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Would you turn pro if you were able? |
Yes |
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71% |
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no |
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28% |
[ 24 ] |
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Total Votes : 83 |
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martin smith World Champ
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Joined: 09 Jun 2003 Posts: 12187 Location: shoehorning kittens into jars
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:09 pm Post subject: Would you turn pro? |
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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.
I couldn't care less how serious the replies are, i'm just making conversation. _________________ Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. |
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JONNO Div 1 Pro
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Joined: 24 Jul 2006 Posts: 9031 Location: Up North
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:13 pm Post subject: |
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Me mum wouldn't let me, or I would have. ![Shocked](images/smiles/icon_eek.gif) _________________ I was being chased by a police dog last week, and made the mistake of trying to escape through a little tunnel, over a see-saw and through a hoop of fire. It finally caught me as I was weaving in and out of some sticks. |
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Richard World Champ
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Joined: 28 Jun 2002 Posts: 14007 Location: Coventry
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:14 pm Post subject: |
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If I could follow the Roger Hammond Programme - decent degree from Brunel then turn pro and be as good as he is - then yes. The bloke's intelligent enough to have been able to earn more in a "normal" career than going down the Collstrop route but he knows he has an education to fall back on.
Top 3 in Paris Roubaix, respected professional, top 10 in the cyclo-cross Worlds, top 3 in Gent-Wevelgem, multi-national cyclo-cross champion and did it all without any help from the BC / BCF in the early days. Shining example to everyone else _________________ The internet is possibly the greatest bitch fest on earth. Expect anything than relentless ridicule for no good reason and your expectations are set way too high |
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martin smith World Champ
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Joined: 09 Jun 2003 Posts: 12187 Location: shoehorning kittens into jars
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:26 pm Post subject: |
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always looked like a very hard and unreliable way to earn a living to me. obviously i'm in a minority here.
could explain why i'm not very good of course ![Shocked](images/smiles/icon_eek.gif) _________________ Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes. |
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Zippy E, Silver
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Joined: 10 Jul 2004 Posts: 608 Location: Warwickshire
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:32 pm Post subject: |
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Can't think of a better way of spending a few years of your life personally. _________________ We do not stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing - Tommy Lee |
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RoCkET Cat 2 Groupie
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Joined: 23 Aug 2005 Posts: 90
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:38 pm Post subject: |
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if i thought i could have a good career then yes . i would not want to be come a journeyman domestique changing teams every year for penuts. but then again ... getting paid to ride your bike
Possibly a Keirin racer in Japan though , thatd be cool
What Hammond did was good although perhaps he stepped up to old? do you reckon it is still possible to do what he did. how many people are traveling to Belgium at the weekends? |
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Joursans Div 2 Pro
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Joined: 18 Jul 2006 Posts: 4840 Location: The Whole Year Inn
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:41 pm Post subject: |
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Dunno really. It looks like an awfully hard way to make not that much money - but then I am a bit of a wimp and have a reasonably good job. There seems to be a lot of danger and hardship compared to the life of riley that your average footballer must lead.
Back in t'olden days I suspect the sport was very much an opportunity for those from poorer backgrounds e.g. rural France, to earn a bit of dosh which they might otherwise have struggled to but I'm not sure the rewards since then have increased at the same rate (other than for those at the top of the game) as much as general economic prosperity. Those that do it today do it as much for the love as commercial reward compared to those in the past - mebbe. .
Despite all the slagging that pro cycling gets I still look upon your average pro as vaguely "heroic" compared to most other sportsmen who I mainly consider to be lucky bastards. _________________ I tell myself I will not go,
even as I drive there. |
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DNAse E, Gold
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Joined: 24 Feb 2006 Posts: 2414 Location: Oxfordshire
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:45 pm Post subject: |
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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... _________________ "Train?! Training is for people with no natural ability!" |
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one man army Div 2 Pro
Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 5898 Location: Brighton & Hove
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:45 pm Post subject: |
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It is a tough way to make a living but if you manage to get some qualifications behind you before you start, you still come out the other end 'young' in relative terms so could still have another long career ahead.
If you play your cards right, all sorts of other opportunities can open up such as media work etc
so, yes, I would _________________ Rap's Rambo! One Man Army had it with your mumbo jumbo
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Billy Boy T de F Winner
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Joined: 11 Aug 2003 Posts: 30726 Location: Not Aylesbury
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:47 pm Post subject: |
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I wouldn't, much too much like hard work. _________________ "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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Rich Hill Tour Winner
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Joined: 15 Aug 2002 Posts: 15188 Location: Coventry
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 12:51 pm Post subject: |
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Richard wrote: |
If I could follow the Roger Hammond Programme - decent degree from Brunel then turn pro and be as good as he is - then yes. The bloke's intelligent enough to have been able to earn more in a "normal" career than going down the Collstrop route but he knows he has an education to fall back on.
