UK Continental Teams

TKing

I am just wondering a few things about Continental teams such as Endura and Rapha etc out of pure curiosity. Firstly, how much will these riders be getting paid to race per season? Do they all have other jobs as well or are they full time riders? And lastly, how do they get spotted to ride for such teams?

Thanks, T.

okgo

http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/2010/11/ ... ists-make/

not a bad read. I was thinking whether I'd like to work for £27k a year riding my bike and I think I would trade my job for that, but its a tough gig I think, if you don't make it then what happens when you retire? You have to do a crap job to make ends meet as you'll likley not be trained in anything of note...

with regards to getting spotted, its fairly obvious I would imagine? Be good at cycling and win races, get noticed and it will all go from there?

Pross

TKing wrote:

I am just wondering a few things about Continental teams such as Endura and Rapha etc out of pure curiosity. Firstly, how much will these riders be getting paid to race per season? Do they all have other jobs as well or are they full time riders? And lastly, how do they get spotted to ride for such teams?

Thanks, T.

Pro conti teams have a minimum salary of 27,500 euros I believe but continental teams don't have a minimum salary. Some riders will probably ride just for their expenses and race entries being covered and the team supplying their kit whislt a rider like Russ Downing will probably be earning a decent salary. As for getting spotted, it will be done on a results basis. You would need strong performances in high level events or a strong history as a junior rider to get in. Top flight cycling is a small world in this country so the team management will be aware of any riders with the sort of performances they require.

Pross

okgo wrote:

http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/2010/11/how-much-do-pro-cyclists-make/

not a bad read. I was thinking whether I'd like to work for £27k a year riding my bike and I think I would trade my job for that, but its a tough gig I think, if you don't make it then what happens when you retire? You have to do a crap job to make ends meet as you'll likley not be trained in anything of note...

with regards to getting spotted, its fairly obvious I would imagine? Be good at cycling and win races, get noticed and it will all go from there?

I was chatting to an old mate of mine the other day who is a soigneur with Endura and he is away from home now for 6 weeks. It really is a tough life for anyone in a pro cycling team especially at the lower levels where the rewards aren't great and job security is non-existent. As a junior it always sounded appealing but with hindsight I think I'd have hated it even if I had the talent.

okgo

I'd love to have had a shot at it and should have started earlier at 24 now I dare say its too late for anything to happen. BUT I do earn more than the majority of those riders, and the likleyhood is when they come out of cycling they will hve to take a lower paid job and work the rest of their lives, hopefully that won't be the case with myself.

Still, I'd certainly take free kit and riding my bike over sitting at a desk in Central London haha

ozzzyosborn206

i think quite a few Endura riders are on a pretty good wage 30k+, and when you think how much of your spare money you spend on bike related products that they would get free it works out even better, but most of the other teams are probably not paying much over 20k, but to be honest i would happily jump at the chance to ride my bike if expenses were paid and i had a bit more on top of that to live with, being 22 and qualified electrician i will always be able to find work when i finish cycling.......now just to find some extra talent..........

okgo

As I said though, bear in mind that if one applies oneself its pretty easy in the south to earn £30k plus at 25, if not younger, and that figure usually will always keep going up, and by the time you're 40 hopefully you will have stuck at it and be earning a fair chunk more, double maybe, when you finish your stint with one of these teams you will have been on a similar wage right the way through your career and you find youself at 35 needing a job that pays you £30k or whatever and you have no expeirence or skills outside of bikes, not an ideal situation I'd say.

BUT if you never go pro, you'll never know if you can be the next big thing I guess. Mr Cavendish etc will never need to work again obviously, but there are only a few of him in the peloton.

And if you think of how high profile Cav is, and what he's done, its amazing to think that he probably would not be the highest paid person at any of the top 10 prem footy teams.

lyn1

ozzzyosborn206 wrote:

i think quite a few Endura riders are on a pretty good wage 30k+, and when you think how much of your spare money you spend on bike related products that they would get free it works out even better, but most of the other teams are probably not paying much over 20k, but to be honest i would happily jump at the chance to ride my bike if expenses were paid and i had a bit more on top of that to live with, being 22 and qualified electrician i will always be able to find work when i finish cycling.......now just to find some extra talent..........

Depends which Endura riders, but a number are barely on half that and they win top races... they also tend to be better paid than most other teams. Riders on UCI teams in this country on 20k plus are an exception and most will be lucky to get anywhere near half that.
Its a lifestyle thing not income generation.