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Old 07-23-20, 10:47 AM
  #127  
AlgarveCycling
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Originally Posted by td.tony
Do most Cat1 racers get paid to ride for their team? Or do they all just train and race in their free time?
Reason I ask is because at crits the categories usually say something along the lines of cat 1/2/3/pro.
Or are pros in another category one step above Cat 1?

In my experience, Cat 1 / Elite / A etc is an amateur license and Pro a license of its own. I was Cat 1 and wanted to become a Pro at one point but never got a contract, didn't make the cut. My sponsored amateur team had two members who went on to become Pro, both local only not international. One on the back of having gone to the Olympics for track. Pro is quite a step up. I've known some who went to race for teams in France but gave up after only a couple of years. It's a tough gig, Pro cycling.

I wasn't paid as a sponsored amateur rider and prize money was never great but I did get 'free' stuff: the kit, bike parts, race entry and hotels and meals on occasion. The team I'm with now gets sponsored kit and race entry but that's all.
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