Hi! My name is michael. I live in Chattanooga, TN. I want to know how to become a pro cyclist and what the process of recruitment to pro teams & contracts is like. Currently, I am training 100-110 miles a week. I know I need to train more, but I am very busy. My PWR(Power to weight ratio) is 4.47.
Hi Michael,
You donāt say what age you are.
I would say that you could do far worse than getting yourself involved in your local cycling community. Find a group that you enjoy cycling with. From there, you might hope to be invited to ride for a local-ish team. Learn your domestic scene and which riders seem to going in the right direction. Talk to those riders. They might be willing to assist you. Maybe they have a coach or are part of a āProgrammeā. How do you get on that āProgrammeā?
Thatās perceived by some as āold schoolā. Today you might be able to light things up on ZWIFT and get noticed. I donāt know much about ZWIFT but I think they run academies.
First and foremost, I say being an all round nice person is key. If youāre going to make it as a pro or even into the pro ranks, other riders are at some point going to have to support and work for/with you. The more friends and support you have, the more you have to fall back on when times get tough and I can only imagine that there will be tough times ahead.
Good luck in your goal 
4 Likes
You are putting the cart waaaaaay before the horse.
The first step to becoming a pro cyclist is to race long and well enough that people know and care who you are.
6 Likes
If youāre talking about becoming a World Tour pro, step 1 is to consistently destroy everyone at your local races.
3 Likes
If you have the talent to be a pro, youāll find out what the process is when youāve won a bunch of pro-1-2 races before turning 21.
Right now, you should probably get a USA Cycling license and see how Cat 5 goes.
4 Likes
Alex Dowsett did a really good youtube video about it.
Surely this post is a joke/troll?
10 Likes
If in the states get familiar with USACycling. They will have contacts and clubs in your local area maybe even junior DEVO programs:
Once established and if serious, in the States and U19 Iād be looking towards a team like Lux. Here is an update from their page with the names to get ahold of. Roy Knickman started the team a number of years ago but, I guess Chris Daggs and Joe Holmes are the new directors.
2 Likes
Thatās what Iām thinking.
I think itās kind of a crappy job. I suggest trying your hand at golf or baseball. Less pain, more gain.
If you want to make it to the highest levels, hereās a good article on the basic training process and metrics you need The Making of a Pro Tour Riderļ»æ | TrainingPeaks
If you want an entertaining general description on life as a pro rider in the US, (spoiler - it kind of sucks) read this book - https://www.amazon.com/Pro-Cycling-10-Day-Euro-ebook/dp/B00KFN7LLI/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3DCFU4JJD6E0Z&keywords=pro+cycling+on+10+a+day&qid=1638284613&sprefix=Pro+cyc%2Caps%2C180&sr=8-1
FWIW - in any sport, it is about 1000x harder to get to the top ranks than normal people realize.
That being said, donāt give up on your dream. Cycling is probably about the easiest sport to go āproā if you simply define pro as winning money or getting some sort of āsponsorship.ā Almost all local races pay cash prizes, even at the lowest levels. I completely suck as a cyclist and I did not start racing until I was almost 50. But after a 10 year ācareer,ā I have lifetime earnings of well over $500 in cash and merchandize and I get a 10% discount on bikes through my team from our bike sponsor. I am not above claiming the title of āprofessionalā in the right company even if it is a bit tongue in cheek 
7 Likes
Pick your parents very, very carefullyā¦
9 Likes
Step 1: Get Dr. Ferrari on retainer.
2 Likes
Dearest Michael,
Winners donāt make excuses.
5 Likes
OP kind of reads like a teenager. If this were a 14-16 year old, learning about the process of going pro is probably important, especially if they need their parentsā buy-in to drive them to and pay for races.
2 Likes
Find a race, give it a go.
1 Like
What they said! Go get a license and start racing. Move up the categories from Cat 5 to Cat 1. Win some big races. Maybe do well at nationals or junior worlds. Sign a pro contract. You probably need to race in Europe to gain experience.
In the mean time race everything if you can: road, mountain, cross, gravel, and/or track if you have a track near by. All the different experiences are good for development.
One thing that is interesting today is that young riders can attract the interest of teams with exceptional power numbers.
1 Like
Actually skip TBRA and race in Georgia. If you can dominate georgia, then thats a good sign. TN racing has no depth
1 Like
Iām going to bring up an alternate point for considerationā¦and that is gravel. Racing gravel means that you donāt have to dealw ith the regulatory body nonsense of categories, upgrades, etc or the politics of teams. You just show up and raceā¦and if you have the ability to be at the front, then you are at the front and can quickly get recognition.
The downside to this approach is that you are largely responsible for finding your own sponsors and creating your paycheck. The upside to this approach is that you are largely responsible for finding your own sponsors and creating your paycheck.