What age?
#1
It is fantastic.
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What age?
What's the oldest newcomer you've seen racing? Is it ever too late to start?
#2
I'm fine.
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Me. My race age last year was 34 when I started. I'd like to race well into my fifties or sixties if possible (and if I'm lucky). So there's still a chance I might get better than blah. I'm having fun, though.
#3
Aluminium Crusader :-)
If you're talking about club level, it really doesn't matter. There was a US pro named Michael Engleman, who started his pro career at 29, after being a marathon runner his whole life prior! He retired at 40
https://www.navpro.com/news-1998/pr_034.asp
https://www.navpro.com/news-1998/pr_034.asp
#6
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Not exactly same topic, but Ekimov is 40 or 41 and is on his 15th Tour de France I believe.
2 more years and he'll break Zootemelks record.
2 more years and he'll break Zootemelks record.
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Three years ago at 36.
#8
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I'll start this year at 47, or next year at 48. I'll get my head handed to me, but so what?
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In search of what to search for.
In search of what to search for.
#9
Dude who rides bike
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I met a guy at his first race (time trial) who was 68 years old. It turns out his daughter is a one of the Trek regional pros in our area. Super nice guy.
#10
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Portuguese Joaquim Agostinho became a professional at 26, won his first Tour de France stage same year (1969), came twice third in the Tour after being 36, and died aged 41 during the Tour of Algarve, wearing the yellow jersey.
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I started this year at 50. Have a 6th place finish and a couple of 9ths as well as a few way down the field. Never last though!
#12
Racing iS my Training
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I did my first race 10 months ago. I'm 36 and I've just earned enough points to upgrade to Cat 2. I hope to move up to Cat 1 next year.
#13
Used to be a climber..
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Originally Posted by Pizza Man
I did my first race 10 months ago. I'm 36 and I've just earned enough points to upgrade to Cat 2. I hope to move up to Cat 1 next year.
#14
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Originally Posted by Pizza Man
I did my first race 10 months ago. I'm 36 and I've just earned enough points to upgrade to Cat 2. I hope to move up to Cat 1 next year.
#15
Veni, Vidi, Vomiti
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I started racing two years ago at 54. Did enough races earlier this year to become Cat 4 and have 6 top 10 finishes this year, including two 2nd place finishes. ('Course we're not talking huge field sizes here! )
#16
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46, started at 44.. Began the year as a Cat5 and am a Cat 3 now, got points in everything from Elite 4's to 35 4/5 to 45 1/5 races. Chasing Pizza Man into the twos...after that I'm field fodder. What's been interesting is that I'm at an age where I can race a bunch of different 1/2/3 races. The 35 and 45 classes a very close in speed, the easiest thing I race now is the E3 against the college kids.
The worst was a 30+ 1/2/3 cirterium with a $5k purse. Absolutely vicious race.
The worst was a 30+ 1/2/3 cirterium with a $5k purse. Absolutely vicious race.
#17
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started riding at 41, started racing last year (except for the odd TT in a duathlon) at 51
#18
Gios my baby
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45 for me. I started this summer and have had one 5th place finish. The rest in the pack and one last.(tactical error) I have raced 6 races, one a cat 1 climb on my 24 lb bike. It's fun beating the racers which are young enouph to be my kid.
#19
Racing iS my Training
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Originally Posted by Vinokurtov
46, started at 44.. Began the year as a Cat5 and am a Cat 3 now, got points in everything from Elite 4's to 35 4/5 to 45 1/5 races. Chasing Pizza Man into the twos...after that I'm field fodder. What's been interesting is that I'm at an age where I can race a bunch of different 1/2/3 races. The 35 and 45 classes a very close in speed, the easiest thing I race now is the E3 against the college kids.
The worst was a 30+ 1/2/3 cirterium with a $5k purse. Absolutely vicious race.
The worst was a 30+ 1/2/3 cirterium with a $5k purse. Absolutely vicious race.
#20
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Started this year at 50 in cat 5 routinely getting my ass handed too me but having a blast (outside of crash mid-season, "Classic face plant Dude!"said the EMT. After brutal West LA college race youngsters consoled my sorry performance by saying " Man this is Southern California, you'd be kicking ass in cat 1 in Kansas." Doubt it seriously but was nice to hear. participating even at entrty level is just a total blast .
#21
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Started this year at 34....getting my ass handed too me on a regular basis here in Cat 4 in Colorado. Hey, wait, if I keep getting my ass handed to me, you'd think it would be getting smaller so I could ride faster....