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How to become a pro on the continent
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Which route is best for your son?
Join the WCPP/Under 23 Academy process
47%
 47%  [ 31 ]
Go to France with Rayner funding
27%
 27%  [ 18 ]
Follow the "Pierre" route ie coaching then French family
24%
 24%  [ 16 ]
Total Votes : 65

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joxster
World Champ


Joined: 05 May 2004
Posts: 11229
Location: Barfly, buy me a drink and I'll tell you a story

PostPosted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 12:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Pierre Head wrote:
Gary K wrote:
Our dedicated U23's are doing the PH route but with a slight difference. They do it for blocks of 4-8 weeks at a time out in Belgium, coming back for R & R and some other events inbetween and at key times in the season. It's long enough out there to race, train and get used to the way of life, but not too long to feel home sick, lost and forgotten.

IMHO, you need to do more than a few weekenders to get noticed as well, especially if you are riding as a team as our chaps intend.


I'm afraid that my people want the riders to work all season in the team, and not go poncing about backwards and forwards when they feel like it. It creates bad blood. It seems to me that if you want it bad enough, you'll stick at it. As Muhammed Ali said "When you are a contender, you only get one shot at the title."


The only events that I returned home for was the Nationals, and there was never an issue with that.
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Bob J
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Joined: 12 Oct 2005
Posts: 1135
Location: Brittany

PostPosted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

This is proving to be an interesting thread. Two things seem to be standing out, 1 - get your education sorted if you can before you decide to make a serious move abroad, maybe get some kind of experience / feel for things in the summer months to either back up your later ambitions, or make you decide not to bother. 2 - When you do decide to make the move, give it your best shot, either with the backing of one of the existing plans and a coach's back up, or do your homework and settle in with a 'feelgood' environment, with a club and family who can help you over the hard times, 'cause they will appear.
Roy, I have no contact at all with anyone at BC, I am in touch with various people in my part of Brittany (Morbihan) and despite what BIG DAVE was indicating, it is not easy to get into teams in this area, certainly not after January as they have to make their teams up by then, and I believe they are only allowed to take on so many newbies, as for getting supplied with a bike, varies a lot from what I can make out, things may be different where he is based, I wouldn't say he is wrong. As Deano says, you won't earn a fortune, but that's not really why we do it is it? Wink It's doing something different, As Deano says, you have the rest of your life to earn 'proper' money, but if you are lucky enough to do well you wont be bad off either, certainly not around here, can't speak for Belg/Holland/Germany these days. It's worth trying the life just for the experience you gain, which I believe can be useful after your racing days are over. My view - just do it!! Very Happy
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Helen Wyman
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Joined: 09 Sep 2005
Posts: 70
Location: where ever i place my hat (or my husband!)

PostPosted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Its brilliant that you are able to talk to your kid about his options and support him as much as possible because there will defiantely be times when he needs it!

If he is really very good at cyclo-cross then there is a serious amount of money to be made in places like belgium for the whole winter. Your average rider in the top 25 in the world mens rankings earns between 300 and 2000 euros start money per race. (2 races a weekend, 4 weekends a month, 6months in the season!) Obviously if he is good enough he can then earn prize money on top of that!

If he wants to win the tour de france i'd recommend the road route (Dave Raynor) in my eyes its the only one that makes sense. There are so many people in foriegn countries trying to make it that he will never be truely alone. If he wants to be a trackie then go with the ODP and the guys do get so well looked after its untrue!

As for education, all the girls in my team have a degree in something, mine is physiotherapy and one is currently doing her PHD! Having said that for guys i think it is probably harder to get an education and still make it to Rogers level but he has proved it is possible.

The decision he has to make is where does his passion lie cause when its hacking it down with rain with intermittent hail storms, minus 3 degrees for the 25th day in a row hes the one that has to put the training in and if it doesnt motivate him he'll never acheive what he wants!
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De Rosa
World Champ


Joined: 04 Dec 2002
Posts: 10485

PostPosted: Fri Mar 31, 2006 6:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Helen Wyman wrote:
Its brilliant that you are able to talk to your kid about his options and support him as much as possible because there will defiantely be times when he needs it!

If he is really very good at cyclo-cross then there is a serious amount of money to be made in places like belgium for the whole winter. Your average rider in the top 25 in the world mens rankings earns between 300 and 2000 euros start money per race. (2 races a weekend, 4 weekends a month, 6months in the season!) Obviously if he is good enough he can then earn prize money on top of that!

If he wants to win the tour de france i'd recommend the road route (Dave Raynor) in my eyes its the only one that makes sense. There are so many people in foriegn countries trying to make it that he will never be truely alone. If he wants to be a trackie then go with the ODP and the guys do get so well looked after its untrue!

As for education, all the girls in my team have a degree in something, mine is physiotherapy and one is currently doing her PHD! Having said that for guys i think it is probably harder to get an education and still make it to Rogers level but he has proved it is possible.

The decision he has to make is where does his passion lie cause when its hacking it down with rain with intermittent hail storms, minus 3 degrees for the 25th day in a row hes the one that has to put the training in and if it doesnt motivate him he'll never acheive what he wants!


Helen you may have misinterpreted me. I do not have a son as described and this was just a hypothetical case out of interest. I do have a son who is actually a very good rugby player but fortunately he will be able to pursue his dreams here in England. I think some people may, from this thread, be thinking I have a son with some cycling talent - anyone who knows me will appreciate that is genetically impossible! Wink

However even though the question was technically hypothetical I think it is a dilemma that some of our juniors must be faced with; especially if they are not heavily track biased..
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Will Scarlet
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Joined: 31 Dec 2002
Posts: 1734

PostPosted: Sat Apr 01, 2006 2:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

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