Shane Perkins - Ryokou doco, his early years in Japan

[Bendo]

This might have been shared already but it's worth a bump. I came across this 2013 web doco "Ryokou" about Shane Perkins and his early career. It's just five, 5 minute chapters, and it's really nicely made. I liked it because it showed me the inside of Keirin culture, and I learned some fascinating things about what that's like. As a long-time student of the martial art of Kendo, the Japanese-ness of Keirin made me smile: the crazy discipline, the yelling out "ohaiyogozaimasu!" before morning training at the Keirin School, etc. I love how he packs up his own bike in a shipping box each time he leaves for a race meet.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyYq0Q ... 31_Gese9og

Even though he seems to be pretty comfortable with Japanese culture, he still pronounces "keirin" like an Aussie! b

[foo on patrol]

I've had the chance to talk with him a couple of times in Brisbane and is very polite and respectful. Smooth as on the Track when racing also.

Foo

[find_bruce]

I find it a strange contradiction that a bloke who can fit in with the discipline of Japanese keirin has twice fallen out with the AIS. The conduct in 2007 is well known, but I have never heard why he was shunned from 2015. Its clearly not a lack of talent as his 2nd place in the Euro champs shows

[foo on patrol]

It's politics and nothing else. They also said that Cam Myers was to old, until he made a fool of them at the 2016 TDU I think it was!

Foo

[P!N20]

Enjoyed watching these, thanks Bendo. Maybe I missed the worst of it, but he seems quite down to Earth with a drive to succeed, yet a lot of people don’t seem to like him. I even heard he retired recently, but that appears to be erroneous, too.

Anyway, those videos are worth it for the NJS porn alone

[Bendo]

Enjoyed watching these, thanks Bendo. Maybe I missed the worst of it, but he seems quite down to Earth with a drive to succeed, yet a lot of people don’t seem to like him. I even heard he retired recently, but that appears to be erroneous, too.

Anyway, those videos are worth it for the NJS porn alone

Yep, you can never have too much NJS...

As for Perko, it seems there's still a heap of bad blood between him and the people who run cycling in this country (sooo glad I'm not a competitive cyclist when I see this stuff...):

Despite an impressive palmarès, which includes world titles in the keirin and the team sprint and commonwealth gold, Perkins’ career came to a juddering halt following the 2015 world championships. He claims he was blocked by Cycling Australia from attending World Cups, even though he offered to fund himself after he was told there was not enough money to send him.

His subsequent non-selection for the Rio Olympics made it clear to him he had no future in the saddle representing Australia, he said, so he opted to pursue his options under a different flag. Cycling Australia did not stand in his way.

[fat and old]

He's been doing ok in the London 6 day so far....

[find_bruce]

He's been doing ok in the London 6 day so far....

Where have you been following the London 6 day ? I haven't heard anything about the event at all

[foo on patrol]

He's been doing ok in the London 6 day so far....

Where have you been following the London 6 day ? I haven't heard anything about the event at all

Mainly here.

https://www.facebook.com/SixDayCycling/

Foo

[fat and old]

He's been doing ok in the London 6 day so far....

Where have you been following the London 6 day ? I haven't heard anything about the event at all

Sorry Bruce, a bit late but on Eurosports. I believe they'll have the rest of the series