Awesome that you are sponsoring a kid . I work in Nigeria so obviously do most of my riding there and ride with 5 Team Nigeria riders (3 females and 2 males) as well as a lot of youngsters from 11 to 19. The talent and commitment is phenomenal but they get hardly any help from the Government (the National riders) and 95% of all the riders, including the kids, are dirt poor. They don't dope to win races, they ride because they want to and enjoy it.Some of the bikes they ride are 30 years old. They don't have money for fancy bikes, fancy kit etc but they ride with smiles on their faces. Reminds me, as I was doing my morning ride here at home, a Cannondale kitted rider and his friend were coming the opposite way. I smiled and waved (as I enjoy riding my bike and am a friendly kind of guy) only to be ignored. Wow, I thought, these guys are coming down to the coast to ride my waves and ride on my road and they can't even lift a hand to greet. They must obviously hate riding as it seems to make them really unhappy. Keep on with the good work with your 18 year old and encourage him that hard work pays off. He certainly sounds like he has the right attitude. My motto in life is Attitude determines Altitude.
