LeMond for president!

[phcollard]

Of UCI that is :banana:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/12/news/must-read-lemond-to-run-for-uci-presidency_267161

[AgilisMerlin]

holyshyt

for realz

[echelon_john]

LOVE it.

[AgilisMerlin]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/lemond-to-run-for-uci-presidency



bandish (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lglVzFO9E_8) project

[witcombusa]

No thanks...

[Rueda Tropical]

Greg would like to open the way for someone like Dick Pound who he thinks would be a better candidate them him. But LeMond would be the perfect high profile guy to break the corrupt stranglehold of the good ol' boys on cycling's management.

[David Kirk]

Where do I get my lawn sign?

dave

[cachagua]

"If we continue like this, there will soon be no money in cycling"...

My first thought is, "Like that would be so bad?"

I think it'd be much more interesting to see what professional racing looked like with no money -- say, if the best you could to was roughly what a garbageman makes -- than if it continues at about the same budget level.

There's an argument that the money provides an incentive to, uh, circumvent the accepted norms, shall we say? And that without that incentive, people would only do it because they love it.

Of course, that argument is used against paying schoolteachers better -- "Low salaries keep dedicated people in the field". And it doesn't work very well there.

And yet: if it cost a sponsor half, a fifth, a tenth of what it costs now to fund a team, would the sponsors suddenly be coming out of the woodwork?

[Rueda Tropical]

"If we continue like this, there will soon be no money in cycling"...

My first thought is, "Like that would be so bad?"

I think it'd be much more interesting to see what professional racing looked like with no money -- say, if the best you could to was roughly what a garbageman makes -- than if it continues at about the same budget level.

There's an argument that the money provides an incentive to, uh, circumvent the accepted norms, shall we say? And that without that incentive, people would only do it because they love it.

Of course, that argument is used against paying schoolteachers better -- "Low salaries keep dedicated people in the field". And it doesn't work very well there.

And yet: if it cost a sponsor half, a fifth, a tenth of what it costs now to fund a team, would the sponsors suddenly be coming out of the woodwork?

Since we have masters dopers and guys doping to win a salami at a Gran Fondo... I don't think removing money will solve the problem. Actually the opposite would be true with no money for testing.

You won't get elite athletes willing to make a career for subsistence wages. They would look for other sports.

[cachagua]

Yes, athletes would look for other sports same as teachers look for other careers. If you can make more money elsewhere, why not.

Tough problem. *I* wouldn't want to be UCI president, that's fe damn sure.

Can you win a salami at a Grand Fondo? I'd'a done that, if I'd known!

[William]

Unfortunately, there will always be people willing to cheat. It boils down to how aggressively the administration is willing to work to weed out the cheaters. Obviously the current administration at the UCI doesn't appear to have made it much of a priority.

Kudos to the next admin if they really make it a priority. At least Lemond has publicly demonstrated for quite a while that it's a priority.





William

[malcolm]

I personally don't think Greg would be good for the job and I'm a fan. They should define their mission clearly and establish rules and protocols and the hire a no nonsense management type from outside the sport to head it. Great cyclist, great speaker or what have you a great manager does not make. I see people in my line of work promoted to management positions all the time base on performance in non management areas and they are usually disasters. I've seen no evidence Greg does anything well except ride a bike.

[BumbleBeeDave]

Since we have masters dopers and guys doping to win a salami at a Gran Fondo...

. . . it IS an exceptionally high-quality and delicious salami . . . :p

BBD

[BumbleBeeDave]

Greg might indeed make a suitable transition leader and he alludes to that himself in the interview. However, I think his performance in the "carefully measured response" department in past business dealings and public statmements might not make him the best candidate for long term leadership.

But to his credit, he always seems to have been quite willing in the past to see his own faults, admit them, and discuss them--something that definitely could not be said of McQuaid, Verbruggen, Armstrong, etc. With that kind of personal candor at a time when the sport seems to really need candor, he could be the ideal candidate. I know others might argue, but for my part I've always gotten the impression that he cares--really cares--about pro cycling as a sport and something worth preserving.

But the most important factor in the next episode of this circus cyclimus may have more to do with who is on that 42 member UCI board the story refers to. Is it just more Hein & Pat cronies where it will be obvious the fix is in?

BBD

[rwsaunders]

I personally don't think Greg would be good for the job and I'm a fan. They should define their mission clearly and establish rules and protocols and the hire a no nonsense management type from outside the sport to head it. Great cyclist, great speaker or what have you a great manager does not make. I see people in my line of work promoted to management positions all the time base on performance in non management areas and they are usually disasters. I've seen no evidence Greg does anything well except ride a bike.

Good point...the superstars are not always the best leaders of an organization, as their careers are mostly built on their individual accomplishments.

