professional cycling
08-31-16, 04:27 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Gainesville, Georgia
Posts: 45
Bikes: Scott CR1 20
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
Professional Cycling
Hi, I am 18 years old and am seriously considering trying to become a professional cyclist. I just wanted some peoples opinions on whether it is too late to get into it? I do have a training coach if that makes any help to my question.
Last edited by cb400bill; 08-31-16 at 05:32 PM. Reason: Merged threads.
08-31-16, 05:17 PM
#2
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 15,491
Bikes: 2015 Workswell 066, 2017 Workswell 093, 2014 Dawes Sheila, 1983 Cannondale 500, 1984 Raleigh Olympian, 2007 Cannondale Rize 4, 2017 Fuji Sportif 1 LE
Mentioned: 144 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 7652 Post(s)
Liked 3,478 Times
in
1,836 Posts
It is absolutely Not too late.
A lot of riders start as pre-teens and work their way up, but there are some (you hear the tales if you listen to the announcers chatter on during race broadcasts) who start late, who didn't start until they were 22 and are riding in the ProTour peloton at 24 ....
Not saying that will be you ... but all that matters is whether you have the mind and body to compete at that level .... and if not, you can compete at a lower level .... your will and determination count for a lot.
if you are willing to do the work and take instruction, and can learn tactics quickly .... there is no limit to what you might do besides your inherent genetic makeup. Take that as far as possible.
Always remember Pete Rose---not for being an inveterate gambler, but for proving that someone Without the top-tier gifts could beat out the more gifted players through hard work.
You take whatever nature gave you as far as it can go ... and you will overtake a lot of lazy, gifted people .... and maybe you will find that you have the physical as well as the mental gifts and we will be listening to the announcers talk about you during the slow parts of some Grand Tour stage broadcast.
A lot of riders start as pre-teens and work their way up, but there are some (you hear the tales if you listen to the announcers chatter on during race broadcasts) who start late, who didn't start until they were 22 and are riding in the ProTour peloton at 24 ....
Not saying that will be you ... but all that matters is whether you have the mind and body to compete at that level .... and if not, you can compete at a lower level .... your will and determination count for a lot.
if you are willing to do the work and take instruction, and can learn tactics quickly .... there is no limit to what you might do besides your inherent genetic makeup. Take that as far as possible.
Always remember Pete Rose---not for being an inveterate gambler, but for proving that someone Without the top-tier gifts could beat out the more gifted players through hard work.
You take whatever nature gave you as far as it can go ... and you will overtake a lot of lazy, gifted people .... and maybe you will find that you have the physical as well as the mental gifts and we will be listening to the announcers talk about you during the slow parts of some Grand Tour stage broadcast.
08-31-16, 05:22 PM
#3
Super Moderator
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Ffld Cnty Connecticut
Posts: 21,843
Bikes: Old Steelies I made, Old Cannondales
Mentioned: 12 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 1173 Post(s)
Liked 927 Times
in
612 Posts
Enter races , train hard, recover hard, eat well, learn, try hard.......
What races have you done so far ?
What races have you done so far ?
__________________
Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.
FYI: https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
Bikes: Old steel race bikes, old Cannondale race bikes, less old Cannondale race bike, crappy old mtn bike.
FYI: https://www.bikeforums.net/forum-sugg...ad-please.html
08-31-16, 05:40 PM
#4
Not actually Tmonk
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 14,135
Bikes: road, track, mtb
Mentioned: 140 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2639 Post(s)
Liked 3,153 Times
in
1,660 Posts
+1 on the previous two posts.
How much experience do you have? If you've been riding for a couple years or less, wait till you have a few years of riding lots and at least a couple seasons of racing under your belt before you can assess your potential. If/when you start racing, you should know fairly quickly whether you have the potential to become truly elite, or whether you're just an average joe like the rest of us,
How much experience do you have? If you've been riding for a couple years or less, wait till you have a few years of riding lots and at least a couple seasons of racing under your belt before you can assess your potential. If/when you start racing, you should know fairly quickly whether you have the potential to become truly elite, or whether you're just an average joe like the rest of us,
__________________
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
"Your beauty is an aeroplane;
so high, my heart cannot bear the strain." -A.C. Jobim, Triste
08-31-16, 05:50 PM
#5
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Gainesville, Georgia
Posts: 45
Bikes: Scott CR1 20
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
professional cycling
I have done 3 individual road races as Cat 5 placing top 5 in each race for my first 3 races ever, I just finished an Omnium over the weekend placing #4 overall. I am coming from competitive running in highschool so I have ability!
