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Any average Joe's training with ex Pros

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May 13, 2009
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Cesar Grajales was at our Sunday ride. I also rode with him at the 6 Gap Century. I beat him up Hog Pen Gap, but he was spinning easy chatting up some female rider.

I used to end up riding with a lot of former pro cyclists and triathletes. My favorite was one evening I was with a pro who just came back from Europe- a small team. There was a small group (including the former bike pro and 2 former tri pros) of us hammering and I was just dying. I hit a rock and flatted! Yippee! I could change my tube and spin in. But no, the pro and a local bike shop owner stopped and helped me change my flat. I was begging the to go ahead, but nooooooo. After we got going again I felt obligated to kill myself holding onto their wheel some more. Almost killed me. The bike shop owner told me later he stopped because he needed the break as well. The pro was his buddy and so stopped for him.
 
Jul 6, 2009
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in socal at simi valley como or montrose group rides there are always pros of various levels sometimes euro pros at least at simi. if my fitness is good its a hard effort but no problem keeping up and even placing well on the last climb.
 
Oct 29, 2009
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I've raced mountain bikes for a few years. Never competed in anything higher than Sport, but I have ridden and trained with a few pros. By that, I mean we start the ride together, and I see them again 20-30 miles later after they have put their bikes away and drank at least one beer. :eek:

Never trained with any pros on the road, as I'm less involved with road racing. I ride all the time, and watch any race I can but don't compete.
 
Sep 9, 2009
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Closest I've come to training with pros is the Wednesday morning cyclocross practice they have here. Travis Brown will ride if he's in town, and pretty regularly you'll see a US-level pro like Justin England (was on Toyota United, I believe, now on Rock?) or a Garmin U-23. Biggest name is probably Danny Summerhill, who used to school the Cat 4's back when he was 14 then went on to win a silver at cross worlds a couple years back.

Good thing about cross is that so much of it is skill vs. power or fitness. So if you're a good handler you can outride guys you'd never even come close to on the road. So even though my top race placing ever was 3rd in a weak Cat 4 race, I can beat Justin England on a cross ride any day! :cool:
 
Aug 3, 2009
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wewallac said:
Australia is the place to be to ride with the pros. Lucky ******s...

http://tinyurl.com/yb7fprm

Here in Luxembourg its not bad, tiny country, a lot of classy local pros (some danes from saxo living here too). You can actually see them quite often training... Never rode with them though, would die from exhaustion after a few km