These Things Go In Cycles

Now, I’m no Cadel Evans but I’ve been in a few bike races in my time. Whisper it, I’ve even won one or two, but … well, it’s not so much that I draw the line at three weeks cycling around some of Europe’s more mountainous courses, more the fact that I guess the teams would draw the line there for me. I’m not bad, and I enjoy the ride, but I’m not about to turn professional. And at the age of 26 I’m sure it would have happened by now if it were going to. Just as I’m never going to displace Rocky Elsom from the Wallabies line-up but I still enjoy throwing a rugby ball around if people promise not to tackle me too hard.

So my racing career has been strictly amateur, although not as amateur as my rugby one. I think I prefer it that way, although if someone were to throw money at me for doing what I love I can’t pretend I’d throw it back. It does at least mean I can choose when to race and when to kick back, and having recently got engaged I don’t think my fiancée would be too thrilled about me taking to the roads as regularly as a professional does. She’s more than tolerant of me doing a bit of amateur racing every so often though, and often comes along on my training runs, although she usually drives along in plain sight rather than try to keep up with me on a bike.

Obviously, she can’t do that during a race – which is a bit of a shame really, as I’d like someone to be able to jam a particularly tricky opponent out of the way in some of the tighter races. So although she carries my rucksack and everything a cyclist could need when I’m training, I need to have it all with me when I’m racing. I say “all”, but I essentially mean a bit of sunblock (my dad’s Irish and let’s just say I inherited his complexion) and a bottle of water. I heard that a number of teams had signed up to use liquid packs for the Tour de France and I have to say I’m a convert myself. They are very portable and easy to drink from mid-race.

I was certainly grateful for mine in the last race I took part in. Plenty of climbing, much of which was on twisting roads and it takes a lot out of you no matter how much you train. I got away from the main pack twice early on and twice I was caught up. I felt fine physically but it’s at times like that that you really need the mental mettle, and I was beginning to waver. As the peloton chugged along it was as good a time as any to take some water on board and I can’t tell you how much sharper I felt. I went out in front again and this time it was for keeps. I had to check at the end of the race that it was just water in there! (It was, of course. Oh, and I won. Go me!).