can you chooooose?

Team Banana Spokesman

in the tdf/etc I have been told the riders are limited to sprinters/climbers/TTers by genetics and muscle fibre types.

ok...

but most of them have specialized in their special dicipline since a young age. Like cav, cancellara, winning sprints and tts for years.

so over time this would train the body to become better sprinters/TTers yeah?

so are they 'limited' by something or is it just because they have trained to become a certain rider? cav said its not 'possible' for him to win the tdf in a bbc interview because he's 'limited'.

different training changes muscle fibres to different types, dunnit?

Alex_Simmons/RST

Team Banana Spokesman wrote:

different training changes muscle fibres to different types, dunnit?

yes, but not dramatically and it takes a very long time for a small change.

keef66

So John Prescott should abandon his ambition of one day winning a KOM jersey?

redddraggon

Laurent Jalabert started off as a sprinter winning green jerseys, and finished as a climber winning polkadot jerseys.

stokepa31

Eddy Merckx managed to be all things, why not Cav????

holybinch

stokepa31 wrote:

Eddy Merckx managed to be all things, why not Cav????

Tighter controls? :roll:

Garry H

stokepa31 wrote:

Eddy Merckx managed to be all things, why not Cav????

Everybody at that time tried to be all things though. Riders are specialising nowadays.

acidstrato

not every one in the world is a born cyclist with a single discipline

regardless of genes or muscle fibres...perfect examples include olympic athletes that compete in totally different sports. Being great at one might mean your fit and healthy but it doesnt guarentee you'll be great at other sports. dedication and training from youth is much more important

oldwelshman

acidstrato wrote:

not every one in the world is a born cyclist with a single discipline

regardless of genes or muscle fibres...perfect examples include olympic athletes that compete in totally different sports. Being great at one might mean your fit and healthy but it doesnt guarentee you'll be great at other sports. dedication and training from youth is much more important

Not sure about this.
Genetics have a huge part to play. Some people would never make a pro athlete in any sport with no natural talent no matter how hard and often they train.
I have seen many rugby players at high level who started very late (over 18) also pro squash players.
I coached squash for years and had some very dedicated youngsters who would never get pro standard but with coaching and training reach county level, then I had other who started late who went on to national level very quickly.
Cycling is the same no need to start at a very young age.
You will find most professional or even high standard sportsmen can excell at other sports in addition to their chosen sport. Lots of footballers can be very good at golf, rugby etc, rugby players I played with (I mean rugby ) were very good at football, squash players good at golf, tennis etc.

Cycling is one of the only sports that you can remain very competative at when older though unlike rugby, squash, football etc.