Tour Down Under
Team UniSA-Australia Supporters' Club
Team UniSA-Australia Supporters' Club
Date of Birth: 15 July 1976 (28-years-old)
Born: Adelaide
Weight: 70kg
Height: 1.78m
Occupation: Professional cyclist
Cycling competitively: I started when I was 18. I did it for a year and then I stopped for a couple of years. I got back into it again when I was 21. I then worked fulltime until I was 24 and then started riding professionally from there.
Club: Adelaide Cycling Club
Professional team: Selle-Italia Columbia. They’re a Columbian team based in Italy.
Bike: Daccordi
Sponsors: I don't personally have any sponsors, but my team does. Daccordi is one of them.
Fastest speed clocked on a bike: We clocked 100km/hr in the Tour Down Under going down the hill in the Victor Harbour stage in 2003 – that would be my fastest time. I’ve been over 100km a couple of times, but only just over.
Longest distance on a bike: I raced in the Melbourne to Warrnambool last year – and it was 300km. It’s actually the longest race in the world now. It used to be shorter but they made it longer this year. I finished fourth in that race.
Recent achievements:
Career highlights: Riding in the Tour of Italy last year. It’s the same as the Tour de France, it’s a three week tour. I came eighth in that. I won a few races and some time trials in Holland. In the Tour of Greece I won the prologue and then led the race for a couple of days. I’ve got seconds in the Tour of Queensland and the Sun Tour and in the Tour of Tasmania I won two stages and finished second overall.
Ambitions for 2005: It’s looking like I’m going to be in the Tour of Italy again this May, so that’s my main goal for this year.
Years with Team UniSA: Five years
Years in the Tour Down Under: Five years
Most gruelling part of the Tour? For me its not a really hard tour because most of the races I do in Europe are a little bit harder and I also know all the roads, so I’m more excited about it than finding it difficult. My form is usually OK in January and a lot of the pro riders that come over are not usually in their best form, so the Australians do really well and dominate – and I’m used to those guys. The heat will be a concern. It’s always been really hot, about 35 to 40 degrees. It’s definitely one of the big worries for the European riders, especially coming out of their winter. All the Australian riders are, sort of, used to it. But it still makes thing difficult when you need to be drinking litres and litres of water. There were some days in previous tours where you’d put a bottle on your bike and within minutes you could throw a tea bag in it!
Best part of the Tour? Well, most years I’ve won a jersey. I’ve got two King of the Mountains, as well as Most Aggressive Rider and I’ve got a couple of top 10s. I got 12th overall last year. So I’ve been on the podium a few times and it is awesome! I love it. So hopefully I can get on the podium again this year. I like all of the stages but I’m not fast enough to mix it with some of the sprinters that do well in the tighter, smaller circuits in the first and last stages.
How do you prepare for the Tour? I’ve been doing three, four, five hour days, just getting my bases in. I’ve ridden over a couple of circuits and I’ll have to do a couple more. We’ve got a group going out everyday, just getting some kilometres. I haven’t started any intensity yet. I guess that will come into it right at the very end. I’ve been back on the bike for three weeks now. I had three to four holiday weeks after the Tour of Queensland and started back on the bike again with a week of easy riding. I’m getting into about 800km a week at the moment. It’s gone from the first week doing about 500km and then gone up about 150km each week. Hopefully next week we’ll be up to 1000km. I’m also doing the Nationals the week before the Tour Down Under. After the Nationals it will be easy – wherever you are at then, that is your form – you’re not going to improve in five days, you’re not going to get any better. So that’s always a telling time.
What do you hope to achieve in the Tour? I’d like to get a jersey this year – that would be nice.
Nickname: No, I don't have one.
Pets: No
Someone you look up to: I always looked up to Brett Aitken when I was getting into cycling. It’s funny, because now I’m riding with those I used to look up to. We’re all friends.
A saying or motto you like: I’ve actually always used the Nike saying "Just do it." On rough, bad days when I’m tired and don’t feel like training, the Nike saying has always been something that helps me get motivated.
Fave music: I like all types of music. I like collecting music so I’ve got a lot of CD’s. I like house music.
Fave TV show: I don’t watch much TV. I’m always out training and then resting. I watch a lot of DVDs but not many TV shows. I watch the Simpsons a bit, because it is on all over the world but I wouldn’t have any other show that I consistently watch.
Fave movie: I’m a bit of a fan of Eight Mile. That was an inspirational movie.
Fave actor: I don't really have one.
Fave food: I love getting back to Italy and eating the traditional food, especially pizzas.
