Road Bike Racing - What do pro cyclists do after they retire?

I today read Henk Vogels learned to be a plumber..Brad McGee a journalist. Another thread today says Virenque is retiring...After the excitement of pro racing is there a life after racing.Can you get that out of your blood...? What the average pro gives 7-12 years to bike racing as a professional ...
If you just were to stop cold turkey bike racing what would you immediately look like...? The weight gained would probably outweigh giving up smoking.

Try and deal with the depression?? Seriously though, many go to work for various cycling federations, become directeurs, managers, PR men, coaches.

Or break from the sport completely and pursue a whole new career....look at Gianni Bugno or Moreno Argentin.

I'd guess that racers from East European bloc countries have little to go home to except family and friends.

Does anyone know whatever happened to Djamolidin Abdoujaparov?

I think he still lives in Italy....pretty low-key.

Steve Bauer runs bike tours. Stephen Roche has a training camp in Majorca.

Try and deal with the depression?? Seriously though, many go to work for various cycling federations, become directeurs, managers, PR men, coaches.

Or break from the sport completely and pursue a whole new career....look at Gianni Bugno or Moreno Argentin.


....or they could get married, have a mortgage, move to some hick semi rural country town, get a desk job, get fat, leave the scapin in the shed to rust & cruise 'bike forums' 'eh Ed?......nah that couldn't happen! :D

Hitchy

....or they could get married, have a mortgage, move to some hick semi rural country town, get a desk job, get fat, leave the scapin in the shed to rust & cruise 'bike forums' 'eh Ed?......nah that couldn't happen! :D

Hitchy


I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, Hitchy. BTW, using the words "pro cyclist" and "Ed" in the same post will get you banned by the mods!!!

He he!!! :D

Steve Bauer runs bike tours. Stephen Roche has a training camp in Majorca.


Do you reckon Steve Bauer would get sick of being asked about the 1988 Worlds out on one of his Tours?? Or Roche being quizzed about what he really thought of Roberto Visentini?

Anyone have any idea what say Lance Armstrong might do.. He has the money to find a way to continue some connection to cycling..A cycling business of sorts? Maybe run for Congress on the "Bicycle Party?" I would re-register as such. Hope I agree with him on other issues.

Lance and politics would be a perfect fit. everyone wants to be his best mate now, so he would have some real connections.

With his folding, he can do what he wants.

I today read Henk Vogels learned to be a plumber..Brad McGee a journalist.
Both of these two guys are still active in the sport, so I dont know what you are talking about.

I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about, Hitchy. BTW, using the words "pro cyclist" and "Ed" in the same post will get you banned by the mods!!!

He he!!! :D


....hmmm..folks, methinks big ed might have been a 'little' better at this caper than he's letting on!....like about better than 99.5% of the folks on this forum !, (well not, wattsy! but us 'normal' folk)......

...BTW I reckon Lance will buy the TDF!....well he already 'owns' it!,

Hitchy

Roger Legeay is the team manager at Crédit Agricole.
Johan Capiot manages Chocolade Jacques.
Bjarne Riis and Sean Yates help run CSC.
Marc Madiot is at fdjeux.com.
Udo Bölts is at Gerolsteiner
Marc Sergeant and Claude Criquielion manage Lotto.
Erik Breukink, Joop Zoetemelk and Frans Maassen are all at Rabobank.
Guido Bontempi is at Saeco.
Walter Godefroot runs T-Mobile.

Do you reckon Steve Bauer would get sick of being asked about the 1988 Worlds out on one of his Tours?? Or Roche being quizzed about what he really thought of Roberto Visentini?
Heh. Funny you should ask.

I met Bauer last year, and the only thing I could think to talk to him about his loss to Eddy Planckaert at Paris-Roubaix, and what an awesome sprint I thought that was.

I'll bet he never gets asked about that one. :)

Both of these two guys are still active in the sport, so I dont know what you are talking about.
Those two professions are what they were trained for as a vocation before they became pro cyclists... Would they go back to their original field.
I know what I would like to see some pro cyclist do....We read about these fat farms for those wanting to loose weight...How about a cycling oriented weight reduction regimen where you learn to eat, ride, and ride better as a result of the cycling program..This geared for overall fitness, not just becoming a better racer. Is there such a thing
This could be one cycling program incorporated into other regimens geared to accomodate cyclists with other needs.

Roger Legeay is the team manager at Crédit Agricole.
Johan Capiot manages Chocolade Jacques.
Bjarne Riis and Sean Yates help run CSC.
Marc Madiot is at fdjeux.com.
Udo Bölts is at Gerolsteiner
Marc Sergeant and Claude Criquielion manage Lotto.
Erik Breukink, Joop Zoetemelk and Frans Maassen are all at Rabobank.
Guido Bontempi is at Saeco.
Guido Bontempi runs T-Mobile.


And Allan Peiper to the new Omega Pharm team!!!!! Guess he'll have to close the hotdog and snail van! Good onya Al!!

Heh. Funny you should ask.

I met Bauer last year, and the only thing I could think to talk to him about his loss to Eddy Planckaert at Paris-Roubaix, and what an awesome sprint I thought that was.

I'll bet he never gets asked about that one. :)



John Tomac holds himself responsible for Bauer's loss at P-R in 1990....reckons he and Steve went mano a mano on the cobbles the day before on the 7-Eleven training ride and he tired the Canadian out. :)

Roger Legeay is the team manager at Crédit Agricole.
(snip)
Walter Godefroot runs T-Mobile.
And whatever happened to Johan Bruyneel?

