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| Would you turn pro if you were able? |
| Yes |
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71% |
[ 59 ] |
| no |
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28% |
[ 24 ] |
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| Total Votes : 83 |
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Billy Boy
T de F Winner
Joined: 11 Aug 2003
Posts: 30726
Location: Not Aylesbury
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 Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:52 pm Post subject: |
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| Lillywhite wrote: |
| Rich Hill wrote: |
Not sure how much the degree would be a fall back these days. It must be 10+ years since he did anything with that area of his life. Could be wrong. |
I agree. He's 34 now and even if he packed up pro bike racing tomorrow he would be competing in the market place with recently graduated guys. |
True, but a degree opens more doors than it closes, certainly doesn't do any harm.
I doubt he'll leave cycling now though.
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DNAse
E, Gold
Joined: 24 Feb 2006
Posts: 2414
Location: Oxfordshire
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:59 pm Post subject: |
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| Matteo wrote: |
| DNAse wrote: |
| There's a guy called Flavio, manages a coffee shop near me. He was a pro in the eighties and second KoM Giro d'Italia 1984. Now he's riding local events for fun. Don't think he regrets much, has plenty of great stories to dine out on, huge respect from all the local cyclists, in fact he's become a local legend! Money cannot be everything... |
Just done a bit of googling; he was also 12th in Milan-San Remo and 18th in Paris-Roubaix in the same year. Is this the same guy who is now riding time trials for Oxford Uni CC? |
Yep, Zappi is his name. He's not studying at the Uni I think its more a flag of convenience plus it helps drum up some trade!
edit: I wasn't there but I heard that he turned up to one of the Uni rides on a sit-up-and-beg town bike and gave all the students, all on their race bikes, a thoroughly hard time. 
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Last edited by DNAse on Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:03 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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eastway82
Div 3 Pro
Joined: 20 Nov 2006
Posts: 3965
Location: Normandy, France
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:59 pm Post subject: Re: Would you turn pro? |
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| martin smith wrote: |
As a follow on from the 'salary of a pro cyclist, Would you, if you had the ability to turn pro but not be a top road rider earning 6 figures, swap what you have now for life as a pro cyclist? so perhaps world track medals and a TDF stage league and have to have another career lined up afterwards.
I couldn't care less how serious the replies are, i'm just making conversation. |
Any time up to mid-twenties, probably yes (not that it was ever on the cards, mind - I was always too lazy) - excitement, travel, all that stuff.
These days I'm too rooted at home to want to spend six months a year living out of a suitcase. And I'm still lazy. |
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Isaac James Smith
Cat 4 Groupie
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:59 pm Post subject: |
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I'm going to turn pro for the chesterfield coureurs junior team sprint team 
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Billy Boy
T de F Winner
Joined: 11 Aug 2003
Posts: 30726
Location: Not Aylesbury
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:00 pm Post subject: |
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| Isaac James Smith wrote: |
| I'm going to turn pro for the chesterfield coureurs junior team sprint team |
I bet you're taller than your Dad already.
_________________
"Well done, you are 100% absolutely without a shadow of a doubt spot-bollock-on correct." - Tucker
"Eating is not for wimps" - coal miner
"most of us don't have your brilliance." - John McC |
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KJ
T de F Winner
Joined: 18 May 2005
Posts: 26400
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Isaac James Smith wrote: |
| I'm going to turn pro for the chesterfield coureurs junior team sprint team |
Still in development? Must have at least an A and a B team now
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Last edited by KJ on Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:01 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Isaac James Smith
Cat 4 Groupie
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:01 pm Post subject: |
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| Billy Boy wrote: |
| Isaac James Smith wrote: |
| I'm going to turn pro for the chesterfield coureurs junior team sprint team |
I bet you're taller than your Dad already. |
I do weigh 10 kilos  probably got a better power to weight ratio.
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Joursans
Div 2 Pro
Joined: 18 Jul 2006
Posts: 4840
Location: The Whole Year Inn
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:13 pm Post subject: |
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| Lillywhite wrote: |
| Rich Hill wrote: |
Not sure how much the degree would be a fall back these days. It must be 10+ years since he did anything with that area of his life. Could be wrong. |
I agree. He's 34 now and even if he packed up pro bike racing tomorrow he would be competing in the market place with recently graduated guys. |
I knew the bassist from a cult early 80's indie band when I was at Bar School. After a few years having a wonderful life goofin about once he hit 40 he decided to so sommat different and became a barrister. He couldn't understand why anyone in their early 20's would not want to try something a little more exciting in life (to be fair he had a point). He was pretty bright and being older than all the jumped up twats you tended to get at Bar School was more of an advantage than an issue.
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even as I drive there. |
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Isaac James Smith
Cat 4 Groupie
Joined: 12 Feb 2007
Posts: 7
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:20 pm Post subject: |
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| KJ wrote: |
| Isaac James Smith wrote: |
| I'm going to turn pro for the chesterfield coureurs junior team sprint team |
Still in development? Must have at least an A and a B team now |
wer'e heading for a girls and boy's team certainly.
