WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.

COM
NOV / DEC 2019

220

ISSUE
PEAK ROAD PERFORMANCE

VISION 2020
THE FUTURE IS HERE

EXCLUSIVE WITH:
Matthew Keenan,
Phil Liggett,
Tracey Gaudry,
Matt White,
Scott Sunderland
& Others

TEST LAB: 2020 SPECIALIZED ROUBAIX, BIANCHI E-ARIA & GIANT REVOLT

VIEW FROM MENTAL HEALTH SUBS GIVEAWAY

THE TOP Doctor’s Orders: Get Win $10,500 In Bike Gear.
The Mighty Stelvio Out And Ride Your Bike Full Details Inside
 J U S T
TH A N T
O R E
M E FAST E S
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ENGINEERED IN GERMANY
#RIDEBEYOND SINCE 1993
 IZALCO MAX
The new IZALCO MAX is more than just the fastest bike
we have engineered. It is a statement. The IZALCO MAX
brings together more than aerodynamics, light weight
and integration. It connects all these attributes into an
intoxicating ride feel, daring you to ride harder, corner
faster and achieve more. The new IZALCO MAX, style and
elegance combined with exceptional speed and handling.

SMART
PERFORMANCE
BIKES
 DISC

Distributed in Australia by:

6 The Bunch
ISSUE NUMBER 220
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

EDITOR Nat Bromhead

natbromhead@yaffa.com.au

MEDIA AND SPONSORSHIP MANAGER Kea Pleasance

keapleasance@yaffa.com.au

PRODUCTION EXECUTIVE Luke Buckley

lukebuckley@yaffa.com.au

PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Matthew Gunn

matthewgunn@yaffa.com.au

ART DIRECTOR Ana Heraud

anaheraud@yaffa.com.au

PHOTOGRAPHY Peter Maniaty, Karen Forman, Luke Meers,

Nat Bromhead, Ventum Bikes, Pat Jonker, Sirotti,
Steve Thomas, Amy McPherson.

CONTRIBUTORS Karen Forman, Michael Hanslip, Amy McPherson,

Peter Maniaty, Luke Meers
Patrick Jonker, Anthony Tan, Steve Thomas

PROOFREADER Jordan Hunt

EVENT MANAGER Vanessa Burges

vanessaburges@yaffa.com.au

MARKETING & EVENT MANAGER Jasmine Gale

CUSTOMER SERVICE MANAGER Martin Phillpott

martinphillpott@yaffa.com.au
Phone: (02) 9213 8325

GROUP PUBLISHER James Yaffa

PUBLISHER Yaffa Media Pty Ltd

17-21 Bellevue Street, Surry Hills NSW 2010 Australia
Editorial Phone: (02) 9213 8251
Editorial Email: natbromhead@yaffa.com.au

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or omission in this publication, or from the use of the information
Sunday, 20 October 2019 Sunday, 5 April 2020 Sunday, 3 May 2020 August 2020 contained herein and the publishers make no warranties, express
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Photo: Beardy McBeard

THE LAZER CENTURY HELMET

100 years of epic stories, a century of expertise.

To celebrate its 100th anniversary, Lazer introduces the Lazer Century helmet.
A model inspired by epic moments, created by a century of expertise.
The Lazer Century helmet effortlessly combines enhanced performance with
style and comfort. The revolutionary Twistcap allows you to increase your
aerodynamic performance and offers more ventilation in the helmet in an
instant. Meanwhile, light it up with the integrated LED light at the back of the
helmet, which offers increased visibility and safety.