08-31-16, 05:51 PM
#6
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Gainesville, Georgia
Posts: 45
Bikes: Scott CR1 20
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
professional cycling
It is absolutely Not too late.
A lot of riders start as pre-teens and work their way up, but there are some (you hear the tales if you listen to the announcers chatter on during race broadcasts) who start late, who didn't start until they were 22 and are riding in the ProTour peloton at 24 ....
Not saying that will be you ... but all that matters is whether you have the mind and body to compete at that level .... and if not, you can compete at a lower level .... your will and determination count for a lot.
if you are willing to do the work and take instruction, and can learn tactics quickly .... there is no limit to what you might do besides your inherent genetic makeup. Take that as far as possible.
Always remember Pete Rose---not for being an inveterate gambler, but for proving that someone Without the top-tier gifts could beat out the more gifted players through hard work.
You take whatever nature gave you as far as it can go ... and you will overtake a lot of lazy, gifted people .... and maybe you will find that you have the physical as well as the mental gifts and we will be listening to the announcers talk about you during the slow parts of some Grand Tour stage broadcast.
A lot of riders start as pre-teens and work their way up, but there are some (you hear the tales if you listen to the announcers chatter on during race broadcasts) who start late, who didn't start until they were 22 and are riding in the ProTour peloton at 24 ....
Not saying that will be you ... but all that matters is whether you have the mind and body to compete at that level .... and if not, you can compete at a lower level .... your will and determination count for a lot.
if you are willing to do the work and take instruction, and can learn tactics quickly .... there is no limit to what you might do besides your inherent genetic makeup. Take that as far as possible.
Always remember Pete Rose---not for being an inveterate gambler, but for proving that someone Without the top-tier gifts could beat out the more gifted players through hard work.
You take whatever nature gave you as far as it can go ... and you will overtake a lot of lazy, gifted people .... and maybe you will find that you have the physical as well as the mental gifts and we will be listening to the announcers talk about you during the slow parts of some Grand Tour stage broadcast.
08-31-16, 06:06 PM
#7
Expired Member
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: TN
Posts: 11,546
Mentioned: 37 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3674 Post(s)
Liked 5,435 Times
in
2,761 Posts
Since you are, as you say, "catting up" so quickly, you will surely be noticed by a team. All you need to do right now is keep winning races! Consider traveling if your season has ended locally. Good luck!
08-31-16, 06:38 PM
#9
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Gainesville, Georgia
Posts: 45
Bikes: Scott CR1 20
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
professional cycling
but i plan on mid cat 4 next season!
08-31-16, 06:39 PM
#10
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2016
Location: Gainesville, Georgia
Posts: 45
Bikes: Scott CR1 20
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 11 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times
in
0 Posts
08-31-16, 08:05 PM
#11
commu*ist spy
important to ask yourself why you want to be a pro cyclist. it's a high price to pay for little extrinsic rewards.
i am constantly surprised by how many of us are single. imagine if we were all going out on friday and saturday nights instead of sleeping to get ready for the weekend rides. sheeeiiiiiiit
i am constantly surprised by how many of us are single. imagine if we were all going out on friday and saturday nights instead of sleeping to get ready for the weekend rides. sheeeiiiiiiit
Last edited by spectastic; 08-31-16 at 08:15 PM.
08-31-16, 08:55 PM
#12
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Location: Music City, USA
Posts: 4,444
Bikes: bikes
Mentioned: 52 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2622 Post(s)
Liked 1,429 Times
in
711 Posts
It's not necessarily too late, but it's flat out ridiculously too early.
It's really silly for someone to do 3 races and then start publicly announcing their desire to be a pro.
Imagine this in other sports:
Do three little league games and start talking about the MLB? Join a high school football team and start talking about the draft after three games? Jump in a rec. league and start talking about posting up in the NBA?
Doesn't that sound really silly? Professional cycling is not different in the ability levels to become a professional.
It's really silly for someone to do 3 races and then start publicly announcing their desire to be a pro.
