Is it really worth risking life and limb to turn pro in the USA, where the sport is still largely niche and underfunded, just to maybe, possibly, potentially snag a spot on a decent team? I mean, were not talking about Europe here, where the roads are closed for the Tour de France and the peloton is worshipped like gods. In the States, youre lucky if a handful of locals even show up to watch the race.
And dont even get me started on the money – or lack thereof. Unless youre a prodigy, youre likely going to be scraping by on ramen noodles and living in a glorified cardboard box. So, whats the real reward here? The thrill of possibly getting hit by a car during a training ride? The satisfaction of knowing youre one bad crash away from a lifetime of chronic pain? Or is it the fleeting high of winning a local crit, only to be forgotten about a week later?
Im not saying it cant be done, or that there arent success stories out there. But seriously, is the risk really worth the reward? Are we just deluding ourselves, thinking that we can make it big in a sport thats still largely on the fringes in this country? Or am I just being a cynic, and there are actually people out there who have made a real, sustainable living off of bike racing in the USA? Someone convince me Im wrong.
And dont even get me started on the money – or lack thereof. Unless youre a prodigy, youre likely going to be scraping by on ramen noodles and living in a glorified cardboard box. So, whats the real reward here? The thrill of possibly getting hit by a car during a training ride? The satisfaction of knowing youre one bad crash away from a lifetime of chronic pain? Or is it the fleeting high of winning a local crit, only to be forgotten about a week later?
Im not saying it cant be done, or that there arent success stories out there. But seriously, is the risk really worth the reward? Are we just deluding ourselves, thinking that we can make it big in a sport thats still largely on the fringes in this country? Or am I just being a cynic, and there are actually people out there who have made a real, sustainable living off of bike racing in the USA? Someone convince me Im wrong.