[Rueda Tropical]

I personally don't think Greg would be good for the job and I'm a fan. They should define their mission clearly and establish rules and protocols and the hire a no nonsense management type from outside the sport to head it. Great cyclist, great speaker or what have you a great manager does not make. I see people in my line of work promoted to management positions all the time base on performance in non management areas and they are usually disasters. I've seen no evidence Greg does anything well except ride a bike.

I think Greg agrees with you and sees himself in a transitional only role. He mentioned dick pound as a better choice.

[slidey]

When a proud and passionate man like LeMond shows the maturity to self-deprecate himself from a position which could influence the sport he cares so much about, I'd say the search for the right person just ended.

In cases of less bolder man, the above would more likely be construed as a cop-out.

[malcolm]

[QUOTE=slidey;1250870]When a proud and passionate man like LeMond shows the maturity to self-deprecate himself from a position which could influence the sport he cares so much about, I'd say the search for the right person just ended.

In cases of less bolder man, the above would more likely be construed as a cop-out.[/QUOTE

I agree with everything you said about Greg except the search ended. Those qualities, while great don't automatically give you organizational or managerial skills. The world is full of people promoted because of the wrong criteria, wonder people that did great jobs now promoted into to a job they can't do and fail miserably, not all but many.

[cachagua]

...People [get] promoted to management positions all the time base on performance in non management areas and they are usually disasters...

SING it!

Kind of like, humans got promoted to thinking based on performance in non-thinking evolutionary areas, and ...yeah.

(I don't mean that about Lemond or anybody in particular -- just humans.)

[slidey]

Yeah, you're right. But, interim president - definitely.

I agree with everything you said about Greg except the search ended. Those qualities, while great don't automatically give you organizational or managerial skills. The world is full of people promoted because of the wrong criteria, wonder people that did great jobs now promoted into to a job they can't do and fail miserably, not all but many.

Also, I have no idea who elects the president? Internal UCI affair is it?

[Hawker]

Greg fan here...but not sure he has the diplomatic skills to pull this off. Would sure be fun to watch though. Perhaps a more effective position would be on the board or something similar? However, major props to him for even be willing to step up to the plate.

[54ny77]

I will venture a WAG (that's Wild Assed Guess) it will never happen.

Nice idea though.

But really, if he was in there, what's he gonna do, purge every team soigneur, director, manager, etc. who participated in cycling for the last 20+ years and surely had some brush with le dopage?

What's left?

(Not that there's anything wrong with that, but realistically, sponsors have $ and time in there, and they aren't going to take kindly to someone at UCI coming in and dismantling everything overnight.)

[AgilisMerlin]

it is not the end result

it is a statement of fact, that he can actually go through the process

a freedom, a statement in which he has choices

just a thought

[joev]

When I read the news about Greg, I couldn't really believe it. The same happened when I read about his Facebook post. I guess I am really surprised that he has an interest in the sport now after not really hearing too much about him before except with his comments about Lance and the failures of his bike business deals.

I'll echo the sentiment that I don't think he is the ideal managment type but would look to lobby for/draft someone that could really improve the situation. We need a real manager. How about...Tony Blair? Donald Trump? Mitt Romney!? Hey, Mitt is out of work and was successful with the Salt Lake Olympic Games!! Any other suggestions?

[ultraman6970]

If that happens:

- then trek gonna have to say sorry to him and his wife, dont ask me just made this up haha

- The french will be really pissed off of americans.

- Would love to see that to happen and...

- would love to see what he can do given his temper.

[AgilisMerlin]

who exactly asked him to fill the position.


curious

[Elefantino]

who exactly asked him to fill the position.


curious

Change Cycling Now did (http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/change-cycling-now-calls-for-lemond-to-replace-mcquaid).

Of course, he's a member, so he was likely not without some influence in the decision.

[AgilisMerlin]

thanks

[BumbleBeeDave]

We need a real manager. How about...Tony Blair? Donald Trump? Mitt Romney!? Hey, Mitt is out of work and was successful with the Salt Lake Olympic Games!! Any other suggestions?

Stay away from suggesting politicians so this thread doesn't go downhill and have to be locked . . . :)

BBD

[joev]

Apologies the absurd and potentially non-productive twist to the thread...

But seriously, can a bicycle insider - albiet a bit removed - like Greg move the organization to a brighter future?

I'd think the person would need to be highly respected by the riders and management of the pro teams, able to promote a clean program that would entice outside sponsorship, able to lead development and implementation of a testing program that is at least in step with the latest pharmaceutical and physiological performance enhancements.

Greg may be up to the challenge but an industry outsider may be the best choice.

[54ny77]

I think a panel made up of Miss Ciclismo contestants is the most appropriate choice to lead cycling into the next decade.

http://www.ciclismo-online.it/MissCiclismo/images/stories/finale1243.jpg

[CunegoFan]

LeMond would need the backing of the U.S. federation to run for president. Anyone think Thom the Weasel wants to see LeMond as head of the UCI?