

 

[cthorpe]

Two points...

1. If this becomes commonplace we are witnessing the death of the true "underdog" story...if not already dead and buried over the last couple of decades.

2. Instead of promoting a purely great event or series, Lifetime appears to be promoting a branded gimmick.

With that said...

 

[kosmo]

Guy makes some great points.

 

[LMN]

The irony is the only reason Kabush has been able to continue to get paid to ride bikes for a living is because he is now primarily an influencer. There is nothing wrong with that but his history, social media presence, and personality is the reason he still gets sponsorship dollars.

I have a different take on the Life Time Grand Prix. The series isn't really designed for serious focused racers. People who are really serious about competition are racing on road, MTB world cups, or getting racing for CX season. These events are for racers who had their time at the top of the sport or at least taken a shot at the top of the sport. Private company putting on a non-uci series should do what ever they think is best for them.

 

[ShortTravelMag]

Then why invite only 60? Why have a board of strangers decide? That’s what I don’t get. All 60 won’t do the whole series, and some crazy non pros don’t count.

 

[Crankout]

Then why invite only 60? Why have a board of strangers decide? That’s what I don’t get. All 60 won’t do the whole series, and some crazy non pros don’t count.

Seems if the full 60 don't show, the top non-chosen are in line for some payout.

 

[Crankout]

The irony is the only reason Kabush has been able to continue to get paid to ride bikes for a living is because he is now primarily an influencer. There is nothing wrong with that but his history, social media presence, and personality is the reason he still gets sponsorship dollars.

I have a different take on the Life Time Grand Prix. The series isn't really designed for serious focused racers. People who are really serious about competition are racing on road, MTB world cups, or getting racing for CX season. These events are for racers who had their time at the top of the sport or at least taken a shot at the top of the sport. Private company putting on a non-uci series should do what ever they think is best for them.

However, gravel is becoming a very serious event. It's exploded over the past few year.

 

[Sidewalk]

People who are really serious about competition are racing on road, MTB world cups, or getting racing for CX season.

Put up 250k with no restrictions on who can win it, and watch how fast gravel racing becomes a thing.

How many XC racers in America make that kind of money?

 

[LMN]

Put up 250k with no restrictions on who can win it, and watch how fast gravel racing becomes a thing.

How many XC racers in America make that kind of money?

It is 250k in total price money over 9 races. Split that between men and women go 15 deep and the individual payout doesn't look quite as hot. I haven't seen how it is distributed but I suspect that the winner is walking away with maybe 25K. There are a fair number of XC riders in north america making way more than that.

And to be honest not a lot XC racers want to race gravel. Obviously this series has been a topic of discussion, and I have heard time and time again, "I have zero interest in ever doing any of those races"