Coming from a mountain bike background Neil Shirley, turned pro (as a road cyclist) in 2004 and joined the Jittery Joe’s team in 2006. The twenty-nine year old Southern Californian has been progressing in the years since, and it was evident in his 2007 season when he finished 3rd at the USPRO Road Race Championships.
I distinctly remember watching Neil on the USPRO podium where his intense but quiet inner joy shined through the chaos. And then to cap off a great season, Neil and his wife welcomed a beautiful baby girl in November 2007.
Jittery Joe’s Neil Shirley, 3rd place at 2007 USPRO Road Championship
Neil also coaches cyclists in the San Diego area when he can impart his knowledge and experience to riders that are passionate about his beloved sport.
I talked with Neil before the start of the Redlands Bicycle Classic race to learn more about the man, and his plans for the year.
Lyne: You came from mountain biking to road racing, how did that come about?
Neil: I raced mountain bikes since I was fifteen years old, I love the sport. It was a constant struggle every year trying to find sponsorship and it basically became trying to lose the least amount of money each year, there wasn’t much compensation although I love the sport. At the end of 2003, I was able to get in with some of the other guys that were coming from the Schroeder Iron team and they were putting together a new pro team in San Diego, where I was living, so I got my foot in the door with that and that became Seasilver, that was my first year on the road was 2004.
Lyne: So not that long ago.
Neil: No, and it was really strange because I’d never even ridden for a club team on the road and I’d always done road races on my own and I’d just recently gotten my cat 2 and then my cat 1 upgrade in 2003. It was really my first year on the road really having no idea what to do, I was fairly strong but I didn’t how to use it, I didn’t have any patience, so it was a big learning curve and I still find myself still learning as I go, I guess.
