David: So Christopher, let’s do the obligatory background bit. A/S/L and anything else of the type you would share on an Facebook.

Christopher: I am 35 years old and grew up in Sydney. I enjoyed BMX and then mountain biking and more recently, with excessive doses of European grand tours, have found a friend in road riding.

David: Now give us some background on BNA; when and why did it start?

Christopher: BNA is a combination of my passion for cycling and the Internet. As the Internet started to escape the universities and enter the commercial domain, I left university as an industrial designer with self-taught web design skills. When the idea for BNA was fresh in my mind, though not yet implemented, I moved to Germany (in 1999) and from there launched the website as a directory of Australian Cycling. It was very much a hobby for many years and I guess one of the ways of staying in touch with Australia while I was overseas.

David: What did BNA look like in the beginning? How has BNA grown in the past decade or so?

Christopher: BNA was not very pretty by today’s standard; rather it was a compact, but none-the-less nicer site than others other there.

The site statistics have been fascinating to track over the years – they reflect on the interest people have in the quality of the content. It was a rather slow development which was given a kick in 2005 with the launch of the Australian Cycling Forums (prior to 2005, there were two attempts at starting a forum, however problems with software and then with spam meant that it took a while until the right system was implemented). Each year the traffic to the site increases; to give you an idea of the current volume of traffic, in October 2011 there were a quarter of a million visits (121,000 unique visitors) and 1.37 million page views.

It’s surprising how many people know about the site – both in the industry and everyday cyclists.

David: I first heard about BNA when I googled for an answer to a question and found the question answered in the BNA forums. How many members does the forum currently have and how much activity does it generate?

Christopher: The forum has 6900 members – and these are active members. As part of the house-cleaning, thousands of accounts (spam and inactive) are removed each year. This year 14,000 accounts were deactivated to protect these less active “members” from a hacking attempt.

There are over 700,000 posts on the forums which is a mountain of knowledge. One of the interesting stats is that unregistered visitors, who spend time on the forum just reading, typically outnumber registered members currently logged in about 4:1. In true forum style there are a lot of answers in the Australian Cycling Forums that are of benefit to others.

David: If the site is going so well, why is there a need for a re-design and re-launch? What will the new site be like compared to the old site?

Christopher: That’s a good question. When other people hear of the stats they comment “wow, that is a lot of traffic”, but it’s hard to be satisfied if it’s not constantly improving and getting better – that’s one reason why I encourage member feedback in the forum and try to implement the popular ideas.

I’m really happy with the Australian Cycling Forum; it has a non-commercial approach, is supported by a great team of moderators and the overwhelming majority of members use the forum well.

The relaunch concentrates specifically on the Australian Cycling Directory and News and Articles. The directory works well, it’s the most comprehensive cycling directory out there for Australia, however it could really benefit by making submitting and editing listings easier. The News and Articles section, which includes the homepage, needs a lot of work. While I aim to maintain good quality in the content, the social interaction for readers is missing and the behind the scenes work involved in publishing content is quite cumbersome.

My first goal was to move to a better system that would be easier to use for BNA contributors and give readers a better chance to get involved. I prepared the first round of designs and gathered feedback from a broad selection of web professionals and cycling industry professionals, but realised that while the design was good, it was too close to the current look and feel. It didn’t feel exciting and dynamic enough, so in round two I set out to create a site that would not only present the content well, but would feel more exciting.

David: Given the amount of work you’re putting into this venture, what do you hope to accomplish with the site in the years to come?

Christopher: If you ask my family, I have always put too much work into BNA, though the relaunch is certainly a bigger task. With the relaunch I am preparing BNA as a bigger, more relevant and more credible media platform. Since the system will reduce the time and attention I need to publish content, I can spend more time on producing quality content, and for both the industry and consumers it will be a better resource for cycling information.

David: I’m going to have a guess here and say that the Jens Voigt interview was probably your best BNA moment so far. Do you have any other big moments (or even just weird moments) to share?

Christopher: The interview was certainly a highlight and generated interest from across the globe. Although I was living in Berlin, the same town as Jens, it took months to organise and when he changed from Saxobank to Team Leopard I had to start again. In the end it went very quickly and I was lucky to be able to get a great photographer along on short notice and spend a few hours interviewing Jens. When it came to publishing it I was looking at doing a lot of editing, but I shared the full interview with a few people who said that the entire interview deserved to be published.

Other highlights have been the BNA meet-ups in Sydney and Melbourne in January 2010 and seeing so many people from BNA. Usually, on the forum, the members are somewhat anonymous and it was fantastic to see a big group of different types of cyclists getting together and knowing that I had played a part in it all.

David: Apart from the millions of dollars in revenue, the international prestige and the legions of adoring fans, what do you personally get out of doing this?

Christopher: Well, to date I haven’t paid myself a wage from BNA, so it hasn’t been for the money. I do want BNA to grow and want to spend more time on the site so this will change. To date I have invested heavily in the site with time and money and have created, with the support of writers and moderators as well as contributions of forum members, a big community passionate about cycling.

Through the site I have had the opportunity to meet a lot of people both face to face and also just via the Internet. A lot of people and businesses benefit from the site; whether it’s the finding the answer to some tricky bottom bracket questions or using it once to find a local bike shop. In 2012 I look forward to BNA bringing more value to all involved.

About the BNA Crowd Funding
For the 2012 relaunch of Bicycles.net.au, the BNA community are invited to contribute towards the development costs. To make it more exciting, everyone who contributes is entered to a chance to win one of 23 prizes from generous prize sponsors valued at over $1800. (Contributions start at $5).

Support BNA and have a chance to win great prizes >

The presentation was made at the black tie gala event at Sydney’s Ivy Room and caps off a phenomenal year for the 34 year old who was also the recipient of the honour in 2006, 2007 and 2009.

