Originally Posted by
procrit
So I made cat 2 in a season and a few races, forced upgrade actually as I was busy trying to help get my buddies points, I started in my late 20's so there was no "phone call". Just started winning / placing and collecting points and hitting every race I could for a year. I had life get in the way and abruptly stopped racing, but I felt like cat 1 was VERY doable points wise within another season. That was my goal, "top of the amateurs" category wise. Is USA Pro what I need to shoot for now that I'm riding again if that's the new cat 1? Sorry, been off the bike 10 years, I don't quite understand...
Opinions vary, and "pro" mean different things in each discipline.
If you define pro as a category and stamp on your license - those are not all that hard to get - esp. in MTB where it seems about 30% are pros and I few don't have another job. The license costs more and I don't think USAC minds the trade. As they are not really making a living from their riding they are not doing it as a profession, and hence the suggestion that it was the new Cat 1.
This thread got a bit derailed about WT pros - folks that really make a living and raise families.
For Road Racing in the USA you can race just about anything as a Cat 1, but a few require you are on a team that got into that race.
You can poke around on USA Cycling and find USA pro teams and get links to UCI teams.