Originally Posted by
queerpunk
You do raise a bunch of good points, and we can agree to disagree.
I find that a decent sprint in beginners is a bit more common than natural enduro abilities, and that predisposition early in one's experience with track racing is not a good determinant of where one's natural abilities will lie once they're developed. So I like to encourage people not to limit themselves - mostly because I've heard too many Cat 4's declare themselves to be sprinters when I really think it's way too soon to say.
I think the difference is what we conceive the problem to be. I think you are saying that picking a focus limits the rider and I'm saying picking a focus gives the rider some direction...that may be changed at a later date.
I think that the ambiguity may be more side-tracking than spending time focusing on the wrong thing. More importantly, your argument hinges on that initial assessment being wrong.
I think that people should do what keeps them interested first. If a guy is turned on by sprinting, let him do that. If a girl is excited by burying herself in a pain cave of a 3K (not sure why anyone would do that), more power to her. If a rider loves the mind game of a points race, go for it!
I think the best advice might be a mix of both of our approaches: Pick a "major" but take other "classes" too...you may be surprised and enchanted by something else along the way.