Here's a few more points of what to look for in a cycling coach.
* Will they ride with you to give you feedback on your pedal stroke, posture, etc? Local coaches may do this. A distant coach may do this a little if you can send them a video.
* Will they fit you on your bike? A good bike fitting is essential for efficiency and comfort. Local coaches may do this, especially if they are certified to fit people on a bike. Usually if you buy a new bike from a local bike shop, the custom fit is included. Local bike shops also offer full custom fit - check out Lees Cyclery South in Fort Collins
* Will they help you determine which races should be your A, B, and C races? Not every race you compete in is at full speed at the peak of your training. Depending on the types of races you do, you will probably peak every other month or so for about 2-3 weeks. Races outside this realm can still be competed in but you will probably not be at your peak - these are good for training anyway. You need to plan out your season so that your training is optimized to peak for the races you really want to excel in.
* Do they have any current or past students that you could talk to? Sometimes a coach will hype up what they have to offer to get you on board as a client. Find out how they really are by talking to one of their clients.
* What is the minimum amount of time you must commit to their coaching? What if you are not satisfied? Most coaches require a minimum of 6 months or more training with them, as getting started with a new client takes time to figure out what type of cyclist you are, how fast you recover, and what your limits are. Find out in advanced if there is a minimum that you must train with them for. Is there an out clause if you are not satisfied? Is there a start-up fee? If you are a member of XYZ club, do you get a discount off the start-up fee? Start-up fees can be huge, up to a couple-hundred dollars. Some coaches use this money to get you in a wind tunnel for testing, VO2 max testing, and other tests to get a full synopsis of where you currently are in fitness and cycling. Others simply use the money to research your past training to get a feel for what you can and cannot handle, and determine how best to help you progress.
* Can they coach you if you only have a heart rate monitor instead of a power meter? Some coaches will only work with clients with a power meter. Although it is true a power meter is a huge advantage in proper training and racing, you can still get benefits basing your training off your heart rate. Make sure your coach knows how to set up training based on heart rate.
* What happens if you go on vacation for 2 weeks? Since most coaches charge monthly, do you end up eating those two weeks where you aren't training, or will they pro-rate that month? Or will they give you other exercises you can do with limited time and resources wherever you are vacationing?
As for recommendations for coaches, my best recommendation is for you to ask around to find out what coaches people are using and what they think of them. Find people in your sport. My sport is endurance mountain bike racing, mostly 12 and 24 hour races. The ultimate coach in this field is Lynda Wallenfels, who lives in southern Utah. She has some amazing training plans available on her website: lwcoaching.com.
I have also heard good things about Yuki Saito (yukisaito.net) for mountain bike racing (Team Topeak-Ergon) and Chris Carmichael Training systems (trainright.com) who trained Lance Armstrong.
Gale Bernhardt is a tri-athlete Olympian who coaches out of Fort Collins, CO (galebernhardt.com) and leads road rides every Sunday morning.
Also check out team rides of the various cycling teams around town and groups on meetup.com. It's a great place to get some free tips while riding with a group.
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