Road Bike Racing - how to start racing?

i know NOTHING about racing but want to learn - can you guys direct me to a website or some source of information about how to get started racing? i mean in terms of the structure and organization and rules, etc. i don't mean the how-tos of how to ride in a race, but how the amateur & pro circuits are organized, how you move up the categories, what styles of racing there are, etc.

i guess i'm looking for some kind of blueprint about how someone starts out as an amateur and then works up to professional and beyond. not that i'm planning to go pro, having started biking at age 38, but i'd like to know about the process...


thanks.

Maybe try browsing USACyling.org. Basically, you start at Catagory 5. Through a series of points and/or participation requirements you can move all the way up to Cat1/Pro. Its harder to move up the higher you go, obviously. Anyone can go to Cat 4 if they do enough races in Cat 5 (even if you are dead last in each one). For roadies there are 3 different types of races, and subtypes of each kind. For more info on that (i don't feel like retyping it all, go to the post in this forum called like "help me understand racing".

find a local club. begin to ride with them so you understand how to ride in a pack. it will also help you get faster, and i'm sure you'll meet lots of racers who will help you get into it and give info about local races and everything. good luck!

thanks...i'll check it out.

Check this one out (as jbhowat mentioned above):

Cycling 101 (Click Here) (http://209.177.135.180/cycling101/)

Great information... thanks