Originally Posted by
queerpunk
the National Program has been going pretty strong for a couple of years and has a few World Championships and numerous World Cup medals to show for it... but yeah, I think the true sign of a strong program is whether or not there's a pipeline of people coming up behind the current riders in the program. I think it's a model that requires several y ears to bear fruit. Having seen a bunch of very young, very talented riders start to interface with USAC with an eye toward figuring **** out for 2024 or beyond... I'm encouraged. hopefully there's a plan and a commitment to keep this moving for a while.
I agree that we have the talent and the results as proof.
However, I feel like those that are at the top in the US got there on their own, either with help from parents or by sacrificing a lot (e.g. Mansker). It’s simply very difficult to train like an elite athlete and function like a normal young adult.
From the bottom looking up, the National Team system is so ambiguous and cryptic.
I believe that we lose out on that raw talent that’s good enough to be on the World stage, but lack the resources and/or don’t know how to navigate the politics of getting financial support. So there winds up being an Olympic Dream...with no clear path or measurable milestones.
The fastest bike racers in the United States are not on a path to the Olympics. They will likely give up for at least one of several reasons that should not be.