The Big Jump #1

Racing on the international level is a big dream for many riders. For a big group of them, the sacrifices to reach that level are not only made on the bike but also on the plane. Riders in the East of Europe have often only few races nearby and have to save up decent amounts of money to make their trips westwards. Riders from outside the old continent even have to relocate themselves completely and adjust to a whole new lifestyle. In this part, we describe the different challenges in the sport as an observer. In part two we also give the word to the riders themselves. They will already be visually presented through this article.

Living the dream

You're dominating the circuit in your homeland and you turn on your TV and you dream of beating the best riders in the world as well. You open your computer, look for what you need and come across some obstacles that might have not crossed your mind before. Apart from the obvious financial barriers, we also tackle the difficulties of traveling, finding a good environment and staying in there and we provide a few possible solutions.

Making the move

If you're living in Europe, you might have 2 realistic options. Saving up money to invest in a (camper)-van or taking planes regurarly for your travels. For riders outside Europe, there is no other option then relocate entirely and search for a new home across the ocean. This does not only require having the financial means, but also being able to adapt to a new way of life. Some riders are enjoying their new way of life and find their way pretty quickly, while others struggle more in their new enviroment. Emotional support from the home front and local coaches at the new European team can be important elements for success, as not only good legs & bikes are important but also setting up good conditions around the rider.

Teamwork

Finding a good team is easier said then done too. Teams should be open to support riders with different backgrounds then they are used to at home and bringing them to their best level in a new environment. Unfortunately, it's complicated for a rider to know the teams where this awareness is present and with already filled rosters, it's not easy to find a spot in the team of their preference. National & international federations could start campaigns to bring more information & awareness in the teams and improve the circumstances in the sport overall. The UCI could also set up a WT race in countries with potential like Colombia, the United States or Hungary to make that a national selection can already compete against them on home soil and prove their potential in front of interested in Pro & World Tour teams.

Regulations

Visas are also still a struggle for athletes nowadays. In many European countries, many riders can only stay for 3 months and can't return in the 3 months after and that rule applies also to European riders who live outside the European Union. This makes that riders often have to be picky about the period that they are racing and can't just return whenever they want, after an injury. Governments could reconsider their visa regulations for sports athletes, given the specific kind of their activity and the easiness to monitor them. 

In some countries riders are able to stay for a longer time when they earn a high amount of money, but for a rider who sets her or his first steps in the sport, that is a meaningless posibility at that point of their carreer.

Once all pieces fall well together, riders can experience highlights and reach heights that only few other riders reached before, but more could be done by outsiders to support them better in their journey.

In Part 2, four riders who reached World Tour racing or are on their way towards it, tell more about their experiences and give even some advice. Kim Cadzow (New Zealand), Tota Magalhães (Brazil), Karla Kustura (Bosnia & Herzegovina) and Ivana Tonkova (Bulgaria) will give an insight in their cycling journey.

Read the experiences of the riders in Part 2 :

The Big Jump #2 (cyclingbottle.blogspot.com)