Lazersport.com/century
lazersportau
8 Contents
ISSUE NUMBER 220
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
32
22
SPECIAL FEATURES
32 VISION 2020
A lot happens in the world of
cycling each and every year and
next year seems to have way
more in store than most! In this
major special feature, long-time
Bicycling Australia journalist Peter
Maniaty takes a close look at
what’s in store for the sport over
the next 12 months. Peter speaks
with such luminaries as Matthew
Keenan, Phil Liggett, Matt White
55 of Mitchelton-Scott and Tracey
Gaudry of the UCI.
55 DOCTOR’S
PRESCRIBING CYCLING
More and more people are turning
to cycling as a way of helping cope
with the stresses of everyday life. In
this interesting article Nicola Rutzou
tells us about doctors in Wales
who are actually suggesting some
patients cycle more.
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
64
98
22 THE NOOSA CLASSIC
Luke Meers takes us on his
personal journey from the South
Coast of NSW to Noosa in tropical
Queensland where he attended the
2nd annual Noosa Classic.
52 BJORG LAMBRECHT
TRIBUTE
During the 2019 Tour of Poland
shock news of a serious incident was
delivered. Bjorg Lambrecht, just 22yo,
had crashed after hitting a safety
reflector and was in a critical condition.
He passed away a short time later.
64 TRAVEL
Cycling-mad travel writer Amy
McPherson takes us on a fascinating
journey to Tuscany in glorious Italy.
Amy rides dream roads and speaks
with cycling guide Alison Testroete
on all-things women’s cycling.
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 Editorial
BY NAT BROMHEAD 9

52

TEST LAB
84 BOSSI BICYCLES
Vision 2020
A fascinating interview with

T
James Bossi of the Aussie bike
& wheel company. HE FUTURE ...IT’S HERE AND NOW.
88 PREPD HYDRATION Inside this latest edition of Bicycling Australia there’s
ENHANCER quite possibly the largest single feature to ever grace our trusted
Karen Forman tests out this pages. Peter Maniaty has compiled the editorial equivalent of
proven pre-ride supplement. a Grand Tour - page after page of interviews with the biggest
94 OVAL CHAINRINGS names from many aspects of the sport. The topic? Their vision
We review 1x and 2x oval for 2020 in the world of cycling.
chainrings from AbsoluteBlack. From young riders to watch, to trends in technology, to the
98 SPECIALIZED ROUBAIX latest in drivetrains, components and equipment right through
We take the latest Specialized to where and what we’ll be riding - we sure are living through
Roubaix to the cobbles of one of the most progressive and exciting eras in cycling. We
Flanders in Belgium. trust you’ll enjoy & get a lot out of Peter’s impressive article.
‘Vision 2020’ is the pinpoint theme right through this edition
102 BIANCHI ARIA E-ROAD
- from page 14 ‘Top Gear’ features some of the latest in cycling
Test-riding and reviewing the
equipment including items we saw at Eurobike in September -
first e-road bike from Bianchi –
clothing, tyres, electronics, e-bikes and more. The three bike
an impressive offering!
reviews for this edition sum up the three most popular aspects
109 GIANT REVOLT of the sport as we head toward 2020 - road, e-road and gravel.
Luke Meers gets down and From page 98 you can read about a Specialized Roubaix
dirty with the latest gravel ‘all- tested on the cobbles of Flanders, from page 102 we put a
roader’ from Giant. Bianchi E-Aria electric assist road bike through its paces, and
from page 108 we get down and dirty with the latest gravel
REGULARS offering from Giant, the impressive all-rounder, the Revolt.
Cycling is one of the most progressive sports and industries
plus a super-exciting passion and way of life. With more gear,
12 THE BIG PICTURE
wider wheels, better brakes, younger stars, new fabrics, lighter
© ZAC WILLIAMS

14 TOP GEAR frames and a plethora of other advancements, 2020 looks set to
30 BUNCH OF FIVES be a thriller of a year for our sport.
Bayview, Sydney
COVER: Spring is here with gusto and Here’s to the future!
46 VIEW FROM THE TOP
Stelvio Pass, Italy summer is on the way! Riders take
advantage of the perfect conditions
112 SPIN CYCLE to enjoy the best of Aussie cycling in
Anthony Tan on Team Ineos this stunning image by talented young
& Jumbo-Visma photographer Zac Williams. NAT BROMHEAD – EDITOR
12 The Big Picture
SALINAS DE TORREVIEJA, SPAIN
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

“Blinded by the light

Revved up like a deuce
Another runner in the night”
– Manfred Mann’s Earth Band
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 13

© ZAC WILLIAMS
 Top Gear
14 BY STAFF WRITERS
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

Top Gear
CYCLING ... IT HAS GOT TO BE THE ULTIMATE ACCESSORY SPORT. HERE WE TAKE A LOOK
AT THE LATEST AND GREATEST IN ALL THINGS NEW IN PRODUCTS AND ACCESSORIES.