Evans claimed the title ahead of Anna Meares OAM, Jack Bobridge and Jared Graves with all four winning their respective category awards and earning a place on the shortlist as finalists for the ‘Oppy Medal’.

The Scody People’s Choice Cyclist of the Year award, determined by popular vote, was won by Anna Meares, who this year claimed three gold medals at the World Championships.

Twenty eight reigning world champions were amongst the finalists for the awards after a record year of success for Australian cyclists. The complete list of winners appears below.

Sir Hubert Opperman Medal – 2011 Australian Cyclist of the Year - Cadel Evans
Scody 2011 People’s Choice Cyclist of the Year – Anna Meares OAM
Mavic Elite Male Track Cyclist of the Year – Jack Bobridge
Mavic Elite Female Track Cyclist of the Year – Anna Meares OAM
SBS Cycling Central Elite Male Road Cyclist of the Year – Cadel Evans
SBS Cycling Central Elite Female Road Cyclist of the Year – Shara Gillow
SBS Television Elite Male Mountain Bike Cyclist of the Year – Jared Graves
SBS Television Elite Female Mountain Bike Cyclist of the Year - Rebecca Henderson
Singapore Airlines Elite Male BMX Cyclist of the Year – Sam Willoughby
Singapore Airlines Elite Female BMX Cyclist of the Year – Caroline Buchanan
Jetset Glynde Elite Male Para-cyclist of the Year -Michael Gallagher OAM
Jetset Glynde Elite Female Para-cyclist of the Year – Susan Powell
Jetset Glynde Male Masters Cyclist of the Year - David Stevens
Jetset Glynde Female Masters Cyclist of the Year – Lise Benjamin
Junior Male Track Cyclist of the Year – Jackson Law
Junior Female Track Cyclist of the Year – Taylah Jennings
Junior Male Road Cyclist of the Year – David Edwards
Junior Female Road Cyclist of the Year – Jessica Allen
Junior Male Mountain Bike Cyclist of the Year – Troy Brosnan
Junior Male BMX Cyclist of the Year – Darryn Goodwin
Junior Female BMX Cyclist of the Year – Melinda McLeod
Cycling Australia Coaching Award – Hilton Clarke
Coaching Program of the Year – Cycling Australia / Australian Institute of Sport High Performance – Men’s Track Endurance
Cycling Australia Media Award – Ken Shipp, Head of Sport – SBS Television
Keith Esson Award – City of Ballarat
Cycling Australia National Road Series Champion Male (missing)
Cycling Australia National Road Series Champion Female – Grace Sulzberger
Cycling Australia National Road Series Champion Men’s Team – Genesys Wealth Advisers
Cycling Australia National Road Series Champion Women’s Team – Jayco VIS
Australian Club Premiers – Carnegie Caulfield Cycling Club
Norm Gailey Trophy for Champion State – New South Wales
Australian Sports Commission Volunteers of the Year Awards:
- Australian Capital Territory – TIM WARD
- New South Wales – MEG WILSON
- Northern Territory – TIM ELLISON
- Queensland – GINO CORNACCHIA
- South Australia – MIKE HARNETT
- Tasmania – PETER FRASER
- Victoria – SHIRLEY AMY
- Western Australia – HENK VOGELS
- BMX Australia – BEVERLEY WENSLEY
- Mountain Bike Australia – RAY RICE

source: Cycling Australia

Matt was happy to answer our questions as well as commenting on the changes  necessary in women’s cycling to create a stronger foundation and create a more positive future. He is also confident that Cadel Evans will wear the maillot jaune in the 2012 Tour de France with more time trialling than we’ve ever seen in the past 20 years.

Rowena Scott of Bicycles Network Australia (BNA) speaks with Matt Keenen and taps into a fountain of cycle knowledge.

BNA: How did you become an ambassador for the Hanover Connect East Ride for Home?

Keenan: The people who are involved on the organising committee contacted me and asked me if I wanted to be involved. I was very humbled by it, to get an opportunity to be an ambassador for such a good cause is a great thing to be apart of, it has a feel good factor about it and you feel like you’re actually contributing something to the community.

The job that I do really, is a pretty selfish job, I sit in front of a television and talk about bike racing. Cycling is my hobby and I’ve managed to make a job out of it. To get a chance to do something that is really positive and constructive through a sport that I love is a great thing to be involved in.

BNA: Do you know what you’re up for with the 75km ride; are there any hills on East Link?

Keenan: I drove East Link recently on the way back from one of the stages of the Jayco Herald Sun Tour and as I was driving back up I was assessing the road and to have a look at it to see which way the wind would be most likely to blow, hoping I can get a tailwind home. Perfect road surface, it’s as good as it gets. I did the Mt Macedon Challenge last year in the same sort of physical condition and that was 136km, it was hilly the whole way and I was exhausted by the end of that; I should be okay with the 75km.

BNA: When commentating professionally, how much work is there behind the scenes in building knowledge and information to be ready for a broadcast or is it all spontaneous?

Keenan: You’ve got to do a lot of research in order to be spontaneous and there is a lot of research that you do, that you don’t end up using, but it comes into play if the scenario presents itself you can use that information. For example, the Tour De France, there are 198 riders and you need to know the story about all 198 riders, because in the period particularly where I commentate, it fills in the race when there’s not much happening and there’s a long breakaway, normally it’s the guys in the breakaway that are in their first Tour de France or their second Tour de France so you need to have something to say about everybody. You have got to do the same amount of research for everyone of the riders to get plenty of background on them. Then there are some guys who go through the race who are completely anonymous and you never mentioned their name, yet you’ve done a lot of research on them, it’s a fair bit of work that goes into being prepared for any situation in a race so you’ve got something to say.

BNA: Since Cadel Evans’s win at the Tour de France have you noticed any significant change amongst the media in relation to the way cycling is reported?

