CYCLING JOURNAL
How to Become a Professional Cyclist this 2023
Cycling is an exciting hobby, but it can actually be more fun when you go professional cycling. There are many perks to taking cycling as a profession–it has health benefits, you can earn money, and of course, you'd be recognized throughout the local or national cycling community.
However, being a professional cyclist isn't a walk in the park like any sport. You have to commit to a rigorous training routine and keep your body in good condition. But it's not impossible! Here's a quick guide on how you can become a professional cyclist.
What is a Professional Cyclist, and how to become one?
To be recognized as a pro cyclist, you need to acquire a Day License or a Full Racing License to compete with local or national licenses. These licenses are mostly released by the national association of cyclists in your country, which may either come as a one-time payment or an annual membership.
Day Licensees enable beginners to join Category 4 races without committing to a full racing license. Depending on your location, this can be purchased for around $1.80-$2.00. It's mostly considered a one-time pass if you want to compete in a beginner's match.
Racing Licensees will give you access to most cycling races within your country. It also comes with unlimited use as long as your membership is updated and gives you insurance coverage depending on the match. It usually costs around $99-$120.
After acquiring a cycling license, you would be considered a pro cyclist when you compete in Category 4 to Category 1 races–4 being the easiest and 1 being the toughest. To do this, you must gain points by joining previous sprints. Here's a quick list of the points you need:
- Category 4 - 12 points within calendar year OR acquisition of Day License
- Category 3 - Category 4 points PLUS 12 points within the season
- Category 2 - Category 3 points PLUS 40 points during the season
- Category 1 - Category 2 points PLUS 200 points
- Elite - Category 1 points plus 300 points
To prepare for your license acquisition or your first match, the first thing race organizers check is your gear. You must find the right bike and cycling accessories, such as bike lights. Without all these, you won't be able to
What are the benefits of being a Professional Cyclist?
Getting your racing license and joining competitions can be tedious and pricey. However, it comes with loads of benefits no money can match.
Free Travel
When you've already made a name on your national racing association, chances are, they will be funding you (or a private company to represent them) to join international tours. This includes getting into Belgium, France, Spain, and other scenic places for free.
The best part is that cycling tours usually last for 3 weeks. Meaning you have all the time in the world to explore the country you're in after joining the competition.
Sponsored Gears
Like any sport, companies love sponsoring cyclists to represent their brands in international competitions and tours. This will give you free gear, clothes, and other cycling items for free.
For pro cycling beginners, finding brands that want to sponsor you may take some time. Except, of course, if you're winning match-by-match. But here's our tip: look for an affiliate program from your favorite cycling brand. It could be for bicycles, bike accessories, or even clothes. These affiliate programs would give you a heft commission per sale, and they may even sponsor you sooner or later.
Cycling Friends
Meeting new people who share the same passion as you is priceless. They could also share some tips and tricks for you on how to win your competitions and tours. Plus, you would always have a group of friends who you could call should you want to do a spontaneous ride.
Some smart bike lights come with a group synchronization feature that could make your group cycling more enjoyable. You can sync your light setup and flash patterns, making you and your group a sight for other road users.
Earn Money
To be fair, the money in pro cycling isn't also bad. This, of course, depends on the team and the association you're in. People who get into World Tours and Continental Races live a luxurious lifestyle without looking for additional jobs.
The rates below Continental Races are significantly lower. However, this can easily be compensated with brand sponsorship and affiliate marketing deals that can also give you a steady inflow of money.
Healthy Lifestyle
Being a pro cyclist would force you to live a healthy lifestyle, as you can't sustain a career without being healthy. While this may be tedious, the benefits are endless, so much so that some pro cyclists don't have a hard time switching to other sports because of their body's capacity.
How to train as a Professional Cyclist?
Ready to be a pro cyclist? Then, let's jump into the training sessions that you should expect!
739 hours of training
The average professional cyclists spend at least 739 hours a year of training which is equivalent to more than 22,106 kilometers of rides. If you want to visualize it, that's approximately 7 runs of Tour de France.
But don't fret. This training is safely and precisely distributed over the year. One of the worst enemies of pro cyclists is fatigue, so you'd surely have rest and cool-down days to allow your body to recuperate.
Keeping track of your training is essential. To do this, you can get a smartphone cycling app to record your cycling time and distance easily.
Cardio training
Cardio training is essential for all pro athletes, especially for pro cyclists. Without good cardio health, you won't have the endurance for long rides and the power to go through steep slopes.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) sessions are included in your cool-down. This mostly includes burpees, lunge jumps, push-ups, jumping jacks, and more.
Muscle building
Aside from cardio training, pro cyclists also dedicate a significant amount of time to strengthening their muscles, as it affects their overall mobility and speed.
Some of pro cyclists' most common strength exercises include planks, kettlebell swings, weighted exercises, and deadlifts.
