Getting into pro teams

mcgr said:

How good do you have to be to get into a pro team? I am 17 and If I started now and trained for 2 hours every day, 4 hours on weekends and 2 break days would it be achievable to become pro? Also what are the steps to getting recognised etc.

Thanks

speak to Ferrari

mule>racehorse

Why don't you try and answer the new guy in a decent way....he is a asking real question.....

mcgr said:

How good do you have to be to get into a pro team? I am 17 and If I started now and trained for 2 hours every day, 4 hours on weekends and 2 break days would it be achievable to become pro? Also what are the steps to getting recognised etc.

Thanks

A lot of people can train like a pro but not become pro.

Start doing group rides and local races to find your talent. Go to local bike shop to find contacts. Are you in united states? If you are look at usacycling.org website for contacts also.

mcgr said:

How good do you have to be to get into a pro team? I am 17 and If I started now and trained for 2 hours every day, 4 hours on weekends and 2 break days would it be achievable to become pro? Also what are the steps to getting recognised etc.

Thanks

The first thing I would do if I were you is to join a cycling club.
That's the first thing that you need to do.

For sure, your ambition to go professional is great but the only way to do so is to get results in races and you can only do that by joining a club.

The objective of trying to go professional is great - but it entails many sacrifices.
You need ability - lots of ability.
You need to train very very hard.
You need ...luck too.
You need to get good results.

All of this will entail sacrifice on your part and dedication to.

But step one is - join a cycling club.

Best of luck.

Nice post Lim.... 😉...now I am going out riding 🙂

I am not in the US, I am in Australia. I was thinking of joining a club, what are the advantages? Do you think it would be a good idea to train by myself for 2-3 months to get good?

It's the same here in Australia.
To race you need to be a member of a club.
Most (if not all) clubs will have regular training rides you can join in on.
Just sign up and start doing some Crits, they are held regularly.

No need to wait and train up, you have to start somewhere so just get in and make a start. You'll start in a lower grade and work your way up from there.
Train regularly and you'll get stronger whilst learning the ropes in races.

Go to Cycling Australia website and you can find a link to your state federation. From there you should be able to get a list of clubs to find a suitable one in your area.

Plus race calendars etc.

mcgr said:

I am not in the US, I am in Australia. I was thinking of joining a club, what are the advantages? Do you think it would be a good idea to train by myself for 2-3 months to get good?

join the "thread about nothing"

take up beer drinking and couch punditry.

It works well.

Or do a Will Walker and dominate from your first day.

Seriously, join the club, they will take you through track and road, less resources for you, if you really enjoy the sport, you will learn pretty soon if you are good enough.

To have a goal "to be a pro" is not altogether realistic. Aspire and dream, but enjoy the sport, and racing and competition for what it is, and do not put arbitrary expectations on yourself. Gauge yourself on your innate ability, not the pro peloton, or the best in your agegroup. If you make yourself hurt on the bike, and struggle, and finish, and fight out the finale in whatever race groupd you find yourself in, you can be proud of your efforts.

That will get you kicking butt in local races. If you want to be pro, step it up and ask your parents for an increase in allowance because drugs are expensive.

mcgr said:

I am not in the US, I am in Australia. I was thinking of joining a club, what are the advantages? Do you think it would be a good idea to train by myself for 2-3 months to get good?

I would move countries.... Australian rode cycling is in disarray...... why they persist with their handicap format for road races is beyond me.... australian riders have [censored] tactical skill on the road as cycling Australia persisted with this approach...... every race should be a scratch race..... handicap races means the best time trialist wins and in juniors that means the strongest... however in scratch races the best tactical rider wins..... australia has the other problem that its drivers have no respect for cyclists and do their best to scare them...... strange country...... move to europe like hessler........

mcgr said:

How good do you have to be to get into a pro team? I am 17 and If I started now and trained for 2 hours every day, 4 hours on weekends and 2 break days would it be achievable to become pro? Also what are the steps to getting recognised etc.

Thanks

Hmmm, are there a lot of Cows in your area? If so, you may have a future in the professional peleton. If not, then sorry.

mcgr said:

How good do you have to be to get into a pro team? I am 17 and If I started now and trained for 2 hours every day, 4 hours on weekends and 2 break days would it be achievable to become pro? Also what are the steps to getting recognised etc.

Thanks

Genetics have a lot to say about whether you can make it or not. I say do it and see. Don't burn yourself out though, maybe a coach for some advice.

Lastly if anyone doubts you in your pursuit remember these wise words:

It's not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or when the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions and spends himself in a worth cause; who at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who at the worst if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory or defeat. Theodore Roosevelt

Good luck man.

whiteboytrash said:

I would move countries.... Australian rode cycling is in disarray...... why they persist with their handicap format for road races is beyond me.... ....

Dude, we have like jackshit of those races left.

Any selection event or any race worth sum decent cash is a scratch race. Have a look over the National Road Series, any handicaps?

I just did my first road race, and it wasnt handicapped..

always sit at the frotn, its alot harder to get dropped..i learnt this on the weekend in my first race.

tarmacguy said:

I just did my first road race, and it wasnt handicapped..

always sit at the frotn, its alot harder to get dropped..i learnt this on the weekend in my first race.

lmao. hey come over to sydney and do some of the races i'm in, i'm always happy to sit on the wheel of a willing bunny!! ;-p

--brett

whiteboytrash said:

I would move countries.... Australian rode cycling is in disarray...... why they persist with their handicap format for road races is beyond me.... australian riders have [censored] tactical skill on the road as cycling Australia persisted with this approach......

Blah .. what a pile of [censored]. There's loads of (quality) scratch racing available in both road events (including stage racing) and criteriums.

At the elite level, handicaps will always finish in a bunch. You can't ride from scratch (or block) and not finish in a bunch, nothing generally to do with 'time trialling' skills.

--brett

mcgr said:

I am not in the US, I am in Australia. I was thinking of joining a club, what are the advantages? Do you think it would be a good idea to train by myself for 2-3 months to get good?

I'm in a club in Sydney that has a very strong focus on junior development. So I've had the chance to watch some really great young riders develop.

I'd say joining a club should really be your first step. Apart from getting some racing under your belt, you'll start meeting some people who'll point you in the right direction and if nothing less riders who will be good training partners for you.

Once you've got a little racing under you at the club level and you start to dominate some of the lower club grades, the next steps are state junior medal races and state open races. Usually as you begin to do well in these you'll attract the attention of your state institute of sport, for example NSWIS in NSW.

Australia's continental teams typically have close associations with the state IS. For example FRF in Sydney work with NSWIS. Once you've come to their attention and are starting to get some good results in State Division 1 races, you might get an offer.

--brett

sideshow_bob said:

Blah .. what a pile of [censored]. There's loads of (quality) scratch racing available in both road events (including stage racing) and criteriums.

At the elite level, handicaps will always finish in a bunch. You can't ride from scratch (or block) and not finish in a bunch, nothing generally to do with 'time trialling' skills.

--brett

[font=Verdana]Stupid [censored] as if..... handicaps don't always finish in bunches...... all the smaller clubs from the country generally have one guy off scratch trying to catch groups of 2-4 up the road..... Australian cycling needs to get its head out of the sand and become more European.... even American cycling has surpassed it.... Bosnian cycling for that matter... [/font][font=Verdana][/font]

thunder said:

speak to Ferrari

mule>racehorse

I am totally against Ferrari, but you really are an idiot !