Imagine this in other sports:
Do three little league games and start talking about the MLB? Join a high school football team and start talking about the draft after three games? Jump in a rec. league and start talking about posting up in the NBA?
Doesn't that sound really silly? Professional cycling is not different in the ability levels to become a professional.
09-01-16, 08:30 AM
#13
fuggitivo solitario
A significant component of running performance is biomechanical efficiency (not to be confused with metabolic efficiency), which has about no effect when it comes to cycling. A high biomechanical efficiency allows you to compete against people who otherwise has high aerobic capability but low biomechanical efficiency. If you are a middle distance runner type with some muscles, there is a better chance that things would carry over.
The other thing is that while good running advantage may carry you quickly to the cat-2 level, going from there gets a lot harder. This is especially true of the aerobically gifted who upgraded by riding away from the pack without picking up any race craft. The aerobic advantage is mostly negated by the cat-2 level as others are just as strong, and you will then need to learn race craft when things are a lot harder. As boring as it may be, hone your race craft in the lower categories before you move up.
09-01-16, 08:36 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Redlands, CA
Posts: 6,313
Mentioned: 31 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 842 Post(s)
Liked 469 Times
in
250 Posts
Almost all the pros in the US get there by 2 methods; 1) Racing in USAC, getting upgrades and winning big races which gets them noticed or 2) Racing in the College system. Another route would be racing in Europe.
Regardless, all these paths are straightforward; race and win. Its not like becoming a clown where you have to go to clown school in France and then travel on trains with hobos.
Regardless, all these paths are straightforward; race and win. Its not like becoming a clown where you have to go to clown school in France and then travel on trains with hobos.
09-01-16, 10:24 AM
#15
Senior Member
As a reference point regarding running a local former low-level pro said that he ran 4:30 miles in high school. At his best he was at the absolute bottom of the domestic pro scene. Around here he was pretty fast but the shorter 1-2 hour races didn't suit his training/fitness. He outrode locals mainly because he wasn't blowing up after 4 or 5 hours. In hour long races he could attack like mad and not get away. He didn't have a massive jump so it was possible to follow him, and he couldn't sustain insane speeds too long, although I certainly got ridden off his wheel more than once.
Which brings me to tactics. To be a pro you need to be pretty strong. On a relatively flat course you should be able to sustain 23-25 mph for an hour. However, once you have that strength checked off, you need also learn how to race. Learning tactics and being able to execute turns you from a strong Cat 3 into a low level pro.
Some other anecdotal bits. I think it was Roy Knickman, a massive talent back in the 80s. He did his first 10 mile time trial in sneakers and such. I think he did a 28 minute time, so about 22 mph. Within a couple weeks/races (weekly time trial) he was doing them in 22 minutes, so about 28 mph. (I've never done a 28 mph TT in my life, even with TT bike, skinsuit, disk wheel, etc.) He ended up a solid pro, better at one day races with immense strength/power. I think he averaged 30 mph for 20 km in the Junior National TT, using a 53x15 top gear (gear limit at the time).
A local Cat 1 did an FTP test at the Tuesday Night race maybe a month ago - he started the race knowing he was going to go as hard as he could for 20 minutes. One of my teammates told me they were basically going 30 mph for 20 minutes while this guy pulled. He placed 8th? at Athens Twilight Crit earlier this year, and recently got 5th in another NRC race. He's been racing a number of years but this was a breakthrough year for him.
Etc etc. Pros are just soooo strong.
That's not to say dream. Read what Lemond did when he was a Junior. He wrote down his goals and knocked them off one by one like nothing. From here.
"I made a list of goals in 1978. 4 Goals:
Junior World Championship
Olympics
World Championships at 22
And Tour de France at 25."
I did the same list for me. Mine was a bit more grounded. State RR. Enter National RR (required qualifying by placing top 6 in states back then). Do Philly (pro-am at the time, amateurs could still enter even though it was a huge, huge race). I got to halfway into the first lap of the 10 lap state RR before my dreams ended. lol.
Which brings me to tactics. To be a pro you need to be pretty strong. On a relatively flat course you should be able to sustain 23-25 mph for an hour. However, once you have that strength checked off, you need also learn how to race. Learning tactics and being able to execute turns you from a strong Cat 3 into a low level pro.