MICHELIN POWER MAAP CYCLING KIT

TUBELESS MAAP’s latest range has been
Just about the only thing the new designed to ensure you’re
Michelin Power range of road tyres performing at your best, whether
share with their predecessor is in the early spring or in the peak of
the name. the summer heat.
Michelin recently released the Their high-performance jerseys
2020 Power range at Mont Ventoux feature a considered selection of
in France and Bicycling Australia’s lightweight fabrics, strategically
Dr Michael Hanslip was there to test positioned to regulate temperature
the new tyres (there’ll be a full report through improved breathability.
in the next edition!). “We aim to produce the
There are five distinct tyre lines highest quality garments that
in the range and eight different perform on the road - ride after
products including tubeless road, ride - while still considering our
tubular, time trial, gravel and environmental impact,” said a
cyclocross. MAAP representative.
The new tubeless version tyres More at www.maap.cc
will be available in 25, 28 and 32mm
widths. Tyre weights, pricing and
a release date are not yet available
but expected early in 2020.
More: www.bicyclingaustralia.
com.au
THULE ROOFBOX
Thule’s Motion XT roof box in size medium is the perfect accessory for those wanting to carry
extra gear when heading away on a cycling-related roadtrip. This stylish and spacious roof-
mounted cargo box is optimized for ease of use. It is a weatherproof, lockable, high-quality storage
solution that’s been praised by users and reviewers the world over.
The Thule Motion XT M is 175cm x 86.5 x 46 and has a capacity of 400L.
RRP $999
Further details
www.thule.com.au
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
OPPY – THE LIFE OF HUBERT OPPERMAN
By Daniel Oakman
Until now, legendary Australian cyclist Hubert
‘Oppy’ Opperman has never been the subject of
a complete biography.
By peeling away decades of mythology, Daniel
Oakman tells Opperman’s story like never before.
As well as vividly retelling his sporting triumphs,
this book is the first to consider the legacy of
Opperman’s post-cycling career. It explores the
emotional pain of his private life, the controversies
that dogged his seventeen-year political career,
including his term as Minister of Immigration in
the Menzies Government and the remarkable and
far-reaching changes he helped bring to Australian
immigration policy.
15
SUPER B BIKE TOOLS
A quality tool kit is just as important
as a trustworthy and reliable bike!
Super B are a world leader in
high-quality bike tools and have
been specialising in the industry
since 1990. The Taiwanese company
is committed to the manufacturing
of bike tools and providing bike
shops, professional mechanics,
home mechanics and athletes with
full range of tools and solutions for
repair and service ... from the most
minor (tyre levers, for example)
through to very major work (such as
removal of a bottom bracket).
Bicycling Australia use and
endorse Super B, we open the
tool box at least weekly and find
the tools high in quality and super
trustworthy. A comprehensive
30-piece Super B toolkit is
included in ‘The Ultimate Subs
Giveaway’ - details on pages 40/41.
RRP: Various
www.bikecorp.com.au
This meticulously researched biography gives
readers a thrilling insight into the brutal world of
professional cycling and an intimate portrait of an
extraordinary Australian.
Daniel Oakman is a curator, historian and bike rider.
He has curated exhibitions about bikes, cars, cities and
urban design, including Freewheeling, a ground-breaking
travelling exhibition on cycling in Australia. Daniel writes
about cycling, sport, social history and politics. His first
book, Facing Asia, was shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s
History Awards. He lives in Canberra with his partner
Cecilie and a dog called Gilbert.
Published by www.melbournebooks.com.au
RRP $39.95
16 Top Gear NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