Keenan: The benchmark now to get a cycling story in the paper is actually higher than it was in the past because Cadel Evans has raised the bar. In the past if we had a guy like Jack Bobridge riding a bike race in Australia who this year won two world titles on the track, he’s broken a world record and he’s a favourite to win a gold medal at the Olympics. In the past that would have instantaneously created media coverage, but now it doesn’t. Now it virtually doesn’t rate a mention, the bar has been raised so high by Cade Evans. It’s a catch-22, he’s put cycling on the map but now cycling has got to live up to the standards that have been set by Cadel and they’re pretty lofty standards that he’s set. He has achieved things that no other Australian cyclists has ever achieved, brilliant result for the sport, best thing to happen to cycling in Australia, now the next generation has some really big shoes to fill.

BNA: Can Cadel Evans win the Tour de France again?

Keenan: Yes, because the course that was designed for 2011 had everything against Cadel, it had the least amount of time trialling that we’ve seen in the last 50 years. There where lots of mountain top finishes that favoured his rivals, next year there’s more time trialling than we’ve seen in the last 20 years, there is almost 100km against the clock and there’ only three real mountain top finishes. The course for 2012 suits him a lot better than the course for 2011 and he’s got a better team around him for next year on the tricky transitional changes, I think he’ll start next year as a favourite; he is the man to beat.

BNA: GreenEdge made mention early on in its launch about a women’s team, I understand that the women’s pro-tour licences are easier to come by and the dates are different to the men’s. Have you heard any further developments on the matter?

Keenan: They will have a women’s team and it will be announced later November I think and there will be a couple of international riders in the team with plenty of experience to really guide a bunch of young Australian women. In the last couple of years we have had quite a few of our experienced Australian women retire and there is a generation of women in there early twenties that are just starting to make their mark internationally, so they’re going to have a couple of internationals that can hopefully guide them and go on to do some of the great things we’ve seen female cyclist do in the past.

On the road for example at the Olympic Games, there has only been one Australian who has won a medal of any colour in the men’s side of the event. In the women’s we’ve had two gold medallists, we’ve had a lot of success in women’s cycling and I think that there’s a group around that twenty to twenty-two mark that are going to have that success in the future.

BNA: Where do you think women’s cycling is heading? Is it heading in a positive direction?

Keenan: It is there’s been a lot of discussion about it recently about whether there is enough support for women’s cycling. One of the challenges for women’s cycling and women’s sport in general is getting media coverage, because its media coverage that attracts the sponsors and in cycling that is even more so than club based sports, whether it be soccer or national sports based. In cycling you only sponsor a team because you’re getting exposure for your money that you’re investing in the squad. Women’s cycling needs to make a push to get more media coverage and it’s really difficult to do, it’s not something that happens over night. How they go about doing that I’m not exactly sure. It might mean a slight change in some of the formats of the racing that allows tours to run in conjunction with men’s tours that have slightly shorter stages near that end with higher impact style racing. Perhaps they need to tinker with the format of the races to make it more appealing to media coverage.

BNA: As a sport loving nation what can we do as members of the cycling community to firmly cement women’s cycling as a sport that should be celebrated in Australia?

Keenan: Watch it on television for starters and when you read newspapers articles about women’s cycling, particularly if it’s online, make comments and show that people are actually reading those articles. It’s a demand driven thing, if you look at the Herald Sun website, for example, they’ve always got the top five articles rolling over and the ones that are read the most are football, AFL football and that’s why they cover AFL football because that’s what the readers are demanding. It comes down to the people that are in cycling actually demonstrating that they’re supporting it and demonstrating that they’re watching it and its not something that will change over night, it will take a while to build that up.

BNA: Do you think the era of doping has ended in professional cycling?

Keenan: It will never end in any sport, there will always be someone out there trying to cheat in any walk of life, beyond sport as well. But that doesn’t mean that you give up the fight; it’s like law enforcement, there’s always going to be people out there that break the law, it doesn’t mean that you just say lets get rid of the police force and not bother with it. The one thing that cycling can be really proud of is how hard it has fought to try and catch people. A guy like Fabian Cancellara, for example, was tested fifty-five times last year, which is more than once a week. We hear some athletes from other sports complaining that they’re test six times within a year. I think that cycling has improved a lot, it’s made significant progress and it’s doing a lot to try and get the cheats. It’s the right path to be on and we’ve got to stay on that path.

BNA: In Alberto Contador’s case, its been going on for sometime, do you think its fair for the UCI to be dragging it out for so long? Has the recent discovery of the five Michigan Football team members having clenbuterol in their system going to make a difference to the outcome?

Keenan: I think that will help with Contador’s case but as far as how long it’s taken to get to this point; it’s embarrassing. We’re still waiting to see who won the 2010 Tour de France and we’re almost at the end of 2011, it should have been solved within six months at the very worst. If it continues to drag on, it continues to drag the sport through the mud so to speak, its one that I wish was solved before the end of last year and certainly before this year Tour de France. But we’re still waiting for a result; it’s a bad look for the sport if this continues to drag on.

Bicycles Network Australia would like to thank Matt Keenan for his time, we wish him all the best with his role as ambassador for the Hanover ConnectEast Ride for Home and the 75km ride that he will embark on this November 13.

For more information on how to donate to the Hanover ConnectEast Ride for Home or to join Matt on this ride, head to: www.rideforhome.com.au

Blue Globe Alliance have announced they are distributing the exciting young German brand. I spoke to Gabriel du Plessis from Blue Globe Alliance (BGA) for Bicycles Network Australia (BNA) about this brand, as well as their Dutch brand of titanium only bikes Van Nicholas.

BNA: What is your background in cycling and the cycling industry?

BGA: Wow, now that I ‘m thinking about it, it has been more than 17 years!  It all started with BMX racing as a kid and evolved into a passion for the sport. I migrated to the velodrome and eventually road racing for about 10 years until I discovered MTB XC racing. This came very natural with my BMX back ground where I  achieved national colours and competed professionally. I had my fair share of working in the Cycling Industry through bicycle shops as long as I can remember, always eager to learn from old hands teaching me the values of quality over quantity. Looking after your customer as if they is the only one.

