Wacky Race Ideas for Professional Cycling in 2009

Can you picture the carnage if the pros were able to take a shot at a Little 1000?

There is plenty of time now that we are in the offseason for thinking about stuff you normally wouldn't have time to ponder. With virtually no races on the calendar and most riders on vacation, I got to thinking: what races are missing from the International cycling calendar that would be great to watch? Here are some ideas. Not necessarily good ideas, but ideas.

Someone should make a race that allows only sprinters to ride that is a climb-heavy race. Perhaps at the end of the year, after the world championships, gather all the riders somewhere warm, yet hilly, for a one day Sprinter's Climbing Race. Perhaps St. Thomas would be a good locale. The premise would be simple. The crowd would be able to watch the world's best sprinters battle it out on steep climbs. Sure, you can watch the best sprinters in the world soft pedal it up any steep mountin in the grand tours, but wouldn't it be great ot watch them ride as hard as they could on the steep ramps? Picture Robbie McEwen, Allesandro Petacchi, Allesandro Benatti, Mark Cavendish, JJ Haedo, Thor Hushovd, and other top sprinters riding on their limit for "Best Climbing Sprinter" title. It would be great! Of course you would have a smallish field, but it would be imperative that only top-flight sprinters be allowed to compete to ensure fairness. In other words, no gregarios.

You could do the same thing for the climbers, except have a pancake-flat sprinters race. Again, no climbers that are also sprinters would be allowed. Riders like Damiano Cunego, Alejandro Valverde and Paolo Bettini would not be invited due to the fact that they are great climbers and good sprinters. Only pure climbers like Contador, Leipheimer, Gesink, Basso, Vande Velde, Cadel Evans, or Andy Schleck would be allowed to participate. Wouldn't it be great to see who would win a bunch sprint among the names mentioned above?

And what about those gregarios? Don't they deserve a race of their own? I say yes they do. So come up with a one day race open only to professionals who have not won a pro race in a given season. Make it varied each year to play to the strengths of a variety of riders. One year on a flat course, the next on a hilly one. Who wouldn't want to cheer on the workers of the peloton, the ones that never get much credit? Wouldn't it be great to salute a rider that likely will have zero chances to ride for themselves during the race season? At least for one day, these domestiques would be able to be front and center, the stars of a particular race.

And what about a relay-style race for the pros? The amateurs have the Little 500, but there is no such race for the pros. Again, after the world championships, allow teams of four to enter the Little 1000, a race consisting of four 200 mile legs. Teams could consist of any combination of riders, but most likely each trade team would come up with their best four for the race. Host the event on the Indy 500 track in Indiana, and you have a media frenzy. I can see it now: Zabriskie, Vande Velde, David Millar and Brad Wiggins crush the field in the inaugural race. Belissima!

So there are a few ideas for some new races for us rabid cycling fans. Any other bright ideas? God knows there's enough time until the beginning of next year, so start thinking!