July 14, 2009
The fact that you actually made it as a professional cyclist on the elite stage is truly incredible and shows you obviously have superior talent. But did you have any inclination as a junior that you might make it as a pro? Were you dominating every race you entered as a junior?
Devon Acker - Arvada, CO
I am not so sure that I would use dominate to describe what I did as a junior, but for sure I was highly competitive, usually made the winning breakaway and even won a few races. Interestingly enough, I believe that not being completely dominating may have been a key to me making it into the pro ranks.
There were plenty of riders I competed against as juniors who were better riders than I was, but when they arrived in Europe, and suddenly were no longer cock of the walk, so they caved in and went home. That was a long time ago though, when American racing was nowhere near the level it is now.
As far as thinking I might have enough to make it into the pros, it was a bit of a different time than now so it was more of a pipe dream than much of a conscious goal. I mean, an American wanting to go race bikes for a living in Europe would have been a little bit like a Hawaiian wanting to play in the NHL - a rarity. That's the great thing about bike racing though, much of it is learned and trained, not inherited.
I am not so sure that I would use dominate to describe what I did as a junior, but for sure I was highly competitive, usually made the winning breakaway and even won a few races. Interestingly enough, I believe that not being completely dominating may have been a key to me making it into the pro ranks.
There were plenty of riders I competed against as juniors who were better riders than I was, but when they arrived in Europe, and suddenly were no longer cock of the walk, so they caved in and went home. That was a long time ago though, when American racing was nowhere near the level it is now.
As far as thinking I might have enough to make it into the pros, it was a bit of a different time than now so it was more of a pipe dream than much of a conscious goal. I mean, an American wanting to go race bikes for a living in Europe would have been a little bit like a Hawaiian wanting to play in the NHL - a rarity. That's the great thing about bike racing though, much of it is learned and trained, not inherited.
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