SCODY CYCLING WEAR BRYTON AERO 60

The SCODY navy fade elite cycling The Aero 60 is the Bryton's first aerodynamic
kit is simple, elegant and on-trend. GPS cycling computer.
The elite cycle jersey uses two “The Aero 60 not only provides powerful
technical lightweight materials with features,” say Bryton, “but is built to be
excellent stretch profiles to achieve highly aerodynamic so you can ride fast.
a body-hugging, drag-minimising, The Aero 60 also comes with pre-loaded
aero-improving fit. The body fabric OpenStreetMap and full GNSS support.”
is made from 86% Coolmax yarns This 71g unit features a low-key aero
and 14% spandex yarns and has mounting system developed to reduce drag.
antimicrobial properties providing It is a fully featured GPS cycling computer –
excellent moisture management and a headline feature is the whopping 32-hour
comfort. Mesh side panels extend in battery life, one of the best in class.
one friction reducing panel from the
waist all the way up under the arms. SPECIFICATIONS:
The jersey is finished with silicon dot • Aerodynamic design: Precisely engineered
elastic on the arm and waist to hold dimple design wrapped around the back
the jersey in place. Matching bibs of Aero 60 plus a brand new aero Mount.
are available to complete the set. • Bigger Display, Better View: Designed
Jersey RRP $130 foran improved viewing experience, the
Further details www.scody.com Aero 60 is built with crisp black and white
2.3” large display, making reading data
become easier than ever. It can fit up
to 10 lines of data per page for a better
understanding of real-time performance.
Size & Weight: Width: 53.7mm
Height: 83.9mm Weight: 71g
RRP Price: $299

PREPD HYDRATION ENHANCER

“I first trialled PREPD in training in January 2017 and then continued
using it throughout UCI road racing events in the heat of summer,”
says Gina Ricardo of the Sydney Uni Staminade Cycling Team. “I
have to say that I truly believe in the product – my performance felt
great after drinking Prime & Recover, and I didn’t experience any
cramping at all throughout the January racing calendar despite some
really tough and hot conditions.”
Read the full PREPD review from p88 in this edition.

www.prepdhydration.com.au

SCHWALBE PRO ONE TUBELESS

German cycling-specific tyre company Schwalbe see tubeless tyre technology as
up there with the mainstream use of disc brakes and electronic shifting. The recent
release of their 2020 Pro One range reinforces this point.
First looking to tubeless in 2010 then debuting their maiden tube-free tyre
to the public in 2012, Schwalbe launched the tubeless One in 2014. In 2016
the Pro One tubeless was launched, and for 2020 that highly-respected tyre
gets a major makeover.
The new Pro One TLE is 245g in 25mm, 270g in 28mm and 295g in 30mm.
Schwalbe have also released an ultra-light version – the Pro One TT weighs
a tad over 200g and is certain to receive plenty of attention from the weight
weenie brigade.
The tyres are now available from Schwalbe dealers and online.
More info at www.bikebox.com.au
Cassons Pty Ltd - AUSTRALIA
P: +61(0)2 8882 1900 F: +61(0)2 8882 1999
E: enquiries@cassons.com.au www.cassons.com.au

@cassonsaustraliabicycle

Cassons Australia Bicycle

18 Top Gear NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

ORBEA ORCA OMX

The OMX is a subtle yet very
significant release from the
Spanish company.
Designed as genuine all-
rounder, the Orca OMX could
easily and accurately be
described as ‘the full package’
– upon first glance it looks to
be a truly versatile platform for
those looking for a bike that
can do it all.
Bicycling Australia took a
close look at a stunning yellow
OMX at the Shimano stand at
Eurobike in Germany.
Notable features include
dropped seatstays, a disc-only
build, capacity for up to 32mm
tyres, a lighter frame weight than
the previous Orca, aero design,
integrated cables, a built-in
GPS computer mount and fully
customisable finish through
Orbea’s MyO programme.
Australian pricing and
availability TBA.
More at www.bikebox.com.au

WAHOO ELEMNT ROAM

Bicycling Australia have been recently testing the latest release from
Wahoo, the Elemnt Roam. The Roam is the brand’s third GPS cycling
computer and first with a colour screen.
The unit offers a number of standout features including enhanced
navigation functions. A user can zoom in on a chosen location and
easily follow turn-by-turn navigation. The system will re-route should
you miss a turn, and a menu option offers directions back to the start
point. There’s a longer battery life, and 2.7” colour screen among a
comprehensive array of other new features.
For the detailed review and more images visit the Bicycling Australia
website and search ‘Wahoo’.
RRP $ $599.95

FIZIK ADAPTIVE 3D PRINTED SADDLE

Making its international debut at Eurobike was Fizik’s revolutionary 3D
printed ‘Adaptive’ saddle.
Not yet in production but rumoured to be on its way (and possibly
even being debuted in Australia in January!), this is a 3D printed
polymer matrix design that may well be the future of bike saddles.
Fizik have used years of pressure mapping data to come up with
the unique design – instead of various densities of foam the design
incorporates varying print thicknesses and widths. Bicycling Australia
were fortunate to get our hands on a preview saddle during September
– we can report it is super comfortable, light in weight (at 170 or so
grams), and looks ultra cool.
More on the Fizik 3D Adaptive saddle soon.
 CAMPAGNOLO
MOVEMENT FOR WINNERS
© 2019 Getty Images

