Neil Bezdek

by Andy Shen

Kevin Scott interviews

 Kevin Scott had a chat with former Kissena and current Mountain Khakis rider Neil Bezdek in Central Park. Check out the local lad gone pro:

 

71 Comments

Yanis Cable

cat1 or pro in USA is same thing if you are a criterium rider…
Go Neil!!! And you can be sure MK is a clean program!!!

Martin Headset

Dood, one of our own turns pro and instead of support all the jealous haters can do is get on here and try and diss. You guys suck, that’s why you’re not Pro and just sitting there doing silly Park races. Rock on Neil!

Samuel Headbadge

not on continental pro team… therefore license says cat 1. not pro.

ultimately who cares. his team probably couldn’t complete some monetary requirement to be “pro” or they didn’t submit the paperwork in time. he’s still fast. riding his bike and having fun. good for him.

Antoine Torque the 3rd

you have

world Class
UCI DIVISION 1/2/Pro
UCI Division 3 Pro
cat1
cat2
cat3
cat 4
cat5
and kitty cat untrained!

Florian Cogset

You chamois kissers needn’t get your panties in a bunch. Not hating on Neil, we all know he’s fast and dominated the local scene. He’s just not a Pro. That’s a fact.

A webster dictionary definition of professional is a dubious distinction when it refers to the difference of an elite vs Professional cyclist.

Lucas Lorica

A professional is someone who is paid to do something.
Neil gets paid to ride his bike.
Thus, Neil is a professional.

Jules Steerer

So if pay the local 14 year old in the neighborhood to cut your grass, he’s a professional?

Wout Sealant

Why is it that pros like Neil and Evie always come across as so chill and down to earth, while so many of the riders within our own local peloton give the impression that they are nothing but vain, jealous douchebags? Neil clearly enjoys bike racing, so why can’t you?

Pierre Headset

there is an argument that the US crit circuit is not true “pro” cycling. Add another 100 miles and I think we could use the term pro legit…

Ermanno Rim

hating and flaming are not exclusive to cycling. believe it or not, you see it fairly often on the internets.

Kylian Lorica

Great racer, great story, but I agree that he is no more pro than a guy like Hurst or Margarite on Bikereg/Cannondale or Stans / AXA. They are elite amateur teams. Last year Mtn kahakis was NRC pro. This year they are elite Amateur.

BTW – if your def of pro is someone who earns a living racing a bike, then most of of the local Cat1s who work in a shop and race on the weekends fall in this category.

Evie is the only true pro to come out of NYC in the past few years.

Morelli Bearing

@ Lillian lorica

Working in a bike shop & racing as a cat 1is not the same as getting paid, however modestly,
to travel around the country & race a bike full time. Sounds pretty Pro to me.

Theo Saddlebag

….from US cycling…

In an effort to better organize the top level of road cycling in the United States, USA Cycling has created a new category of road team that is above a club but not yet a UCI-registered team. These Domestic Elite Teams will create a stepping stone to the professional level and will better solidify the position of teams competing at the National Racing Calendar (NRC) level. Both men’s and women’s teams wishing to accrue NRC Team points must either list at this level or as a UCI-registered team.

list of teams (domestic & UCI):
https://www.usacycling.org/forms/nrc/NRCMensTeamRoster.pdf

Salvestro Seatpost

Between Gavi and Neil, one of them has done a lot more NRC races out of the tri state area than the other one has. Its not the one that races for the Garmin development team.

Dante

we all train like pros or at least try to. the haters can’t handle the truth. they suck. the rest of us are resigned to the truth and just enjoy training, racing, mostly losing, and hanging out in spandex. tnx for the interview. good guy and i wish him luck.

profest

KBS finishes its 2009 season with a return to the Vuelta a Chihuahua in Mexico,
October 4-10.
USA Professional Cycling Tour Final Rankings by Points:
1. TEAM COLUMBIA – HIGH ROAD 469
2. GARMIN – SLIPSTREAM 408
3. ASTANA 290
4. TEAM SAXO BANK 248
5. KELLY BENEFIT STRATEGIES 217
6. BISSELL PRO CYCLING 199
7. CERVELO TEST TEAM 153
8. OUCH Presented by MAXXIS 143
9. FLY V AUSTRALIA 139
10. BMC RACING TEAM 127
11. QUICK STEP 124
12. LIQUIGAS 105
13. AMORE VITA/DETWEILER 99
14. ROCK RACING 89
15. TEAM TYPE 1 83
16. COLAVITA OLIVE OIL/SUTTER HOME 76
17. PLANET ENERGY 74
18. RABOBANK 48
19. TEAM CYKELCITY/KLEHR HARRISON 31
20. ELK HAUS 30
21. JELLY BELLY CYCLING TEAM 30
22. AG2R LA MONDIALE 28
23. KENDA PRO CYCLING P/B SPINERGY 23
24. MOUNTAIN KHAKIS 20
25. SWEDISH NATIONAL TEAM 10
26. TEAM QUEBEC 8
27. DANISH NATIONAL TEAM 6
28. LAND ROVER-OREBA 6
29. TREK LIVESTRONG 6
30. GLUD & MARSTRAND HORSENS 4

Tibo Seatpost

http://www.usacycling.org/results/index.php?permit=2011-1375

16 0 Eric Schildge (4 – Pro)    Hanover, NH 25:51.0  206020  104  Jamis Sutter Homes p/b Colavita
17 0 Joey Rosskopf (7 – Cat1)    Decatur, GA 25:51.0  223318  102  Team Type 1-Development
18 0 Neil Bezdek (8 – Cat1)    Centennial, CO 25:51.0  276693  15  Team Mountain Khakis p/b SmartPop

Kylian Lorica

The Next Ted King. Guy is young, super nice and a beast on the road. Would not be suprised if he is a domestique in a grand tour in the next 5 years.