And whatever happened to Johan Bruyneel?


lol

....hmmm..folks, methinks big ed might have been a 'little' better at this caper than he's letting on!....like about better than 99.5% of the folks on this forum !, (well not, wattsy! but us 'normal' folk)......

...BTW I reckon Lance will buy the TDF!....well he already 'owns' it!,

Hitchy

Yeah, Ed's hustling. He'd gunna go on and on about being a big fat weight lifter, then bet us we can beat him down to Franskton.

Yeah, Ed's hustling. He'd gunna go on and on about being a big fat weight lifter, then bet us we can beat him down to Franskton.


Negative. I get dagged by The Freedom Machine bunch these days.

G'day,

gotta get a 'plug' in......Phil anderson has 'his finger in many pies'......including "The Adventure Travel company' (who just happen to sponsor Hitchy!)...taking people to the TDF & the like...he has a property near Yea & mentors many young Aussie cyclists including the next U23 world champion, simon gerrans!! (with a bit of luck!)....

cheers,

Hitchy

G'day,

gotta get a 'plug' in......Phil anderson has 'his finger in many pies'......including "The Adventure Travel company' (who just happen to sponsor Hitchy!)...taking people to the TDF & the like...he has a property near Yea & mentors many young Aussie cyclists including the next U23 world champion, simon gerrans!! (with a bit of luck!)....

cheers,

Hitchy


Gerrans has been performing superbly for AG2R. an awesome talent.


BTW.....I think we've hijacked this thread to a degree. Aussie Thread II.....

BTW.....I think we've hijacked this thread to a degree. Aussie Thread II.....


....Hmmm probably...Ok boys......last one back to our 'box' is a fat, balding, middle aged wannabe!.....shoot...... I lose!!!

The big names seem to be able to continue in cycling related careers. But I wonder about those that were pro but probably didn't really make much money? So many that 'fade into bolivion'.
Seems like it would be such a big change, from a bike racer for so many years to not - Possibly dangerous for some


Anyone have any idea what say Lance Armstrong might do.. He has the money to find a way to continue some connection to cycling..A cycling business of sorts? Maybe run for Congress on the "Bicycle Party?" I would re-register as such. Hope I agree with him on other issues.

'I'll just be a father and a cancer survivor'
Maybe he will mostly spend time with family, maybe while doing various benefits for the LAF and all that? Who knows

Greg Lemond become a professional naysayer.

Didn't Lemond dabble in car racing shortly after he retired? He wasn't very good at it, though.

Anyone have any idea what say Lance Armstrong might do.. He has the money to find a way to continue some connection to cycling..A cycling business of sorts? Maybe run for Congress on the "Bicycle Party?" I would re-register as such. Hope I agree with him on other issues.


I reckon he'll become the world's most boring public speaker :)

Think Lemond is paying more attention to his bike production and riding more and now looks more like a cyclist..That car racing can put pounds on your rear...Is not Brad McGee getting into his 30's, along with Bobby Julich..Brad McGee is quite a motivational, articulate speaker I understand.
I predict Lance Armstrong credo is 'about the bike' and predict he will do something positive for cycling,since he owes his life to the sport..Never heard him speak...Reports are he is a friendly kind of guy and not so self-consumed. His connections with Robin Williams and Sheryl Crow- I think his future will be a productive one..He will just not sit back on his millions.

After the excitement of pro racing is there a life after racing.Can you get that out of your blood...?
And nobody got the irony of this statement?

I also like cyclezealot's idea about a cycling program for weight loss and general health. I think too much of sport is lost on competitive leagues and the like, and we forget that it is also and important part of maintaining our health.

I'd probably start my own bike company, get uberfat, take a lot of crap for it, then finally get back on a bike and drop all my extra weight in time for Eurobike.

I'd probably start my own bike company, get uberfat, take a lot of crap for it, then finally get back on a bike and drop all my extra weight in time for Eurobike.

Haha, sounds vaguely familiar... ;)

Hey, everyone wishes they could do such a good late Marlon Brando impression ;)

How many riders have started their own bike companies?

I can think of three right now: LeMond, Merckx and Fondriest

Basso

Coppi

Hampsten

Masi

Moser

And nobody got the irony of this statement?

I also like cyclezealot's idea about a cycling program for weight loss and general health. I think too much of sport is lost on competitive leagues and the like, and we forget that it is also and important part of maintaining our health.
Casillo...I sure would like to find such a program..I would like to drop about 15 pounds through cycling.What a way to accomplish such a goal..Someone encouraging me to ride a couple weeks in a row every day and help control my intake..What a vacation that would be...Carmichael could have a second like of training for we wannabees...Where would be a good location for such a program..Wyoming?

What ever happened to Davis Phinney?
Isn't Alexi Grewal a minister now?
Trust me you don't want to know about "Jock" Boyer?

Hinault
Sean Kelly
Hampsten
Bauer (defunct)

How many riders have started their own bike companies?

I can think of three right now: LeMond, Merckx and Fondriest

We can't forget Ullrich.
http://www.jan-ullrich-bikes.de/ Guess the site is down or something, but he had them all listed last year (you can use archive.org if you wanted)

And Bruno Cenghialta coaches Alessio-Bianchi

Many of the early 7-11'ers need no explanation (in the US, anyway)
Chris Carmichael - Uber coach
Bob Roll - Announcer
Andy Hampsten - Bike company, previously, Bike tours in Italy
Ron Kiefel - Wheat Ridge Cyclery
Davis Phinney - Coaching camp, Touring company, parkinsons advocate