If you're winning cat 1 or amateur euro races out in front by yourself or placing in the top 3 all the time, I think you have a good chance to make it to the pro peleton.
Totally wrong. I ride with people in the UK who have Commonwealth medals and easily win every elite level race they enter – yet they are not strong enough to be a pro. I know of British national champions who have moved to France and been unable to place even in French amateur races. Sean Yates (retired pro, Director at Discovery and friend of Lance) turns up at our amateur races and rides at 40mph at the front of a breakaway. They are on another level.
Your chances of getting rich as a bike racer are about the same as your chances of getting rich playing football or basketball. Yes, there are hundreds of millioinaire ball players, but there are also millions who tried and failed. Race bikes because you love the sport.
Wrong – the average football or basketball pro probably makes ten times more than a domestique on a continental or pro tour team. Wages come from advertising, which come from TV figures from rich viewers. Riding in the Tour of Murcia isn't going to get quite the TV audience of even a college football game.
I seriously doubt that the low level domestique guys on the UCI circuit make under $100K annually ($20-$30K sounds like the low end of US Pro dough) but I could be wrong.
You are wrong.