BNA: As the distributer Blue Globe Alliance, how  do you reach your customers, through Local Bike Shops or Online or both?

BGA: We started advertising in the magazines and online to create some brand awareness, which was very successful. Like our suppliers, sales started online, but we soon realised that customers in Australia need to touch, feel, smell and understand the products before they commit. So, we got a couple of dedicated dealers committed to the brands who understood our supplier’s philosophy and our vision of Quality above Quantity. We are in the process of setting up a concept store exclusive to our products in Brisbane with more to follow in other major cities.

BNA: You carry the Dutch brand, Van Nicholas. Can you describe how Van Nicholas has been received by Australian cyclists?

BGA: At first most enquiries surrounded the price tag as to how this is so low compared to other Titanium bikes. It started as a trickle for a couple of months as everyone did their research, but as soon as that initial value for money eureka moment occurred it all made sense to them that they are saving money in the long run by investing in Titanium. So far we have had quite a positive response and people are now accepting and recognising the Van Nicholas brand as an alternative to Carbon Fibre and Alloy.

Van Nicholas Mistral

BNA: What style of Van Nicholas bike are the most popular in Australia?

BGA: Since we have sold quite few tourers/commuters with S&S couplers and some serious credit card busters, it’s hard to say that one sold more than the others. But if I was forced to pick one specific road bike I would say that the after the Mistral the Euros was the most sought after due to the mix and match customising of the components.

BNA: You have recently announced the addition of German Schindelhauer Bikes to your portfolio. What has attracted you to this brand?

BGA: We were really impressed by the passion that went into designing and building the Schindelhauer range. The clean, undiluted essence of what cycling should be, that of pure enjoyment and the freedom it allows you to experience. It was designed as an all out commuter bicycle and with the use of the Gates Carbon belt drive system on all of their bike they ensured a clean, maintenance & worry free ride for years to come. As all Schindelhauer bicycles are manufactured and built in Germany, you can rest assured that every detail is meticulously cared for knowing that you are riding something very special.

Schindelhauer Victor

BNA: I have seen the bikes in Germany and they feature a striking design. Winning Red Dot and Eurobike awards confirms this. What type of cyclists best suit Schindelhauer, who is the audience?

BGA: It take something very special to get those awards at such a big event as the Eurobike and the kind of person who will be looking at riding a Schindelhauer will be someone who appreciates the finer things in life. Those individuals who recognise the value when they see and ride it and don’t compromise on quality just to save a few $$.

BNA: What does a Schindelhauer bike offer a cyclist that other bikes don’t?

BGA: Look, there are really good commuter bikes out there to choose from and all do the same thing, as cars do, that is to get you from point A to B. Since every Schindelhauer bike is made with the same precision and passion, like most other German cars manufacturers, you can expect no compromise on quality and engineering. From the whisper-quiet Gates Carbon Drive system to the classic Brooks leather saddles and grips. Every Schindelhauer is made to endure years of worry free commuting and cycling pleasure. What you are paying for in every Schindelhauer you are saving on future maintenance.

Schindelhauer Crocodile Belt Clamping System

BNA: The Schindelhauer range consists of six models, will you be carrying them all?

BGA: We will stock most of the popular models like the multi-gearded Ludwig VIII and the Fixie/Single Speed Victor with it’s flip-flop drive. The rest of the models, including the Lotte, will be in low volumes until the demand grows to import larger quantities.

Schindelhauer Ludwig VIII

BNA: The range features fixed flip-flop wheel with the Viktor, Single Speed with the Sigfried while 3 Ludwig models and a ladies Lotte have a Shimano Alfine and Rohloff internally geared hubs. All, however, have the belt drive. Is the belt drive reserved for urban cycling or is it the future of cycling?

BGA: At one point or another, anyone who has used a standard chained bicycle for their daily commute got acquainted with the front chain ring and his buddy the oily chain. Unless you are using the chain guards this will alway be in the back of your mind, but it will always need replacing and lubrication for the gears to work efficiently. Then there is the ever present derailleur that get’s bent once the bike takes a tumble on the wrong side. This is where it makes sense to have a clean, maintenance free, internal drive system. Technology has now paved the road for a clean and maintenance free commuter. Change is in the wind and more and more people are requesting and almost demanding it. It will become the future for the urban commuter who don’t have the time or money to visit bike shops every 6 months to get a "service" and a new chain.

Schindelhauer Sigfried

BNA: Can you provide an overview of the RRP for Australian customers for the range?

BGA: We will start of with the Victor and Siegfried at $2400, Ludwig VIII – $2700, Ludwig XI – $3300, Ludwig XIV – $4900 and the Lotte VIII – $2700.

We wish you a successful start with Schindelhauer bikes in Australia.
You can find out more about Van Nicholas and Schindelhauer bikes as well as dealer locations from Blue Globe Alliance: www.blueglobe.com.au

Schindelhauer Ludwig XI

Enjoy?

For a bit of a comparison, Cadel speaks in a 40 minute interview at the Sydney Opera House prior to the Tour de France.

Carly was a former runner who came into cycling through a talent identification scheme. She was a scholarship holder at the Queensland Academy of Sport for two years and raced domestically with the MBCycles team from 2006 to 2008.

Carly won the women’s Cycling Australia National Road Series in 2008 after earning points in all six rounds. She moved to Italy in 2009 to pursue a cycling career racing with the Michela Fanini-Record-Rox team up until this season when she joined Cassina Rizzardi A Style Fionucci.

Former team mate Liz Young rode with Carly for two years in the MBCycles team.

“Carly was a bright, friendly, energetic young person,” said Ms Young. “She had a great passion for her sport and for life in general.

“When she was around 19 she decided she wanted to become a professional cyclist and she pursued that dream with a great deal of passion,” she said. “She dedicated her life to her sport and to her friends and family and was a very positive person to be around.”

