I generalized:
>>There's a fundamental philosophical question of "what is the purpose
>>of racing."
>>
>>One answer is that is a way to improve the technology.
>>
>>Another answer is that it is to compare the skill and strength of athletes.
Jeff Potter commented:
>I don't think it's as black'n'white as that. The two answers blur
>even with the UCI, of course. The UCI likes to boost tech if it
>doesn't give unfair advantage.
I never meant to imply that it was an all-or-nothing situation, because both approaches always coexist.
It is more an issue of emphasis and priority. The governing bodies have their "ideals" but the actual racers look for every edge they can get, because to a racer, winning is the only objective.
Sheldon "A Techie, Not An Athlete" Brown
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