Some other anecdotal bits. I think it was Roy Knickman, a massive talent back in the 80s. He did his first 10 mile time trial in sneakers and such. I think he did a 28 minute time, so about 22 mph. Within a couple weeks/races (weekly time trial) he was doing them in 22 minutes, so about 28 mph. (I've never done a 28 mph TT in my life, even with TT bike, skinsuit, disk wheel, etc.) He ended up a solid pro, better at one day races with immense strength/power. I think he averaged 30 mph for 20 km in the Junior National TT, using a 53x15 top gear (gear limit at the time).
A local Cat 1 did an FTP test at the Tuesday Night race maybe a month ago - he started the race knowing he was going to go as hard as he could for 20 minutes. One of my teammates told me they were basically going 30 mph for 20 minutes while this guy pulled. He placed 8th? at Athens Twilight Crit earlier this year, and recently got 5th in another NRC race. He's been racing a number of years but this was a breakthrough year for him.
Etc etc. Pros are just soooo strong.
That's not to say dream. Read what Lemond did when he was a Junior. He wrote down his goals and knocked them off one by one like nothing. From here.
"I made a list of goals in 1978. 4 Goals:
Junior World Championship
Olympics
World Championships at 22
And Tour de France at 25."
I did the same list for me. Mine was a bit more grounded. State RR. Enter National RR (required qualifying by placing top 6 in states back then). Do Philly (pro-am at the time, amateurs could still enter even though it was a huge, huge race). I got to halfway into the first lap of the 10 lap state RR before my dreams ended. lol.
__________________
"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson
"...during the Lance years, being fit became the No. 1 thing. Totally the only thing. It’s a big part of what we do, but fitness is not the only thing. There’s skills, there’s tactics … there’s all kinds of stuff..." Tim Johnson
09-01-16, 10:35 AM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Sacramento, California, USA
Posts: 40,865
Bikes: Specialized Tarmac, Canyon Exceed, Specialized Transition, Ellsworth Roots, Ridley Excalibur
Mentioned: 68 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 2952 Post(s)
Liked 3,106 Times
in
1,417 Posts
Work with your coach and get a good fall/winter training plan. Even if your race season is over, make sure you keep going to the local rides that the racers ride. You can use these rides to work on bike handling and pack skills. Also to try stuff in a race-like environment: go early, go late, ride off the front, sit in, etc. Find out how ride right to the edge of blowing up and getting dropped and then claw yourself back on to the group.
09-01-16, 10:59 AM
#17
Nonsense
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Vagabond
Posts: 13,918
Bikes: Affirmative
Mentioned: 0 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 880 Post(s)
Liked 541 Times
in
237 Posts
Be ready to train a lot more than you probably realize, even when your friends are doing cool things, it's below freezing outside and you just want to curl up into a ball and sleep all day. Even doing the right things is no guarantee. Basically, you better love this sport.
09-01-16, 11:42 AM
#18
Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Folsom, CA
Posts: 3,888
Mentioned: 32 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 417 Post(s)
Likes: 0
Liked 3 Times
in
3 Posts
Read up on Michael Woods and do whatever he did.
Michael Woods: Wiggle your big toe | Cyclingnews.com
Michael Woods: Wiggle your big toe | Cyclingnews.com
09-01-16, 08:47 PM
#19
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Southern California, USA
Posts: 10,475
Bikes: 1979 Raleigh Team 753
Mentioned: 153 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 3375 Post(s)
Liked 371 Times
in
253 Posts
I actually think the ONLY route to being a cycling pro making a decent living involves living and racing in Europe.
Any you may not want that.
At 18 - time to move in the next couple years if being a World tour Pro is your goal. You really won't know until that 21-23 age, but starting then is really pretty late. Keep in mind there are 18 year olds that can race well won RRs with any US pro.
My son just turned 18. Some of those he raced against and a teammate will likely be World Tour Pros. Fortunately for mom and dad, my son saw what we saw - to be a pro and enjoy the life - live and race in Europe.
He didn't want to now. And he did not see being a USA pro worth skipping college for. So, he's in college. There is no way for him he that he can do RR miles required for "real races" on the U23 UCI circuit which is where U23 kids need to be to go to the next step. He will do collegiate cycling, and likely track pursuit and we'll see what happens.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
CanadianBiker32
Training & Nutrition
12
06-26-13 06:03 AM