“Our thoughts are also with the members of the Ipswich Cycling Club where Carly was a member,” said Mr Fredericks.

Her family and fianc? Cameron Rogers have asked Cycling Australia to release the following message:

We appreciate everyone’s kind thoughts on the very sad news we received overnight, regarding Carly’s sudden passing in Italy.

Carly has been racing in Italy for the past three years and loving every minute of it. She was living her dream. It was her passion, along with her love for Cameron, to whom she was to be married in October this year.

They spoke to each other constantly, not a day went by without numerous calls.

Her love of cycling was fostered from a very early age by her parents, her father Mark and brother Luke, riding along with her and her mother Ros, was a constant support and gave her great encouragement.

Carly’s many friends throughout the world have been coming forward with messages of love for Carly, Cameron and their families.

We very much appreciate these messages but do ask that everyone respects our privacy at this time to allows us time to come to terms with what has happened

Special thanks go to the cycling community for their support and many, many messages.

Things changed towards the end of the 80s, the accrual of race points became far more important to the teams and riders. Suddenly, these races became very serious as riders struggled to rise in the rankings.  From race one, early Feb, if you were not race fit, it would be a struggle to hang on. Race averages were no longer in the 30s but creeping  towards 50kph. Approaching the 91 season, I was to lead the newly formed Motorola outfit and had to try something new. I began training a month earlier, in mid-Nov. I had 6000kms in the legs by the time I headed to the team’s camp in California by mid-Jan. Even though most of these kms were spent within at a steady state heart frequency, this gave my season a jump start to my season. By the end of February, I had a bunch of wins on the board, including the Tours of Sicily and Mediterranean. My results changed the way the peleton trained through the following seasons.

Training strategies have changed again since the turn of the millennium. Where I would once build up a large base before the season, and use the team training camp and early races for intensity training, riders now are tending to have less of a km base, but beginning early on with more intensity training. The international season begins a month earlier with the TDU or that North African race Fasso? Though the season is longer, the trend is for riders to be racing less days in a season. A typical season for me would be 100-120 days of racing in the 1980s and 90s. Now a heavy season would be 80 days. Lance would have raced less than 50 days in each of his seasons.

When joining a new team, nothing speaks better than early season results. Even for the seasoned pro, the saying you are only as good as your last result, holds true. If early results are achieved, then team support is assured. Training here in Australia with our summer conditions gave me a great advantage over my European colleagues. While I was out doing 5 + hour rides, many of my team mates were snow bound and still on ergo’s or in the gym.

Of course peaking in January can be detrimental considering the length of the season in the 80′s. No point winning 5 races in the early stages of the season, only to disappear once the premier races began. It can be difficult holding early form for too long, so careful blocks of training and racing have to be planned from the outset, so your peaks arrive at the time where it counts most on the race calendar.

Team leaders are given more latitude when it comes to planning their season. We all saw Jan Ullrich arrive at his first races a little overweight and without his July form, but he stuck to a formula which worked well for him. Lance on the other hand had a specifically designed training program which built him up gradually through the season which also included test events where he could measure his progress to achieving his tour goals.

There is a great deal more to early season preparation than simply getting on the bike and hammering out the kms. For myself and any rider, whether for club events or international competition the key is to set your season’s goals.

The racing in Italy was always quite predictable, the Italian’s would not have it any other way. A rider always had time to warm up in this race, the pace slowly building throughout the day, to a crescendo finish.  There would always be a hectic sprint for the line, a frantic Italian finale.

Not unsurprisingly, one of the best things about racing in Italy was the coffee and the food.  Teams didn’t need to provide their own chef’s in Italy, oh no.  There are not sufficient superlatives to describe the wonders of freshly made pasta and wonders of Italian cuisine for a cyclist.  Heaven, and of course there were the pastries.

In the spring of 89, TVM team-mate Johan Van der Velde introduced me to one of Sicily’s finest pastries. To this day I am constantly searching for the best canoli in the cake shops of Carlton, the Italian quarter of Melbourne.

I recall flying from my home in Belgium a couple of days prior to my first Giro start, and sitting with a new Dutch team mate Johan. He had raced for the past few years on the strong Jolly Scarpa squadra team and lived in Italy. I asked what he most liked about Italy, and he replied “cannoli”. He explained that we were in fact very fortunate, because this sweet pastry had its origins in this southern Isle where we were headed. He said he would show me as soon as we got off the plane, and he didn’t disappoint.

While we were waiting for our luggage to arrive off the belt at Palermo international, I followed him over to the cafe stand and he bought me my first canoli. I tasted a freshly made cone, not unlike a Peters Drumstick cone, but open at both ends and then filled with freshly made custardy sweet cream cheese filling. I bought the next round, and in-fact, bought all that the guy had on his counter for the boys to share on the way to the hotel. Johan politely informed me that these were nothing special, probably a day old and that you really had to experience canola fresh.

That evening after dinner, half a dozen of the TVM boys hopped into a team car  and headed into town in search of the perfect cannoli. The village looked asleep but we found a gelati place open. Velde (pronounced  Veld-a) asked for the freshest supply of cannoli, and the gentleman said that his neighbour was famous for hers. He went and hammered on her door until she answered. After a little explanation, she insisted we have a coffee while she whipped a few up. Grandma came down to assist and was in charge of baking the wafer cones while the shop owner made the up custard. Oh what a delicious beginning to my Giro. I probably began the giro a couple of kg’s overweight that year…not a bad thing.

Johan Van der Velde didn’t finish the giro that year, but that is another quintessentially Italian story and part of my own Giro folk lore. I guess through circumstances Johan, despite being a pastry expert and a great rider was indebted to his ex-team’s sponsor, Jolly Scarpa. This company made  shoes and Johan put forward a proposal to sell shoes in his home-country to clear his debt.  After taking a delivery of a container load of shoes his buyer backed out and my team-mate was left with 50000 pairs of girls sandals to dispose of and of course his debt.

