Tour Down Under
Team UniSA-Australia Supporters Club
Team UniSA-Australia Supporters Club
Date of
birth:
4 July 1981
(24-years-old)
Born: Adelaide
Lives: Adelaide, Melbourne and Piacenza, Italy
Weight: 60kg
Height: 1.69m
Occupation: Professional cyclist
Club: Adelaide Cycling Club
Professional team: I’ve just signed a two year contract with LPR (a Swiss team based in Italy).
Bike: Giant
Fastest speed clocked on a bike: Last year while training for the Tour we were doing motorcade sessions in the Barossa and I clocked 120 km/hr when I was tracking behind a motorbike. I don’t want to think about what would happen if I fell off at that speed!
Longest distance on a bike: I did some races in Italy that were around 240km. That would be the longest distance I’ve ridden. In training it takes forever to do that type of distance, but when racing it doesn’t take that long at all. I think about four and a half to five hours is the longest time I've spent riding.
Career highlights: Being on the AIS Under 23 program for four years. Winning the Junior World title in 1999 and the Australian Under 23 title three years ago. It was fantastic to win the King of the Mountain on last year’s Jacob’s Creek Tour Down Under. I also won the Piccolo-San Remo in 2005 and was ranked number one amateur cyclist in Italy from June to August.
Ambitions for 2006: To win the national title, do well at the Jacob’s Creek Tour Down Under again and make the Commonwealth Games team. I will also be learning the ropes in my new team. It’s a big step up from amateur to professional so it’s going to be challenging.
Jacob’s Creek Tour Down Under appearances: This is my sixth. I’ve been with the team since 2001.
How do you prepare for the Tour? I had a month off at the end of last season and got back into training in mid-November and have been building up my kilometres on the bike since then. I have been doing a lot of gym work as well. This has been my best preparation ever. I’m two kilograms lighter than for the same period last year so it’s all looking very positive.
What do you hope to achieve in the Tour? If I find myself in the right place at the right time then I might go for the King of the Mountain again, I’m more looking for a stage win and overall victory this time. I feel I get stronger each year and am more capable of going for an overall win.
Someone you look up to: I look up to Stuart O’Grady – he is very successful but at the same time he is really grounded, He’s really nice and easy to talk to. Many sports people aren’t like that at all. They can be big headed, but he’s not.
Favourite music: Jack Johnson
Favourite film: Ocean’s 12
Favourite food: Italian Pizza
