What is different about the PROs?



Good read with many good points. It's about getting power to the ground in the most efficient way possible, and having the endurance to do it for 6+ hours at a time for a few weeks. I think I read in one of Lance's books that to get there, you're looking at about 4000 hours of training per year for the TDF. A 40-hour/week job, with two weeks of vacation is 2000 hours per year for comparison.

Jason
 
What makes them different to us?

Talent for one. If you don't have the basic talent/ability, a professional career is a non-runner.
Talent closely followed by a serious level of dedication.
If you don't have the basic talent, no amount of training will bring you to the level required for a professional career.