Top 3 in Paris Roubaix, respected professional, top 10 in the cyclo-cross Worlds, top 3 in Gent-Wevelgem, multi-national cyclo-cross champion and did it all without any help from the BC / BCF in the early days. Shining example to everyone else |
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. _________________ Imagination is the war against reality.... |
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mattr World Champ
Joined: 16 Apr 2004 Posts: 12647
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:32 pm Post subject: |
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Rich Hill wrote: |
Richard wrote: |
If I could follow the Roger Hammond Programme - decent degree from Brunel then turn pro and be as good as he is - then yes. The bloke's intelligent enough to have been able to earn more in a "normal" career than going down the Collstrop route but he knows he has an education to fall back on.
Top 3 in Paris Roubaix, respected professional, top 10 in the cyclo-cross Worlds, top 3 in Gent-Wevelgem, multi-national cyclo-cross champion and did it all without any help from the BC / BCF in the early days. Shining example to everyone else |
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. |
It's still a degree, might take a dip in salary for the first year or two till hes back up to speed, but for gods sake, the last time i seriously used any knowledge gleaned from my degree was during my finals.
And i've been working in the same field for the last 13 years (oh my god i'm getting old)
And i'd love to have been able to follow the Hammond plan.
So yes.
I mean, a palmares and memories like that are worth a lot.
And as martins original statement goes on about 'top road rider' and '6 figure salary', sounds even more inviting. |
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Matteo E, Gold
Joined: 23 May 2003 Posts: 2640
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 1:39 pm Post subject: |
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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? _________________ http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Matteomjb |
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Holly Div 1 Pro
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Joined: 09 Aug 2007 Posts: 9384 Location: Wrapped in a blanket watching Midsomer Murders.
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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Could I loiter around David Millar more often? ![Laughing](images/smiles/icon_lol.gif) _________________ "You've gone on fire. You've gone on fire. I tell you what we'll do, we'll try again and this time try not to go on fire."
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KJ T de F Winner
Joined: 18 May 2005 Posts: 26400
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:16 pm Post subject: |
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Are the potential rewards for women equal with the men. No.
So as a woman you'd have to really love your sport to turn professional. _________________ 'You are a free woman. You will not be pushed, filed, stamped, indexed, briefed, de-briefed (that you should be so lucky ) or numbered. Your life is your own.' |
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team welwyn Cat 2 Groupie
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Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 81
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:17 pm Post subject: |
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KJ wrote: |
Are the potential rewards for women equal with the men. No.
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Are the races just as equal in terms of how hard they are? No.
Is there strength in depth in those races? No. _________________ Never trust a German to paint your track. |
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Fluffy E, Silver
Joined: 03 Jul 2007 Posts: 1510 Location: Ourgate
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:26 pm Post subject: |
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Tim Cooper wrote: |
KJ wrote: |
Are the potential rewards for women equal with the men. No.
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Are the races just as equal in terms of how hard they are? No.
Is there strength in depth in those races? No. |
Following on....
Women should be seen and not heard. _________________ ''Racing is life, anything before or after is just waiting''..... Steve McQueen. |
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team welwyn Cat 2 Groupie
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Joined: 09 Apr 2008 Posts: 81
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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Fatt Charity wrote: |
Tim Cooper wrote: |
KJ wrote: |
Are the potential rewards for women equal with the men. No.
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Are the races just as equal in terms of how hard they are? No.
Is there strength in depth in those races? No. |
Following on....
Women should be seen and not heard. |
Steady on _________________ Never trust a German to paint your track. |
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Billy Boy T de F Winner
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Joined: 11 Aug 2003 Posts: 30726 Location: Not Aylesbury
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:34 pm Post subject: |
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team welwyn wrote: |
KJ wrote: |
Are the potential rewards for women equal with the men. No.
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Are the races just as equal in terms of how hard they are? No.
Is there strength in depth in those races? No. |
I think the answer to both your questions is 'yes', however that is irrelevant. The issue is the return a sponsor can expect to get back from their investment, which will be substantially less for women's racing.
Most sports are no different. _________________ "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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Lillywhite E, Silver
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Joined: 06 Jun 2005 Posts: 1574 Location: The Welland Valley
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Posted: Tue Apr 15, 2008 2:42 pm Post subject: |
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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. |
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