NZRIDER

Hi guys

Just thought id post something on here. I'mlooking for an american team to ride for next season, I am 25yrs old and have been riding in Belgium with and amatuer and continental team for the past 3 years.

does anyone here know of any teams looking for riders?

regards

Graeme

LIUser22

slipstream chipotle

Quijibo187

there's a racing sub-forum. try there

urbanknight

If you're a reputable racer, your coach should be able to set you up with connections. Otherwise, whatever is local.

NZRIDER

Thanks for the reply.

My coach is actually from Belgium, so doesn't have too many contacts. And most of the teams I have contacted are full.

regards

UmneyDurak

Yeah but all we talk about is bike bling, no one actually is racing. Shhh keep it on the downlow.

travis200

Try racing a few races in your area if you are good and place high each race (aka win) people will take notice. Be open and polite and talk to local racers and you may open a few doors.

NZRIDER

yeah the only thing is im in another country. I have won some races in Belgium and been top 10 in some 1.2uci and top competitions

bikeM3987

As with most sports, if you get out there and perform well, you won't need to hunt the teams down, they will come to you. Good luck

Bob Dopolina 

Who are you riding for now? Why are you leaving? Do you have an updated palmares? What country is on your license? Do you hold a pro license? Are you set on racing in the US or would you consider racing elsewhere? Doesn't your local federation have connections?

urbanknight

Yes, I'm surprised you can't find some connections. I hosted a German exchange student because his coach had connections with my coach, and this was amateur junior racing! Bug you coach and any buddies you have to see if anyone knows anyone.

YMCA

If you are coming to the US, be prepared to travel. We are a country 5000k wide x 3000k tall. Without proper support, you'll be traversing it all by van. Most of your season will be spent recovering from all night car trips and middle-of-nowhere burger joints.

If I were you. I'd pick a region of the US and focus your season on that area and see what comes of it.

Base in Athens, GA and race a mainly SE calendar, with a few trips up north for some bigger stuff.

Or base in California and settle in for a west coast program.

Or pick any region of the country you like and hit everything of substance within a 4hour drive.

The point is, this isn't Belgium, where half the Kermesses can be ridden to on bicycle and 1.2's in France can be driven to in less than a couple hours.

Best of luck and keep us posted of your plans. God knows we need something to read about than another cat5 crit report (not that I don't support the newbs too).

ElJamoquio

Absolutely. California, New England, Colorado... many parts California you'll have no problems training year round - but California alone is about 12 times as large as Belgium. I don't know about the racing in Georgia, but there's plenty of places to train.

Good luck!

kukusz

Sniff... that hurts. Fine, I won't tell you about how awesome my races are next spring.

kukusz

No relation?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Graeme_Obree

ekimeno

Yeah - that one was cutting .........

DrWJODonnell

If all the teams you have looked into are "full" you may want to ride for one of the local teams depending on where you will be. I know there are a number of stepping stone teams here in the northeast (Fiordifrutta is just one of them). I am sure these teams exist all over the states. Where will you be?

YMCA

I promise to read your cat5 stories, if you promise not to put in the obligatory sentence, "And then they..., right after I had just pulled them around around for ten laps".

kukusz

Deal, but it's soooo not fair when people do that. I pull the whole ride and then they beat me at the line. No honor in bike racing.

eskimo85

lol thats great.... but videos are always accepted

NZRIDER

Thanks for all the messages guys.

I'm only be going to the states if I can find something solid. I just don't want to turn up and work my way into a team. I still have some reasonable offers from a few continental teams in Europe so its not worth while going to the states with nothing sorted beforehand. If I can't find anything I will just stay in Europe.

jrennie

Coming from europe to the us to race? That sounds backwards to me.

classic1

Why? The moneys good if you go alright, generally better lifestyle, US speaks English, there's a lot of Aussies and Kiwis racing on US teams, generally better weather, the racing is competitive but isn't as hard as Europe.

I'd reckon the lifestyle of a pro on a second-tier US team riding crits and <100 mile road races would crap all over living in a shared accomodation in Belgium riding for some shiddy Belgium team, not getting paid , racing 180km Kermesses and 200km races like Fleche Brabancone every week on cobbles in the pissing rain getting your arse kicked.

Bob Dopolina 

+1

botto 

generally?