JFG

Kylian Clamp

could you assholes get a life. Leave both of them alone. does it bother you that much that your a 4 for life?

Kylian Lorica

To be clear, I was giving Peter Hurst nothing but 100% praise for his hard work, good attitude and ability on the bike. I do think he will be the next guy who is somewhat local and rode for CRCA last year to go to a big pro team.

JFG

Marco Chamois

Team owner (Pat Raines) has related to me that these guys are eligible for amateur races and not considered professional. They do get a “stipend” and get lots of free gear that is theirs to keep…however they are not assigned a salary unless they have other duties (ie Myerson as Team Manager). The team last year was a professional team but due to the team license costs associated with Conti-Pro status, the budget was not there for that layout of cash but their status as an elite team guaranteed them great product support from sponsors (Ridley, TRP, etc). Myerson is actually eligible (as he has stated) for Master’s Worlds this year as he does not hold a pro license (none of the Mt Khaki riders do – which is the reason you saw not a single Mt Khaki’s rider at the US Pro Championships.

Jens Chamois

I have to call B-S on the fee argument. It has to do with age.

UCI continental (Div 3) teams are subject to age restrictions (under 28). UHC upgraded to UCI Pro Continental (Div 2) to get around this. Mountain Khakis went Elite.

Adam Meyerson is almost 40, probably kind of hard to hire riders young enough to offset that.

fillet_brazed

Cycling dirt had a great interview once upon a time with one of the few competitive cyclists actually earning a salary as a UCI Division 1 rider. He said there was maybe 3 in the U.S. The rest are like this guy.

The guy is likely getting travel expenses and equipment. If he’s lucky, he’s earning about as much as a Starbucks barista in cash. He’s making ends meet somehow. Bank of Mom and Dad maybe?

The most important take away is USAC structures bike racing in the U.S. as a development pool for the UCI. Their policies discourage a fertile national (salaried!)pros ecosystem. Mountain biking is even worse off.

DutchClutch

It’s a silly argument. Everyone can have a different definition of pro. If he does it fully time, makes prize $ doing it, is on a (very small) salary/stipend, etc.. does that mean pro? The team has no pro license this year, but they did last year and probably will next year, but Neil can earn just as much or more $ this year than he did last year. I am a “pro” triathlete. I get paid $200/mo from my 1 financial sponsor, and pay my way to all the races which puts me in the red. Am I a pro? I’ve only won prize $ twice. I also coach on the side and do random jobs (painting, fence building, mowing, selling things).. am I a pro triathlete? I have a pro license, but I make my $ by…well, good thing I just got married and my wife just got a job 🙂 I don’t make much $ racing yet.
After his pro..or non-pro cycling career..I’m sure Neil will do just fine at any job (He was a college valedictorian & scored a nearly perfect score on the SAT)..yes I’m bragging for him b/c he’s humble and you wouldn’t hear it from him. Good luck Neil and informative video.

Jean Chainsuck

Tri guy just curious, who did you hear that he was college valedictorian and had near perfect SATs from? Niel perhaps?

Jean Lorica

it’s bike reg … soft “g” as in registration.

Bike reg hard “g” dirves me crazy –

Seattube

Everyone should shut the fuck up and tide their bikes instead of bash on other people who are above and beyond your abilities on the bike. Get a fucking life, word.

Remi Topcap

It’s funny how his friends have obviously taken this as a personal attack on the kid and come on here to defend him. It’s nothing personal, it’s just pointing out the fact that he’s not a Pro. He rides for an amateur team. There is a difference. No one said anything bad about him. No one insinuated that he was not smart or not a good college student. No one implied that he’s cocky.

If you want to use the definition of getting paid to ride a bike, then the list of local “pro” should include Foundation, AXA, Mengoni, etc, etc.

The UCI clearly defines the level of Professional trade teams. Also the USPRO championship. As well as confirmation from the team owner itself.

PS what’s a “pro card”?

hater69

I just don’t understand why anyone felt the need to point this out? Other then to be shitty and cut down Neils achievements just the tiniest notch to make them selves feel better. It’s pretty pathetic and a poor reflection on our community.

Stan Flange

we are on what pro website right now? is there a real UCI Pro website I can go to to chat with real pros please and not fake cat1 Valley dick Store’s nametag “Ian”….

sheesh Francis!!!

fillet_brazed

To restate some important points,
-USAC (via the UCI) has very specific tiers of teams. This guy is not on the ‘pro’ tier. The guy rides for an amateur team.
-Clarifying whether or not the guy is a pro is not a personal attack.
-The guy appears to be well ranked nationally. Good for him. That makes him a good candidate for an interview.
-USAC is not interested in growing domestic racing. Their only goal is to feed Pat’s Euro dope ring.

Mike Sherry

Just had the pleasure of watching Neil podium from a break in Grafton, WI last night. Awesome kid, smart racer, Elite/pro whatever… he’s on a high level, has a super solid finishing kick, and is getting better all the time. Last year he started these races and had no idea what to expect and did a brilliant job of adapting. The kid’s going places and represents the sport well. Keep it up Neil.

Uncle EffTurd

-Clarifying whether or not the guy is a pro is not a personal attack.

No. Calling someone a pro, who is not is an idolizing circlejerk.

Comments are closed.