Comments on: Amber Neben’s latest column: Opportunity

By: Marcela

Marcela — Sun, 28 Mar 2010 05:56:11 +0000

I'm agree with Susannah Gordon, you are such an inspiration to many women!!!
I'm from Costa Rica (in central america) and here the women cyclism and just starting to grow... waiting or searching some oportunities.
The oportunities, I think, we found it when we are in the right way, destiny maybe...? luck?
my best wishes for you, Amber, I can't wait for next article.

By: Susannah Gordon

Susannah Gordon — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:55:50 +0000

Amber- I love your column and what it has to say. You are such in inspiration to many women. I pray you will find the perfect place for your 2010 season.

Thank you for your comittment to this sport.

Susannah Gordon

By: dirty_juheesus

dirty_juheesus — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 20:53:55 +0000

The only 3 Alaskans that have gotten anywhere in cycling are the ones who's parents pay their way to race elsewhere.

Ms. Neben and *many* others artfully dodge the question of financial resources. She had a scholarship to a college. Which even at full-ride, there are meaningful living expenses. It's exceedingly unlikely she was doing the work/full-time study/train/race death march. I would be glad to be wrong about my assumption.

My best advice to you is to go somewhere that is on USA Cycling's radar. Colorado and the Bay Area in Cali are two. I'm positive there are others. Go for 4-weeks at a time, maybe 3 times a year with races packed in there tight as possible. Connect with a local club in the area before going and expect to live out of your car in a campground or two and get your upgrades that way. If you do your woodshedding in AK, you can crush em.

Chances are excellent you will abandon the sport altogether though. USA Cycling sees the high costs of participating in the sport as an 'opportunity.' While their consumers grow older and there are fewer younger racers.

By: mike23

mike23 — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:47:29 +0000

perhaps you need to leave your comfort zone to accomplish what you want. Pack up your bikes and belongings and find a job in a place that is more conducive to training for cycling. denver is a pretty cheap place to live and its absolutely amazing. I grew up there, and left everything behind to go to school on the east coast. Do i like the east coast more than denver? not even close. but i am glad that I took advantages of opportunities for me to chase after what i want in life and to have different experiences. if you wait around for life to come to you it might just pass you by…

By: bobfelcher

bobfelcher — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:20:00 +0000

You are not 15yo, if u really want to be a cyclist suck it up and take the plunge on your own. There are great cyclist who had to do just that, they went to where the racing was, no money, no job, no team. Then they found a way to make it work. You sleep in your car, you find a job stocking shelves at night so u can ride. The bike shop that sponsored my team gave Chris Horner a job when he was starting out & the owner caught him sleeping on the floor of the shop a few times. Don’t let someone else control your destiny! You are an adult, take charge and do whatever you need to do to succeed.

By: willross

willross — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:46:02 +0000

This artical made me think a lot about my success, opportunities and potential. I am a 20 year old male cyclist/triathlete born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska. I have had tons of success racing in Alaska. Success in Alaska has so little to do with opportunities in national or world level racing. Everything that i have heard says that it's up to me to make it happen, yet USA Cycling doesn't recognize any Alaska races. The only 3 Alaskans that have gotten anywhere in cycling are the ones who's parents pay their way to race elsewhere. The one chance i have been given in the last year was a trip to cyclocross nationals. I finished 20th in the U23 race, but there is no way to train for cycling in december in alaska. it just doesn't work. USA cycling needs to realize that there is plenty of potential in alaska. I applied for a Cat 3 upgrade last spring and was denied because apparently Alaska road races are only group rides. I am directing my comment at USA cycling. Send an employee up to Alaska once a year to see what you think, or maybe invite an Alaskan or two to a development camp. Just because there aren't lots of racers up here does not mean that there is no potential. Some of us need some opportunities for success, otherwise we will be working on a pipeline for the next 20 years.

By: hans wright

hans wright — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:18:00 +0000

outliers is a great book. nice article.

By: Katy

Katy — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 05:01:39 +0000

Amber, great article. It applies to so many of us in the Country suffering with the economy and looking for jobs and trying to keep it together.Ride for us, Hope for us. Best to you…Carpe Deim.