Italian kids racing - no idea what it is but looks like they're having fun

[54ny77]

This is so awesome. It makes me smile.

Boys & girls of various ages, sprinting, hammering, lookin' like they're having a blast. Good handling by many of 'em too--some probably better than most Cat 4/5 races here in the US! ;)

Who knows, maybe the next big Italian champion comes from this group one day.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fQuj6srgBw0

And here's some Italian juniors racing, some teenage kid named De Luca @ 8 min 33......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MewmPzDNxZ0

[Nags&Ducs]

Nice! Kids on bikes...the way it's supposed to be.

[54ny77]

What's going on these days in U.S. with respect to juniors racing? I am far out of that loop, have no idea. Are junior fields big these days?

I raced & grew up in an era (mid-late 80's) when there were big national junior development team (7-eleven, Raleigh, etc.) and it produced some huge names. And when those teams showed up at some of the bigger local or regional/supra-regional races, I'd get shellacked. So totally humbling. Is there anything like that kind of team today?

I know some guys that help out promising juniors here & there, but that's a onesy-twosey kind of thing.

[DRietz]

Oh boy. It's like you guys haven't hung around the Northern California junior races.

Big fields, big sponsors, strong racers. Specialized development, Ritte development, TIBCO for the ladies...

[shovelhd]

Most of the good Juniors race their category around here. If the best ones do a Junior race it's a bloodletting.

[VTCaraco]

I may be in the minority here, but having recently fallen victim to AAU (basketball), I really wonder to what extent this is helping kids versus giving adults one more avenue to compete against one another.

I suppose it's sort of a chicken versus the egg sort of question. Are the kids competitive BECAUSE the parents are competitive or the other way around?
I look at the big AAU tournaments and how wrapped up some of the parents are and the injuries and specialization at such a young age and wonder whether it's a good movement or not. Couple that with the inconsistencies in quality coaching (that is, coaching that's helping these people to be better people) and I'm really not sure...

I love cycling for the health, the simplicity, the serenity. Racing is cool, too.

Just another point of view to throw in the mix.

Curious the extent to which other parents perceive a dysfunction in competition.

And the cultural difference is fascinating. At a minimum, I'm not aware of such a prolific youth scene in the northeast. Personally, I'd prefer a cycling phenomena over many of the team sport organizations that I see, but that may just be me coveting another way or life or a euro-snobbery.

[T.J.]

This is what we have here and I think it's awesome



http://www.usacycling.org/how-red-zone-cycling-grows-louisvilles-next-generation-of-cyclist.htm

[shovelhd]

My youngest played AAU basketball for a year. That was enough.

[VTCaraco]

My youngest played AAU basketball for a year. That was enough.

That will be our path, too. Kind of bizarre, isn't it? And pretty expensive when you consider all of the incidentals.

[VTCaraco]

This is what we have here and I think it's awesome

http://www.usacycling.org/how-red-zone-cycling-grows-louisvilles-next-generation-of-cyclist.htm
Awesome!
I especially love the intensity in her face on the 2nd picture and how they all look to be having a great time in the 4th picture.
Good stuff! Wish we had a similar sort of opportunity in this area. I would LOVE to have my son as a riding partner; but alas, I've figured out that that's not what he wants for right now.

I think the key is the people involved "coaches John Haley, and the wife-husband team of Lesley and Mike McShane – wants its cyclists to have fun, learn life lessons, and excel in competition.
“We think of this as a training period for your life,” Haley said. Seems like these two "get it". Maybe that's the key to all of this. Or at least it is to me.

[shovelhd]

That will be our path, too. Kind of bizarre, isn't it? And pretty expensive when you consider all of the incidentals.

$1800 for us, and we live in New England where everything is a drive away.