Despite his best efforts the lanky Dutchman couldn’t sell them, the season had come and gone and he owed Jolly a substantial amount of money.  One night at dinner, about half-way through the Giro that year, Velde’s seat was empty and the mechanic was sent to look for him.  Not in his room, not in the bar (he enjoyed a beer) not even in the cannoli shop over road. No one had seen him since arriving at the hotel.

During dinner a couple of heavy-set blokes in suits arrived at our table asking for our Dutchman. They stood at the door while we finished our meal eventually retreating to their van parked out front for the evening.  Johan didn’t front for breakfast and the mechanics didn’t know whether to take his bike to the race. It was the talk of the peleton that day and was news headlines that night. There were rumours of sightings of Velde amongst the crowd beside the road at the first intermediate sprint. TV crews were waiting for him at all the airports and at his home, but he had vanished. About a week later, he held an exclusive interview regarding the Jolly Scarpa (nee cannoli) affair. I guess the TV appearance paid his debt to the ailing shoe manufacturer.

The 89 Giro was pretty kind to me for a couple of reasons. In stage 17 from Sondrio to Meda I attacked a breakaway of Fondriest, Bugno, and Argentine in the final two kilometres to win by 5 seconds, and I was introduced to cannoli.

I asked the participants of the NSW sub-forum on BNA, and other interested parties, to provide me with some questions for Omar and there was an interesting consensus on what I should ask. While I was keen to have a face-to-face interview with him, our schedules never seemed to match, though we were able to successfully conduct the interview thanks to modern technology.

Omar brings to the job of CEO of Bicycle NSW a collection of skills ideally suited for the role. Firstly, he’s a cyclist and he has been riding Sydney streets since the late 80′s when he came to the city working for Apple Computers; secondly, he lives on the coast, so he’s aware of the needs of non-city cyclists; thirdly, he has extensive and varied experience with all levels of government, charities, and businesses both big and small.

Bicycle NSW has a slowly growing membership of around 11, 000 cyclists. There are many more cyclists than this in the state and Omar and his team are dedicated to increasing the membership and, as a result, increasing the political weight of Bicycle NSW. To put it simply, cyclists need a unified voice and Bicycle NSW is meant to be it, but does it do the job it’s meant to do? I asked Omar some blunt questions and he gave me answers that impressed me with their honesty. Omar seems aware of what needs to be done and what hasn’t been done in the past and the organisation appears to be working hard for the cyclists of NSW. I found Omar to be very approachable and easy to talk to, so hopefully this interview is the beginning of a discussion between NSW cyclists and their public "face".

 
BNA: What is Bicycle NSW for you personally?

Omar Khalifa: I believe BNSW is primarily a membership owned organisation looking after the interests of people who bicycle for pleasure, commuting or sport. The organisation delivers advocacy, rider insurance, rides (such as the BNSW Spring Cycle), and various educational and promotional programs. But most of all, BNSW needs to be a friendly, respected and effective organisation that members can take pride in supporting.

BNA: What is your perception of how the cyclists of NSW see it?

Omar Khalifa: Until recently, I believe some cyclists would have questioned our value beyond the insurance we offer. As a member, I know I did. The organisation increasingly lost its voice and its raison d’?tre.  By appearing to be increasingly sidelined during difficult discussions or seemingly always backing or being silent on government decisions and actions, many lost faith that we would be the voice and advocate what was truly needed. And, with insurance being offered by other organisations, the overall value for some began to be tested. Worst, BNSW became a convenient and a deserving "punching bag" for cyclists who hoped for more from the peak state cycling organisation.

However, we have been speaking up, we are spotlighting issues in the media and with government. We are delivering thoughtful submissions and recommendations, we are going back to regional Australia with a new message that says we care about everyone who bicycles. We have affiliated with over 40 bicycle user groups and clubs from all around the state. We are affecting decisions and outcomes that benefit cyclists. From the emails I receive and the blogs I read on various sites, I believe perceptions are changing among even our harshest critics – though we still have a mountain to climb.

BNA: You’ve acknowledged a lack of visibility, but you still seem to be the "go to" resource for a sound bite or comment on cycling issues in the media. Rather than providing reaction, what action are you taking to improve the image of cycling in NSW? Particularly, what are you doing to address the demonisation of cyclists in the media?

Omar Khalifa: There’s little point just trying to address what some in the media believe is fertile ground for stirring up passions. We are not unique however, as cycling has apparently stirred up similar passions in other areas – some believe cycling hits a raw nerve that links into a lot of other social issues and frustrations.

What we communicate on air, in print and at meetings is that cycling can be a part of a solution – whether it is commuting, exercise/health, sport or just simple fun. With regard to commuting and bicycle lanes, I just point out that if we put the 4,000 or so currently commuting cyclists back in cars and taking up train and bus seats or parking places we would quickly see how much worse things could get! 100 cyclists not driving cars is the equivalent of 1 km less traffic snarl; a thousand equals 10 km. The maths are compelling. As is the fact that only 0.2% of the NSW transport budget is dedicated to cycling infrastructure!

While BNSW will selectively deal with such stories in the media our main aim must be to improve the conditions for cycling and those who would like to ride a bicycle as an alternative form of transport. The best way to be proactive is to work these issues at all levels – members, BUGs, councils, state government ministers and authorities.

The demonisation is also only possible because a lot of people can’t relate to cyclists. They [cyclists] are the "other guys". They are "stealing" our roads!  I often talk about the proud history of cycling in this country and in this state. Early European settlers made extensive use of bicycles for work, transport, sport and adventure. Sydney in the early 1900′s would have had bicycling races as a normal weekend event.

