Last Sunday my team got a pretty cool opportunity. We went for a ride with one of the Korean professional road teams and then went out for lunch and coffee with them. The team consists of just 6 riders but they were all really nice guys. It was a really great opportunity for me to ask some questions about how pro cycling in Korea works. The team Captain Seon Jae Jang was really good at English and helped answer a lot of my questions. Pro racing in Korea is much different than the US.
First all the distinction between pro and amateur in Korea is very strong. The pros have a completely seperate set of races they do and amateurs are not allowed to participate. There are about 100 registered pro riders in Korea so they still have ok size fields at most of their races. Also they only have pro racing about once a month which is usually a road stage race or a set of track competitions. Most of the pro riders do both road and track as a result of this. Finally the biggest difference is that even though most of the teams aren't registered as UCI continental teams all of the riders get paid a decent livable salary and as a result can focus on nothing but training and racing. Also their races don't give prize money but if they do well they will get a higher salary the next year. Definitely a big difference between many of the continental pro racers in the US. Also basically every pro rider started biking in middle or high school at a sports high school and were basically brought up through the Korean pro development system. There aren't many riders who are pros who didn't participate in an organized high school racing team. It was interesting to finally get a lot of my questions answered about how pro racing works!
Overall it was a really fun and informative day and a nice ride with some great guys. The pros are doing a 3 day stage race that starts tomorrow in Gapyoung north of Seoul. Following this race there is a one day race for amateurs that I will be riding in. I can't wait to get my season started!
I didn't take many pictures but my teammate Myo Jin did so I'm putting a link to her blog here if your interested in seeing them. She writes really nice detailed blogs about every team ride and race. Click the picture with the rider in the red jersey to see the blog about our ride.
http://blog.naver.com/miao333
지난주 일요일 너무 특별한라이딩있었어요! 우리팀 LX 시스템 선수단이랑 같이달렸어요! 나 한국 프로선수들에게 물어보고싶은거 너무많있어서 신났어요! 장년 투르두코리아에서 장찬재선수 한번만났지만 이번에 찬재선수형 장선재선수만났어요. 선재선수 영어너무 잘할수있어서 얘기 많이했어요. 한국 선수 생활은 미국 프로 선수 보다 많이 달라요!
우리 자전거 40키로 정도 타고 칼국수 먹으로 갔어요! 너무 맛있는 가평 칼국수 먹고 유명한커피샵왔어요! 이커피샵바리스타 몇년전에 월드바리스타 대회 일등했어요!!! 선수들이랑 우리팀과함게 너무 재미있는하루보냈어요.
이번주 토요일 내 올해시작이다. 가평에서 열심히타고 환걸형 일등다시하기위에서 좀 도와지봐야해요!
나 이번에 사진 많이 안찍었지만 묘진 누나 브로그 보면 좋은사진이너무많아요.
First all the distinction between pro and amateur in Korea is very strong. The pros have a completely seperate set of races they do and amateurs are not allowed to participate. There are about 100 registered pro riders in Korea so they still have ok size fields at most of their races. Also they only have pro racing about once a month which is usually a road stage race or a set of track competitions. Most of the pro riders do both road and track as a result of this. Finally the biggest difference is that even though most of the teams aren't registered as UCI continental teams all of the riders get paid a decent livable salary and as a result can focus on nothing but training and racing. Also their races don't give prize money but if they do well they will get a higher salary the next year. Definitely a big difference between many of the continental pro racers in the US. Also basically every pro rider started biking in middle or high school at a sports high school and were basically brought up through the Korean pro development system. There aren't many riders who are pros who didn't participate in an organized high school racing team. It was interesting to finally get a lot of my questions answered about how pro racing works!
Overall it was a really fun and informative day and a nice ride with some great guys. The pros are doing a 3 day stage race that starts tomorrow in Gapyoung north of Seoul. Following this race there is a one day race for amateurs that I will be riding in. I can't wait to get my season started!
I didn't take many pictures but my teammate Myo Jin did so I'm putting a link to her blog here if your interested in seeing them. She writes really nice detailed blogs about every team ride and race. Click the picture with the rider in the red jersey to see the blog about our ride.
http://blog.naver.com/miao333
지난주 일요일 너무 특별한라이딩있었어요! 우리팀 LX 시스템 선수단이랑 같이달렸어요! 나 한국 프로선수들에게 물어보고싶은거 너무많있어서 신났어요! 장년 투르두코리아에서 장찬재선수 한번만났지만 이번에 찬재선수형 장선재선수만났어요. 선재선수 영어너무 잘할수있어서 얘기 많이했어요. 한국 선수 생활은 미국 프로 선수 보다 많이 달라요!
우리 자전거 40키로 정도 타고 칼국수 먹으로 갔어요! 너무 맛있는 가평 칼국수 먹고 유명한커피샵왔어요! 이커피샵바리스타 몇년전에 월드바리스타 대회 일등했어요!!! 선수들이랑 우리팀과함게 너무 재미있는하루보냈어요.
이번주 토요일 내 올해시작이다. 가평에서 열심히타고 환걸형 일등다시하기위에서 좀 도와지봐야해요!
나 이번에 사진 많이 안찍었지만 묘진 누나 브로그 보면 좋은사진이너무많아요.
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