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Des
Moderator
Joined: 19 Apr 2002
Posts: 16900
Location: Harrow
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:27 pm Post subject: |
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| Billy Boy wrote: |
| Lillywhite wrote: |
| Rich Hill wrote: |
Not sure how much the degree would be a fall back these days. It must be 10+ years since he did anything with that area of his life. Could be wrong. |
I agree. He's 34 now and even if he packed up pro bike racing tomorrow he would be competing in the market place with recently graduated guys. |
True, but a degree opens more doors than it closes, certainly doesn't do any harm.
I doubt he'll leave cycling now though. |
Plus he'll have a lot more "life" experience, can demonstrate excellence and dedication in his approach to his chosen profession and I assume his language skills are pretty good.
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TBK
Div 3 Pro
Joined: 28 Oct 2003
Posts: 3984
Location: fighting the demons in my head........
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 3:30 pm Post subject: |
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| DNAse wrote: |
edit: I wasn't there but I heard that he turned up to one of the Uni rides on a sit-up-and-beg town bike and gave all the students, all on their race bikes, a thoroughly hard time. |
Thats just pure class, I wonder what they thought of him before and after that ride?
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A positive mental attitude may not solve all your problems, but it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort. |
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Festina_Lente
E, Bronze
Joined: 14 May 2007
Posts: 317
Location: Algarve
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 5:46 pm Post subject: |
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I'm always bemused by the weight of importance put on a degree versus having a stab at pro sport.
The window of opportunity to become a professional athelete is tiny. And if you've got the engine you really just have to take the risk and with some luck, you'll make it.
Also picking up a "proper" degree from a good university is possible while being a pro: the uci have a series of incentives and help in this regard.
http://www.uci-academy.org/
You can become a mature student if you really want. Rubiera famously graduted as an engineer while being a pro cyclist.
I know many ex-professionals and none are bad of. You get the odd Vandenbrouke or Pantani, but they are in all walks of life.
One thing that may happen also with going to University is being led a stray: Freshers week does not encourage any sort of excelence, academic or sporting. I know several world class athlete's whom this happened to.
At the end of the day it doesn't matter how many pounds are in the bank. People under value quality of life, or lifestyle.
I would urge any young person, when you known you are talented enough: Pursue your ambitions relentlesly. To quote gladiator: "What we do in life echoes in eternity!" |
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Tony Bell
T de F Winner
Joined: 06 Aug 2003
Posts: 25203
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 6:56 pm Post subject: |
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I would have loved to have been a pro - a 'proper' one I mean, not the type of 'pro' I was briefly.
As for the argument about a degree...I've got one, politics and international relations (2:1) and I'm driving a bus.  |
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AliCarr
E, Silver
Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 1143
Location: wolverhampton
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:02 pm Post subject: |
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yes.
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Seizing the day since 1988. |
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harry g flatters
E, Bronze
Joined: 25 Nov 2006
Posts: 433
Location: coming up so we'd better get this party started
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:13 pm Post subject: |
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does anybody else on here think that £24K is a fairly decent wage? I mean, i'm on about £10,000 less than that and seem able to survive.
so, another ten grand? Hell yeah!
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harry g flatters
E, Bronze
Joined: 25 Nov 2006
Posts: 433
Location: coming up so we'd better get this party started
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 8:15 pm Post subject: |
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| Tony Bell wrote: |
I would have loved to have been a pro - a 'proper' one I mean, not the type of 'pro' I was briefly.
As for the argument about a degree...I've got one, politics and international relations (2:1) and I'm driving a bus. |
a school mates dad had a degree in ancient languages and the only use he ever got out of it was translating the latin jokes in asterix
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ColT
E, Gold
Joined: 10 Jul 2005
Posts: 2157
Location: Tainan, Taiwan
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Si W
E, Silver
Joined: 04 Mar 2005
Posts: 1124
Location: In the gutter
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:27 pm Post subject: |
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Im seriously considering becoming a professional sat nav racer. I think I show potential.
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dockeca
Div 2 Pro
Joined: 27 Feb 2002
Posts: 4741
Location: halfway up the South Downs - or halfway down the South Ups!
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 9:56 pm Post subject: |
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You have only a few years of relative youth, so if the abiliity is present, go for it. there's plenty of time to go afterwards, and if you did have the talent, got to 35 and had not been brave enough to try, would you not feel something was missing?
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Doc
"Any views expressed are entirely my own and not representative of any organisation of which I may or may not be a member. Unless I say otherwise."
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BrianS
E, Silver
Joined: 11 Dec 2003
Posts: 994
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| Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 10:47 pm Post subject: |
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As a follow on from the 'salary of a pro cyclist, Would you, if you had the ability to turn pro but not be a top road rider earning 6 figures, swap what you have now for life as a pro cyclist? so perhaps world track medals and a TDF stage league and have to have another career lined up afterwards.
chance to be pro = chance to ride a bike and get paid = dream = definately yes!!!!
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