In World War II 3,000 infantrymen were sent to the Western Front on bicycles – to conduct reconnaissance and to lay communications lines. Cyclists, trams, cars all shared the Sydney Harbour Bridge lanes when it opened. It is only the rapid take up of the car in the 30′s and after World War II that we began to push cycles to the side of the roadways and almost erase them from our history – and memory.

However, the demonisation and aggression some motorists aim at those who bicycle will only really be eliminated when "that cyclist" could be a person’s son or daughter, sister or brother or Nan or grand dad. I have to say, that while the rhetoric can get loud in the media and among some drivers, I believe there is a steady improvement and in time it will resolve itself.

BNA: As a member owned organisation, what are you doing to make sure the opinions of the diverse cycling communities are being heard? Exactly how are you engaging with cycling clubs, BUGs (affiliated and otherwise) and other cycling based community groups?

Omar Khalifa: Just in the last 6 months we have opened up numerous new channels of communication and have increased our BUG affiliations state-wide from 20 to 40!  We now have an online community area for ongoing engagement, send out bi-weekly e-news updates, monthly Push On newsletters and bi-monthly Australian Cyclist magazines. We engage through our helmet design competition (attracting thousands of entries from school kids); run bicycle courses at schools, a commuter challenge and gold medal challenge. We also run the largest bicycle riding event in NSW and one focussed on bringing more women to cycling.

I also personally attend to emails and calls from members and interact with cyclists through other community sites and collaborate with BUGs directly and through our BUG Council.

We also attend meetings regarding submissions and have offered up 5 in the last 6 months. Plus I have personally attended bicycle sub-committee meetings in Willoughby, City of Sydney, North Sydney and Parramatta.

Our BUG affiliations are a critical part of our strategy to extend the reach and effectiveness of BNSW and to also help local groups achieve better outcomes through our engagement on local issues. For instance, we recently held a communications/pr workshop with our BUG affiliates and will be doing ride leader training course shortly.

In addition we have launched a referral program for both BUGs and retailers that provide them with a financial benefit for promoting BNSW.

In fact, we don’t stop interacting at every level, every day.

BNA: When I was canvassing for opinions for this interview, one forum member commented "they should just change their name to  BicycleSydney and be done with it". You’ve said you’re looking at  re-engaging with regional cyclists. What are you doing and what are you planning on doing to re-engage? What do regional cyclists need from BNSW and how do you plan on addressing those needs?

Omar Khalifa: Just in the last two weeks I have travelled to Mittagong and Wagga Wagga (my second meeting there) for rail trail meetings; to Newcastle for a meeting of 80 regional bicycling groups, politicians and councils; participated in the assessment of the Department of Planning Coastal Cycleways grant assessments; engaged with regional council members in both Gosford and Bathurst; and attended an Shoalhaven bicycle plan meeting. We are also in the process of attending RTA Regional Consultation meeting in all 5 state regions.

As an example of our ability to exert useful leverage, a couple of months ago we joined with Coffs Harbour BUGs and BNSW members to successfully push through an improved cycling lane plan for the old Pacific Highway. Combining local leadership and knowledge with our ability to interact with key ministers, media and RTA officials proved a potent force.

NSW is a large state, and we also need to keep in mind that 70% of our current members are in the Sydney metro area. We also have limited staff and resources to do a lot of travelling. However, I have personally committed to addressing the past imbalance and we are already actively demonstrating that commitment – and the feedback has been extremely positive.

BNA: How strong is BNSW as a lobby group or cyclist representative group when it comes to cycling infrastructure development? Are there political or financial pressures affecting the "voice" of BNSW?

Omar Khalifa: I believe that BNSW has influencing power due to our size and breadth of membership. We are still the recognised peak body representing non-competitive cycling issues across the state. It is certainly useful to our members, non-members and for government to have such a group to interact with that can offer a consolidated and prioritised view of what cyclists may seek as a “group”. With so many diverse interests, it would be hard to weigh up the various inputs otherwise.

However, I believe you either exercise your power or you prepare to lose it. For a long time BNSW lost its voice and the criticisms were well deserved that we were becoming unwilling to take on challenging policy issues because of our close association with government agencies and a dependency on funding arrangements. Even today we have a financial dependency on government funding for certain programs and ride events. However, we would soon be no use to either our members and subsequently by those same sponsors and departments if continued to become irrelevant to the cycling community. We need to be ready to speak up but to do so an informed manner. But it takes a steady hand and a clear sense of purpose to do this and I count on the implicit support from the membership base, staff and board of BNSW.

Over time, I am certainly keen to broaden our financial support base so that our dependency can be better balanced and afford us more flexibility and diminish even an apparent potential conflict of interest.

BNA: While you’re doing a lot of work with "grass roots" programs (NRMA Gold Medal Challenge, helmet contest, women’s cycling clinics etc.), how are you practically helping established cyclists? Why should they maintain their BNSW membership when they can get insurance via other means (such as with a Cycling NSW license, for example)? What is the "product" you’re offering for these cyclists?

Omar Khalifa: The three reasons our members list as most important are insurance, advocacy and programs.  What they say they want more of most is advocacy. What we are now delivering is a lot in that category and I hope this will be recognized by the broader cycling community.

We recognize that riding a bike, like taking a walk, does not compel many to join club or organization. Cycling for many is a simple pleasure and does not drive them to even consider becoming a member of BNSW or any organization. Insurance does at least make some consider it. Competitive cyclists do have alternatives for insurance so this is not an exclusive offer and may some day even be easy to get independently. We need to be ready for that with a well communicated case for support beyond insurance.

I do think BNSW ends up "carrying the can" for all cyclists when it comes to issues of advocacy or many of our education and support programs. I think many cyclists may be just assuming we are going to be there whether they contribute or not. What does give us increased confidence is the fact that we only recently moved to a choice of 1 or 2 year memberships and over 20% of our current members choosing 2 years – that is certainly a vote of long term confidence!

BNA: Let’s fire a quick burst of topics your way. What is BNSW’s thoughts / policies / position on?