© Lotto Soudal-Facepeeters

© 2019 Getty Images

ALEJANDRO VALVERDE (MOVISTAR TEAM) RICHARD CARAPAZ (MOVISTAR TEAM)

WINNER OF THE 2018 WORLD WINNER OF THE 2019 GIRO D’ITALIA
CHAMPIONSHIP RACE IN INNSBRUCK WITH CAMPAGNOLO GROUPSET AND WHEELS

The quest for great victories has always pushed

us to create transmissions and wheels of the finest
quality and capable of race-winning performance.

The new 12x2 Speed Super Record EPS TM TM

electronic groupset, alongside the new

Bora WTO wheels represent the most recent
TM

developments in Campagnolo’s historic mission

to improve the cycling experience.

Campagnolo, passion and innovation

for great victories!

Fast shifting, always precise

Find the store and effortless for the cyclist,
nearest you and a very gradual gear
where you can ratio are just some of the
try the 12x2 Speed extraordinary characteristics
groups (electronic and of the new EPS groupset,
mechanical). available both with Dual Pivot
Complete list available at brakes and with the powerful
www.campagnolo.com Campagnolo Disc brakes.
20 Top Gear NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

FIZIK VENTO POWERSTRAP AEROWEAVE SHOE

Italian innovators Fizik won a prestigious Eurobike
Award for their new concept cycling shoe, a
lightweight high-performance offering featuring an
open weave upper, twin Velcro closure system, full
carbon sole and unique setback cleat position.
The Vento Powerstrap R2 Aeroweave was
selected from over 400 entries in the ‘accessories’
category to win the major award which is
recognised as one of the leading international
design awards for companies in the bike industry.
The award provides important independent
confirmation of the high level of product
innovation, functionality, quality and sustainability.
Cleat holes on the shoe are positioned
slightly rearwards, Fizik say this optimise
pedalling efficiency and reduces knee
compression when in aggressive and aero
riding positions.
PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS
• R2 outsole – full carbon, stiffness index 10
• Weight: 205 g (in size 42.5)
• Sizes: 36-48 (37 to 47 also in half sizes)
• Colour: Black/Black
RRP – To Be Announced

CONTINENTAL GRAVEL TYRES

Continental have entered the ever- tyre that offers ‘unrivalled versatility’
popular gravel market with two thanks to the aggressive tread pattern,
new tyres – the TERRA Trail and offering steadfast traction across a
TERRA Speed. multitude of terrains.
The company say the TERRA Trail is “This gives the rider the freedom
designed for riders wanting versatility to experience adventures with the
and adventure, and TERRA Speed for
ability to switch, uncompromisingly,
those seeking comfort, velocity and
between tarmac, gravel, muddy
performance.
trails and other surfaces,” said a
Both tyres are made with
spokesperson. “Ideal for wet and
Continental’s ‘Black Chili Compound’,
feature their ProTection Technology, and more challenging conditions, this
are ‘TR’ tubeless-ready. They are also is the knobbliest tyre in the TERRA
available in two colourways – black/ range, designed to give the cyclist the
black and black/cream. ultimate confidence on their bike.”
They are available in two sizes, 650 Available late October.
x 40B (440g) and 700 x 40C (460g) and Conti Terra Speed 700 x 40c $89.99
Continental say the TERRA Trail is a Conti Terra Trail 700 x 40c $89.99
CERAMICSPEED ‘DRIVEN’
Not yet in production but a fascinating glimpse into the
future? One of the most talked about and hotly debated
displays at Eurobike 2019 was the ‘Driven’ chainless
drivetrain system from CeramicSpeed.
First unveiled in 2018, Driven is a drivetrain concept that
eliminates the chain and derailleurs. At the 2019 Eurobike
show in Germany, CeramicSpeed showed a collaboration
with Specialized, the chainless system fitted to a top of the
range Venge.
Chris Yu of Specialized said the company’s motto is
“Innovate or Die” and Specialized were constantly looking at
new concepts that offer true performance benefits.
“Significant innovations in drivetrains don’t come
around often,” he said. “So we were eager to test the aero
performance of Driven in our Win Tunnel.” (Yes, that’s ‘win’
not wind, Ed).
How Does It Work?
Driven uses a pinion-drive-shaft design and 21
CeramicSpeed bearings and was custom designed for the
experiment by CeramicSpeed’s R&D lab and led by Jason
Smith, CTO of CeramicSpeed. Driven was then retrofitted to
a Venge for the tests, pitting it against a standard Venge in
the renowned ‘Win Tunnel’ at Specialized’s US facility.
More news on ‘Driven’ as it comes to hand.
22 Noosa Classic
WORDS: LUKE MEERS
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

