Aussie Cyclists

vl1016 said:

Why does Australia seem to generate so many great sprinters? I'm curious.

Because we're tough!
Criteriums and circuit races are the most common events around here.

tafi said:

Because we're tough!

Or because you guys are too lazy to train for hours on end.:p Or maybe it's the Vegemite [censored].

babylou said:

Or because you guys are too lazy to train for hours on end.:p Or maybe it's the Vegemite [censored].

Nah, I think its got more to do with the style of racing over here, we don't have the amount of big climbs you'll find in europe.

vl1016 said:

Why does Australia seem to generate so many great sprinters? I'm curious.

Young cyclists in Australia ride both the road and track as they grow up. Well many do anyway. It develops both speed and bike handling skills. Stuart O'Grady and Baden Cooke are good road riders but I think they're better track riders. They're both fantastic on the track. Graham Brown is another one. Many of them have been on the Aussie track team and have come to the European road scene from there.

steve said:

Nah, I think its got more to do with the style of racing over here, we don't have the amount of big climbs you'll find in europe.

The Vegemite and laziness thing was a joke. Hence the smiley face with the tongue sticking out.

babylou said:

The Vegemite and laziness thing was a joke. Hence the smiley face with the tongue sticking out.

I realise that 😄

mocka58 said:

Young cyclists in Australia ride both the road and track as they grow up. Well many do anyway. It develops both speed and bike handling skills. Stuart O'Grady and Baden Cooke are good road riders but I think they're better track riders. They're both fantastic on the track. Graham Brown is another one. Many of them have been on the Aussie track team and have come to the European road scene from there.

correct.
track racing from a young age on limited gears means great sprinting technique in the years ahead.

vl1016 said:

Why does Australia seem to generate so many great sprinters? I'm curious.

Greater opportunity.

Cycling is an all year round sport in Australia. Australia is basically flat so the road courses are basically flat and this suits sprinters.

Track racing (which developed O'Grady, McGee, Brown & Cooke) officially runs for 6 months (there is also winter track racing). Nearly every mainland capital city has an Olympic standard indoor board velodrome (Brisbane is taking over Melbourne's velodrome after another 'drome is built in Melbourne). Most regional cities have flat tracks. These are minor banked tracks around sporting grounds.

If a rider wants to take up track racing where sprinting talent comes to the fore they would not be frustrated by the tyranny of distance or lack of facilities.

Australia once was the powerful tennis nation. This was because all children had the opportunity to learn to pay tennis. It was not rare for a modest home to have a tennis court. Land was abundant and relatively cheap. With the escalation of land prices and property taxes, the owners sold off their tennis courts for housing development.

We excel per capita in swimming because of the climate, abundance of swimming facilities and the close proximity of the majority of the Australian population to the ocean and waterways. It is accepted practice that all children should be coached to swim and is promoted in the schools.