? Bicycle registration?

Omar Khalifa: We have yet to see a case that tells us what it would actually achieve, will not cost a bomb to administer and not actually discourage people from cycling – especially those who can least afford alternatives.

? European style strict liability rules?

Omar Khalifa: We have not seen any proposal put forward to evaluate.

? The new state government?

Omar Khalifa: We are an a-political organisation and my meetings with the Transport Minister, Gladys Berejiklian prior to the election were encouraging.  We believe we can be part of the solution to many of the travel, commuting and health issues that will challenge this or any government. We do agree that a complete revamp of the RTA and Transport agencies is long overdue and we hope the outcome of changes will allow us to mainstream cycling issues – and spending.

? Sharing the road or separate facilities?

Omar Khalifa: We need a mix of properly designed facilities to meet many different needs and situations.  We cannot afford separated cycleways everywhere. However, a bad cycleway or poor cycle lane can be worse than no facility at all and that is really the main priority.

? Mass participation rides?

Omar Khalifa: I would like these to be aimed at achieving real action not just frustrating commuters – we need to move on from our days of raising awareness and see how we become much more effective in achieving results.  A mass ride to a council meeting that was going to vote on a cycling budget for instance?  We need to get much more clever about applying focus and pressure.

? The relationship between sport cycling, recreational cycling and commuting cycling?

Omar Khalifa: We are participating in ongoing discussions about various collaborative opportunities at the state and national level. We certainly have a lot of learning to share and we already do cross-support each other with various activities or even publications.

BNA: Finally, is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?

Omar Khalifa: I joined Bicycle NSW because I was a disappointed “customer”. I believed that people who bicycle or future generations who will bicycle needed an organisation that could be a real agent for change and better outcomes. Discovering the rich history of cycling in Australia and in NSW was an unexpected bonus that increased my desire to see a better balance achieved on our roadways.

BNSW is evolving and I hope your readers will approve of the changes so far. We have a long way to go to meet my own expectation for the organization and, hopefully, exceeding the expectations of our members and those of the greater cycling community.

BNA would like to thank Omar the time he took to answer our questions.
More information on Bicycle NSW online: www.bicyclensw.org.au

Of course the training regime today isn’t quite as intense as it was when I was riding for Peugeot. For the past 12 years I’ve been lucky enough to guide small groups cycling enthusiasts through France on a cultural, culinary and cycling tour-de-force.  In year 1 we tried to follow all 21 stages to see as much cycling as possible, but the pace was a bit intense so we pulled it back and over the years we’ve refined to a perfect blend that takes in all the essential elements of the Tour, with ample time for our guests to experience the magic of France at the height of summer.

A lot has changed at Le Tour since I first got my hands on the yellow jersey.  Back then you were condemned for speaking English; French was the only language spoken and respected.  Now the commentators and teams speak in both English and French.  In 1981 I was one of a handful of riders from outside Western Europe whereas now we have riders from as far as Colombia, Australia and Uzbekistan.  Back then there weren’t many ways for fans to really experience the Tour from a rider’s point of view. That’s how we got started; by using our racing contacts to put tours together. We wanted to give enthusiasts a way to experience the Tour the way we experienced it.

Today our tours usually begin with a welcome dinner where we all share a few laughs and swap stories over a couple of glasses of the local produce. Of course we all pretend to have the knowledge and experience of Phil Liggett or Mike Tomalaris as we discuss the teams’ strategies and try and share our expert opinions about who’ll be this year’s winner.  This is one of my favourite parts of the tour; sharing and talking about the excitement ahead of us is even more intoxicating than the wine.

On the first morning we rise early for a ride to get the blood flowing and take in the beautiful surrounds of France.  My team is brilliant at accommodating all levels of fitness and knows that there are usually a few who like to ride faster and few that like to enjoy the rolling hills at an easier pace.  I spend my time rolling up and down the groups listening to everyone share stories as the camaraderie between us grows.  Last year we rode between 80 and 100km on the first day and slowly extended our rides throughout the tour and took in some of the great climbs like the Col du Tourmalet, Alpe d’Huez, Col de Galibier and Most Ventoux.

Our first ride generally takes in part of a Tour stage.  It may be a stage finish where we secure ourselves a good position and cheer the sprinters home to see who takes the stage win, or we may head to the start and experience the hustle and bustle before the riders roll off.  This year we’re excited about seeing the finish of Stage 16 in Gap, a stage that will surely affect the final standings.

For a stage finish we will get to our place at least two hours before the riders come through. The time flies by as we watch the caravan roll through, pick up some free gear from the sponsors and hang out with cycling enthusiasts from all over the world.  In the past few years we’ve been lucky enough to run into some of my mates from the 80′s and jump the fence to the VIP areas.  This is always a treat.

After watching the jersey presentations we grab our belongings and ride back to the hotel with a bit of a spring in our peddles after the excitement of watching a stage finish.  The guys are a bit tired when we get back so my team and I wash all of the bikes, check the oil on the chain and make sure that bikes are secure for the next day.

Taking a leaf out of the book of our European hosts, our group rests during the late afternoon and some of us take the opportunity to get some shut eye.  I always get teased for my afternoon ‘nanna naps’ but it is amazing the difference they make after a long first day.  We don’t like to have anything formal planned for dinner on most of nights; this way our guests don’t feel pressured to meet deadlines.  Normally though a group of about 10 to 12 of us head to dinner together to chat about the day and further analyse the tour standings.  The guys love to hear some of my war stories and I have to admit it’s fun to dig them out over great French food and wine; this is what the Tour’s all about.

Days vary but we try and cater for everyone’s needs and stay flexible.  We’ll always take in the key elements from Le Tour including a stage start, finish, climb, sprint and flat.  We’ll get on the bike almost every day and tackle the roads either before or after the pros roll through.  The rest is an opportunity to make life-long friends, share stories and enjoy the magic of the greatest cycling event in the world.