THE NOOSA
CLASSIC:
An Insiders View
LUKE MEERS GIVES A FIRST-HAND ACCOUNT OF THE NOOSA
CLASSIC FROM BOTH THE FAST END OF THE BUNCH AND THOSE
SEEKING A SIMPLER BUT FAR MORE SIGNIFICANT GOAL

Wide open spaces, clear blue

skies and stunning cycling ... a
rider enjoys the rolling hinterland
at the 2019 Noosa Classic.
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 23
24 Noosa Classic NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

C
YCLISTS, WE ARE AN ODD BUNCH, A PECULIAR
social subset. We are those oddities that
enjoy the feeling of general fatigue that long
hours in the saddle create. We rise before the
sun to train and, at times, spend hard-earned
cash on equipment to make very marginal gains.
This peculiar peloton is growing in size across
our country, despite the odd bit of media-induced
persecution. The enjoyment and benefits of our
sport are such that events like Gran Fondos
continue to rise in popularity.
In Australia there is a growing number of Fondo
events and an increasing range in the style of
mass-participation rides on offer. 2019 delivered the
second running of the Noosa Classic, the fourth
Bowral Classic and the announcement of two
others. There has also been exciting news about a
gravel fondo in South Australia with more to follow.
But back to Queensland’s tropical coastal oasis
of Noosa where I was in August to ride my first
Noosa Classic. This event has grown rapidly since
last year and saw in excess of 1200 participants
across the three distances (160km, 120km and
45km). In addition to the Noosa Classic, Bicycling
Australia (BA) have been a real driver of the
expansion of Fondos around our country. I’ve had
the privilege of riding all three Bowral Classics run
to date and at the time of writing have entered the
fourth in October. BA have also created the Clare
Classic (coming up in April) and in May next year A SPECIAL REASON TO RIDE ABOVE: Grand fondo events are
growing in popularity. They provide
is the debut Mudgee Classic. This range of events My experience of the 2019 Noosa Classic a wonderful opportunity for riders
helps to create a great landscape of cycling events highlighted for me the beauty of Fondos. I wouldn’t to train, set targets and improve
and offers something for everyone. These fondos normally fly interstate to go to a one-day event, upon previous performances.
provide a great opportunity for cyclists to test but a close friend lives in Queensland and has had
themselves, to push their limits and enjoy a great serious struggles with illness in the last few years.
sense of community. The competitive and super-fit This has included kidney failure, being placed in
can really go for it and those for whom finishing is induced comas and even requiring rehabilitation to
the main aim can be equally rewarded. walk again at the start of 2019. So when he decided BICYCLING AUSTRALIA
For me, the real beauty of an event like the Noosa
Classic is the diversity found in those participating.
to aim to complete the 45km ride at Noosa, I was
keen to be there but simultaneously quietly nervous.
CLASSICS SERIES

