Road Cycling - Recruited to American Classic

I had my second group ride Saturday. Wow, I met this guy Winston who reminds me of the Funny black guy from Armegedon. We were riding along and he started pointing out who each of the riders were. I soon found out I was riding with either Pros or ex-Pros with either a World Championship or a National Championship under there belt. There was even a guy there who was national champion of South Africa and another National Champion from another country. I got a little scared at that point being 17 on my second group ride with my first road bike that I just bought August 2nd. We ended up doing 50 miles at almost 30mph including 2 sprints at the 25mi points that got up to 38+mph! In the end I finished the ride in front with a couple of the American Classic guys around me. AWESOME RIDE! During the end of the ride I was riding next to with The owner of American Classic and talking about how long I've been riding for and he turned to me, gave me a big smile and said, "Your not supposed to be doing this good." We we all went to a little resturant afterwards and The owners wife recruited me to AmC and Took down my jersey size and Lyrca size. What have I gotten myself into? I'm pretty excited! Chris, the Cat 3 racer who brought me there was expecting me to get dropped but so was I! He left that Saturday though but I've got Winston to look after me he said :p

congratz

So you're riding for their factory team or working for the Company? Either way congrats. I have a set of CR-420s that I really like.

I ride on the team! :) However Bill and Ellen are out on vaction so I won't get my team jerseys till they come back.

Just got this gear in the mail, free. The bottums feel like a pillow against my ass. Maybe that will stop the numbing..

http://www.hpiforums.com/files/amcgear.jpg

The bike too? If so, what kind of bike?

-mark

Yeah thats awesome dude. But what kind of bike is that or do you ride?

hehe, I wish the bike too! Worked all summer to get that :P Giant OCR 2 (US '04)

So when do you start racing and what Cat are you gunna be?...let me know, I wanna start racing next season!

Jr, but it won't stay that way for long!

Silent..That is so cool...I would be so stoked I could not sleep for at least one night...As they say about being in the right place at the right time...Well, you were there...This could be a life changing encounter.
Sounds like you rode with some real hard core racers and you made the cut...The kit is really cool and that would keep me spinning, if I were that good...
Keep us up to date with your training...and good luck. If at your age I had the ability and equiptment to do what you have done, I sure would like to be in your Sidi's..
Question...Do you train like the dickens...Or does it come natural.? Pretty good entry stats.And, this might become a very demanding activity...At your age, can your life take on such a committment; should the racing bug bite big time
Some amateur racers went on to American pro teams, such as Jelly Belly..Came a time they had to decide between bike racing or forgetting plans such as medical school. Can your life's plans afford 20 plus hours of racing per week..

geepers u got good muscle mas on the legs (not being gay and all lol)

I think maybe JUST MAYBE! we have the next american to go on and win the tour! :)

congrats my young freind, we happen to be in the same boat, i got recruited while riding with a bunch of the marine riders when i was 18, after joining the marine corps, little did i know i would be racing for them a week after our first team ride...

Good story, but I like the quote from your Grandpa.

Good luck. I'll keep an eye out on cyclingnews for any race results. And remember, it's one thing to hang in a group with Cat1's, it's a whole other to push the pace.

Sweeeeeeeeet!

Cool, bud! Now make sure you post pics of you racing! Congrats. Most importantly, HAVE FUN!

Silent guy..Did a search for American Classic.In Cyclingnews...Is not that group, in part sponsored by Union Bank and hold several one day races on the East coast...You know more about what kinds of races, training you will be doing; remember us, we will be interested of your progress.

Every time I ride I think to myself. Train like your going to Tour de France Jon! You know what is freaking awesome though? :D

Nice tan! :D

The persistence and perserverance paid off for you! Enjoy the adventure.

Sounds like you're going somewhere, cycling-wise.

Congratulations, and have fun with it!

(This post now qualifies me to brag, sometime in the future when you're a famous cycling pro, that I "knew you when.")

Farkin' hell! Bigum Legs!

Cool stuff - good for you!

wow good job man. good luck with the american comes up.

So silent guy..What is training going like. What do they expect out of you. Recall once bumping into a bunch of Univ. Of Calif./San Diego racers at my bike shop. Some of them trained like 100 miles a day, six days a week.

congrats! :D

But wait, you've only been cycling since August?! Or were you a MT biker previously?

BMXer 20 miles to church and back since October '03. Then Mountain biker to church 20 miles since March '04. Now Road biker to church since August '04.

BMX was always causal transportation to church except when I stuck with some rodies for almost 2 miles pedaling at like 200rpm it seems. I felt really sick after that!

Mountain bike saw 13 hours of riding the first time I took it to Alafia State park after riding 15 miles just to get there.

and my Road bike(Valory) is going to see the world!

There is a nearby church I ride past frequently in nearby Rainbow..They have a sign out front. Says 'Come as you are." Don't know how that applies to cyclists.
Good move. I use a bike for every form of transportation when and where possible. Bonus miles. From your one year of bike experience it either comes naturally or genetics. You might Possibly be involved in track at school before cycling?

and my Road bike(Valory) is going to see the world![/QUOTE]


Gota love a guy who names his bikes.

Mine are Night Hawk and Black Pearl

and my Road bike(Valory) is going to see the world!


Gota love a guy who names his bikes.

Mine are Night Hawk and Black Pearl[/QUOTE]

Name my "'dale CR600, "Dale"...and my new OS early 80's (friction thumb shifters and 15 big gears, baby" 'dale mountain bike, "thrash"...but my Orbea Road bike is just "honey"...as in "we beat that climb, honey!"

Dang! I wish my legs looked like that!

Nice quads. I noticed that your inner quad is bigger than your outer. You should start working on your outer quad to balance the muscle and prevent knee injuries. Congrats and good luck with all future racing.

sort of difficult like naming a hurricane. Should a bike's knickname be male/female? Think I prefer my steed female? yet, most race horses are male?
Since my bike is painted by Klein, with the Klein ivory color, think I would name it Ivory.

Nice quads. I noticed that your inner quad is bigger than your outer. You should start working on your outer quad to balance the muscle and prevent knee injuries.

Actually, this is probably due to genetics more than anything else. My legs look identical to his and it had nothing to do with the way I worked out. My background in in track & field (200m/400m sprinter) not riding.

Silent Guy..Be interesting to know how your training has picked up since riding with the pros. Training on your own mostly..? Must be doing something different to get bigger and bigger quads. Any races planned any time soon..Might we read about you at CyclingNews any time soon. ?

Nice quads. I noticed that your inner quad is bigger than your outer. You should start working on your outer quad to balance the muscle and prevent knee injuries. Congrats and good luck with all future racing.

Is the inside the lower above the knee muscle and the outside the remaining the majority?

The inside quad would be, for example, the left quad on your right leg. Don't worry about it too much though. If your position on the bike is good you should have no problems with injuries caused by poor positioning. I'm impressed with your achievements. I'm 15 and am starting to get serious with my cycling. I race in a bay area cross country mountain bike league in the spring and are going to participate in my first road crit this sunday. Your acheivements show what hard work(and a little talent) can do. Thanks

You know how many bays there are in America :p I am by Tampa bay for instance, but I used to live by San Fransico. Come ride with me :D