Road Cycling - Spotting Talents

How are talents like Lance Armstrong spotted? I wonder if it is possible for talents to be spotted even in those very backward countries? It will be good if talents can be spotted all over the world.

Also, how do we know that certain cyclists have the potential of making it big? How do we know that they could be the 'Lance Armstrong of the Future' ?

freakish physiological measurements are a start. i think many agree that armstrong's strength is in his inhuman capacity for work. his emotional strength and resolve come from some place deeper than most, as well. really, i don't think there could ever be another armstrong, much as there could never be another indurain, jordan, gretzky, woods, etc.

More appropriately, maybe you're asking how to turn into a pro biker?

Originally posted by KennethToronto
pro biker?

pro cyclist perhaps :p

it does raise an interesting question in any rate, it is not like there are scouts out there to recruit people to ride in the tour de france, so how would someone "make it big in the biz"?

apparently it doesn't take much to be a pro cyclist. check this article (wear your heart rate monitor when you do. we'll compare whose went up the most while reading it). and yes, i wrote the guy a polite letter telling him what i thought of his "journalism."

i especially like the line about "playing defense."

http://www.msnbc.com/news/785267.asp

Back to the original question.

How do you spot the talent? You find a kid who rides real fast.

I don't know about road cycling but in mountain biking there are people that look born on a bike. When you watch some of the freeriders with skills they look fluid and natural and the bike moves as if it was and extension and not a tool. I am sure this applys to roadies as well. I can usually watch a rider immediately and see this level. They could suck but still look 'good' sucking. Personally I look like I suck and actually do on technical stuff :)

One thing is for sure,you gotta be tall.

And some people have naturally strong legs.

Look at asian people. Most of them have much larger calves than other people of other races, even if they don't train for it. They tend to have very good skills and talent in sports such as basketball or soccer which require quick leg movement... I dunno how well that would do for cyling though.

But you don't see many pro asian riders cause it doesn't git in their culture mostly.

the rest is obvious. A good VO2 max. According to LA himself, when he had his VO2 max checked in his younger years at a facility, it was one of the highest ever recorded there, and still is after all this time.

Tall? Have you seen the climbers? There all 5'2" 110lbs! {160cm / 50 kg ...;)**

Originally posted by Amir R. Pakdel
One thing is for sure,you gotta be tall.

Not really :)

Check out the US Postal team stats...or any of the other teams for that matter. You won't find that many 6'+ giants (unlike other notable sports such as hockey, NBA baseketball, or NFL football)

And regarding ethnicity in the sport - yep, I do notice that there's a lack of not just asians but a whole lot of other races as well. I guess biking just isn't a big sport in many countries.

Back in the 80's Bicycling magazine did a piece about this. Their focus was, however, on the inner city ghettos and the possible wasted potential. Somewhere, shooting crack and gang banging could be another TdF record setter who will never be.

Sad.

So you don't have be tall?
That's wierd.

I just thought that cause a road bike that would fit me well (I'm 5,6") would have to be a compact frame

About the ethnicity... yes, cycling is one of the only remaining major sports in the world completely white dominated (Hispanics too?).
That is the case with any kind of cycling... sprinting, touring, XC,... etc.

I think it is really an image thing. For instance, endurance athletic black people just don't ride bikes; they'd much readily jump to sports such as running.

Originally posted by Joe Gardner
Tall? Have you seen the climbers? There all 5'2" 110lbs! {160cm / 50 kg ...;)**

geeze guess there is no hope for me standing at 6'1'' :(

There have been asians in the tour de france before. For me, I would wish to be one of them. That was the reason why I wanted to know if I was talented at all. One thing is for sure, you have to train to be good, and that is the reason why I have been training everyday. I sure love seeing all the support from all of you for the other races.

Another thing, you don't really have to be tall at all. It might look good while you are standing at the podium, but who really cares about your height anyway? They probably look at the person themselves, judging their perseverence, determination and whatever else makes a good rider!

Just watch me, perphaps one day, I'll be there in the tour, racing that is! HEHE:D

No Asians in professional cycling!
Check out Keirin track racing.
Japan has a tradition of professional racing as long a Europe.

Aren't Japanese asians too?

The writer of the above mentioned article is very ignorant.

The French would bring out the guillotine again for this guy again...:mad: I mean to be an athlete is not decided by a subjective opinion, which is in addition to all that underlined by superficial judgements!

Well, as for talent you need to be open minded and give everybody a a chance. It really is a ONLY a question of your MIND for a person to be a great athlete. At the end we all compete first all against ourselves and then against others.

In that sense,
Cheers

:beer:

Mr. Pakdel wrote:


One thing is for sure,you gotta be tall.

And some people have naturally strong legs.

Look at asian people. Most of them have much larger calves than other people of other races, even if they don't train for it. They tend to have very good skills and talent in sports such as basketball or soccer which require quick leg movement... I dunno how well that would do for cyling though.

But you don't see many pro asian riders cause it doesn't git in their culture mostly.

the rest is obvious. A good VO2 max. According to LA himself, when he had his VO2 max checked in his younger years at a facility, it was one of the highest ever recorded there, and still is after all this time.

Forgive me, Mr. Pakdel, but you remind me of Al Campanis when you speak of "most" Asians having "much larger calves than other people of other races." Please direct me to the scientific study from which you've drawn this conclusion.

Methinks you didn't watch the TDF very closely, if at all. Did you get a look at Levi Leipheimer? US Pro cycling lists him at 5' 7", 138lbs and that's probably inflating his stats a bit! He finished top 10 in the TDF this year.

Your profound comments concerning the dearth of pro Asian riders are entertaining.

And, yes, Lance is an impressive physical specimen. But just wait until Joe Bike Rider comes along and wins the TDF on a diet of burgers and fries. Guess what the media will be talking about then?

I suppose one would start by looking at the winners of amateur competitions as so often is done with other sports.

They are motivated enough to compete for little or no reward against those with similar motivation and excel at it.

Carl