How can i become a pro race cyclist? Am i too old to start?

I am 15,
am i too old to start training?- i have seen that you need to start at about 10 !?!?

I ride my race bike every chance i get, i am in a cycling club... What more can i do to train and how can i get into teams?

Ignore #1 Bossman. He may know something about music, but he doesn't appear to know much about cycling!

In any case, 15 is not too old, at all. While it might not hurt, there is certainly no need to start at 10.

First thing to realize, is there is a big difference between riding your bike and training to race! You need to learn how to train in order to become a top cyclist. I would recommend you start by reading a book like: "The Cyclists Training Bible" by Joe Friel. In this book, he explains how to go about laying out your training and racing year.

Secondly, you don't mention whether your cycling club is oriented toward racing or recreational riding. If it is not racing oriented, find a racing team/club to join. Even better is to find a racing club with an active juniors development program.

My guess is the good folks at your bicycle shop can tell you how to get in touch with a local development team. If not, go to some races and talk with the other riders in the juniors class. (If there isn't a juniors race, they may be riding with the CAT 5 group.)

At the local racing level, joining a team is mostly a matter of paying your dues and buying the team jersey. At the local level, teams exist to carpool together, share hotel rooms, get discounts on gear and do some racing. As you gain strength, experience and wins in local races you'll get noticed.

Your goal, though, is to get on a sponsored team. You do this by showing you've got the stuff in local and regional races. If you can manage to get on the podium against sponsored riders in regional races, you'll have people asking you to join their teams.

You should keep in mind, there are lots of levels of sponsorship in professional cycling. For the vast majority of riders, being a "pro" means you get gear for free, but you don't really make a living at it. So, while you work hard at training and racing, keep up with your school work, as well.

Hope this helps.

unfortunately it's just like any other competitive sport or entertainment genre in the world...it has NOTHING to do with talent and EVERYTHING to do with who you know....

get to know people in the sport, either by going to races or tryig to hang out where they do....possibly volunteering with a team....anything to get your foot in the door and get to know people....unless you make the contacts and get to know the people in the sport....you'll always be on the outside looking in.

i play in a successful regional band, and live performance is the same way....it doens't matter how good you are...you have to know people to get into the arena to even compete....i had to go to a bazillion bars and clubs and then suck up to every promoter i could to start getting booked and it is the same with you....get into the sport in any way possible and get to know the people and if they lke you then you may just ahve a shot at trying out.

Cyclists many times start before 15 but some don't as well. You most certainly still have time to make a go of it. Most riders turn pro around 22 or so. Seven years of dedication and talent could get you there.

You're no too old; don't worry. You're getting an earlier start than some current pro-tour riders. I have to disagree with bossman, though. One of my college teammates won the New England road championshp as a junior. That got him invited to train with the US national team, and then off to Europe. If you get good results, you will get noticed.

Speak to someone at your local bike shop. Join your local bike Club they may have a team that you can join.

15 is a good age to start.
1) If your school has a bike club, join it.
2) Find some local events and enter them. (your club members can help here.)
3) Go to your local bike shop or book store and get a book or two on bike training.
4) Once you have a few events under your belt, ask if the bike shop you do business if they might be interested in helping with tune-ups or parts discount for some type of sponsorship.
5) Don't expect much help till you've run a local race series and finished well.

This is a start, don't be discouraged, not many make a living racing with out a lot of hard work. Never and I repeat never be disrespectful to any one who sponsors races as one day you might need their help.

Wow, a guitarist is now the bike racing expert! (was he on American Idol -- you know the question last week?)

First you do need talent. Secondly it helps to influence who you know. You can always get to know who you need to know.

I am amazed at the NASCAR analogy. A far bit different than bicycle racing, or most other athletic endeavors. Auto racing is a cubic dollar society.

If you have talent -- hone it. Focus on the end result you desire. Is your focus to be on a team or to be a champion. To be a champion you need a team, but to be on a team you may not be champion if all you choose to do is be on the team.

Find a good cycling coach or a senior racer to mentor you -- trust me you will get far better advice than from the guitar man.