So what's it really like as a pro?

[-Adam-]

As you know, I'm now riding with the In Gear Development Squad. Some of you will be aware of Matt Green, he along with Tom Copeland have been the most successful graduates of the squad, with Matt having just spent the 2008 season riding for the CyclingNews/Jako Continental squad based in Belgium.

He had a pretty tough time of it. While on the form of his life he hit his knee on his bars at the Tour of Serbia, and subsequently had 10 weeks totally off the bike. For most neo-pros that would have been it. However, Matt is a pretty tough cookie. So he worked his ass off on any excercise he could that didn't involve his knee, and returned to the pro peloton for the rest of the season. He continued to graft and occasionally crept up the result sheets.

He continues with the team in about a month, now under the guise of Fuga/Down Under. (They are mostly based in Belgium, but are an Australian registered team, subesquently most of Matts team mates are either aussie or kiwi)

Anyhow, if your interested keep track of his progress on his new website at [url]http://mattgreencycling.webs.com/index.htm[/url] or his blog at [url]http://www.mattgreencycling.blogspot.com/[/url]

Tom Copeland is also heading back to Brittany shortly, and you can track his progress at [url]http://tomcopeland15.blogspot.com/[/url] He'll be living the life of a DN1 espoir which is basically as good as you can get as an espoir in France without quite being pro. Though he regularly races with some of the pro teams, and now teams like Credit Agricole have folded there are a few ex-protour riders on the top amateur teams now, so apparently life is getting tougher out there all the time!

I have had the priviledge of training with these guys over the winter, if I can come close to following them over there I'll be one happy chap!

Cheers,

Adam

[Dombo]

As someone who's regularly spat out the back of the 19s I can only say "chapeau" to you. That has to be one of the hardest ways to earn a living. If it was me, I'd starve.

[Paul H]

I heard In Gear has lost its sponsor. Is that correct?

[-Adam-]

Not as such Paul. Originally for 2009 In Gear was going to have a senior team called Team DFL. Which was going to have several tasty riders on the roster... and then me. However, due to the current economic situation as I'm sure your well aware of, the decision was made that it could not happen. Even though we would not have been an out and out premier calendar squad, the costs involved with even a small team, are still quite high. Equipment, clothing, bikes, travel, accomodation... you get the picture. So more on an ethical basis the decision was made that it was not right to be spending so much money on a cycling team while people were losing their jobs, I'm sure you can sympathise.

This of course, makes life much more difficult for myself as I have to fund a lot more of my racing myself. So if your trying to pick holes, don't. In Gear does a lot with very little actual funding, and supports riders of all ages as far as they want to go. We still have many businesses that help us out. DFL for one still provide us with two vans and two cars that we can use to travel to races and training sessions in, these are very helpful as you can imagine. In addition, Dan Bennetts excellent coaching service (Progressive Cycle Coaching) provides advice and coaching to the squad. In Gear Cycle Sport of Uckfield provide us an excellent service when it comes to supplying equipment and servicing etc. OneLife Sports & Leisure also provide much support through their brands such as Fuga Bikes, First Class Nutrition, Sonic Wheels and No Drugs cycle clothing (who are supplying our 2009 team kit, and let me tell you, it is excellent quality stuff). Check [url]http://www.onelifesportandleisure.com/[/url] for more info. What First Class Nutrition doesn't cover can be attained from Quickvit.co.uk, as another sponsor. And one more for good measure, the Cumberland Hotel of Eastbourne also provides valuable support to the squad, we will be holding our 2009 launch there on the 1st of Feb.

So we do ok, but money is hard to come by in this sport, especially in this climate. So if anyone knows of any companies who can help, by all means get in touch!

[Paul H]

I wasnt picking a hole, I am all for sponsored teams funding and developing new talent. Somebody mentioned it to me a couple of days ago so I asked the question.

So is that a forum rule then "no hole picking"?

[-Adam-]

Haha, fair play. It's just that DFL pulling out as a cash sponsor was a major blow thats all.

I don't pick holes, I just have some opinions that some people are uncomfortable with. But it's a free country (apparently) right!

[Andrew G]

[quote="-Adam-"]I don't pick holes, I just have some opinions that some people are uncomfortable with. But it's a free country (apparently) right!

[kieran]

hey, and that blog by AliCarr is back on again, also in Brittany this year. A very good read last year