As you walk around the village afterwards you see
old and young, male and female and a wide range of
fitness levels. Despite this diversity, there is a great
sense of common achievement because everyone
has tested themselves and is now weary and
enjoying a beverage and some form of delicious salty
carbohydrate from the plethora of food outlets.
MORE FEMALE PARTICIPATION
Historically, cycling has been a male-dominated
sport in terms of participation rates. This has
been shifting significantly recently across a few
different areas of the sport. It was heartening to
see around 30% of participants at Noosa this year
being female. This was really noticeable and adds
richness to the experience of everyone involved.
There were many female riders finishing high up
on the overall results sheets too – setting personal
goals and hitting them.
4 Gran
But therein lies the beauty of an event like the
Noosa Classic: I pushed my own limits; doing the
160km event and aiming for a fast time (I ended up
2nd overall).
Fondos
My mate, however, had a much larger
achievement, grinding it out, overcoming his
physical limitations and finishing the 45km ride
Noosa, QLD
despite some tough moments partway through.
Our extended party of riders included my parents Bowral, NSW
completing the 45km ride on a tandem and my
uncle who smashed out the 120km as fast as he
could. As we debriefed in the village afterwards and Mudgee, NSW
traded war stories over dinner, there was a beautiful
sense of shared accomplishment. Priceless.
So if you’ve never participated in a Fondo, I
Clare, SA
can highly recommend Bowral, Noosa, Clare and
Mudgee Classics as a great starting point. Equally, Total raised for charity:
if you’re someone looking for a harder challenge
there will always be a group fast enough to stretch
$350,000+
all levels of an amateur rider.
 Keep your finger
on the pulse of
everything cycling

Introducing the new

Bicycling Australia monthly podcast

Is it time for a WorldTour Salary Cap? What’s new for 2020 in cycling? The rise and rise
of Grand Fondos. Join Bicycling Australia editor Nat Bromhead as he discusses those
hot topics and more. Plus interviews with some of cycling’s greats!

SEARCH: THE BICYCLING AUSTRALIA PODCAST

YAFFA 11314
26 Noosa Classic
Here are a few tips to get the most out of your
Fondo experience:
DON’T TREAT A FONDO LIKE A RACE
I find this one hard being inherently competitive,
and whilst you can find some healthy competition
along the way, these events are great precisely
because they aren’t races. People/groups work
together, support each other and operate like a
“...Removing the team. Removing the need to race really allows
you to be more present in the moment, enjoy the
need to race scenery and have a chat. If you feel like it, enjoy a
little hitout up the hills and put the hurt on your
riding friends then.
to enjoy THE NUTRITION FACTOR
the scenery and have Good nutrition is important – don’t change diet ENJOY THE VIEWS
the day before, eat regularly during the ride. These Fondos are designed to take riders through
a chat...” Optimum nutrition is one thing and something some scenic locations, so make sure you take the time
we should all aim for. I’m not a nutritionist,
however, and so I won’t deal out much specific
advice here. I would say, though, that the day
before an event is never a good time to decide to
try something new. Do what you know works for
you. I like to try to stick to whole foods as much
as possible. If you are eating regularly during the
event, then “carb loading” the day before is less
necessary. So aim to eat small amounts regularly
during the ride.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
Ultimately though, stick to what you have done
in training and what you know works for you.
START CONSERVATIVELY
The excitement of the moment can lead to fast and
frantic starts. I’ve learned the hard way in multiple
events that this can come back to bite you hard.
So, start conservatively and build your way into it.
Pretend you’re Bradley Wiggins riding a time trial
and aiming for negative splits. It is always better
psychologically and physiologically to be having
the energy left in your system in the back half
of the event, where things inevitably get a little
tougher anyway. So let any hotheads shoot off up
the road, you’ll likely see them shortly.
to soak in your surroundings. There is little point in
doing these great rides if you don’t enjoy the journey.
RIDE WITH FRIENDS
Everything is better when done with others.
Camaraderie, conversation and a little competition
help make the day even more enjoyable. Book some
accommodations and support the local economies
of the host town.
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 27

160KM MAXI CLASSIC MEN 160KM MAXI CLASSIC WOMEN

Pos Name Time Category Pos Name Time Category
1 Kevin BIFFIGER 04:31:45.97 19-29 1 Deborah HENNESSEY 04:35:43.67 30-49
2 Luke MEERS 04:35:32.72 30-49 2 Deborah LATOUF 04:50:02.15 50-54
3 Gavin SCOTT 04:35:35.17 30-49 3 Megan SCOTT 04:58:40.41 30-49
4 Teun SCHUT 04:35:35.18 30-49 4 Kylie ADAIR 05:03:55.45 30-49
5 Ben CHALLIS 04:35:39.71 30-49 5 Claire THOMAS 05:09:01.43 30-49
6 Drew WILLIAMS 04:35:40.16 30-49 6 Jane SMITH 05:27:30.10 19-29
7 Justin MCLEAN 04:35:43.62 30-49 7 April GILLIES 05:31:08.86 30-49
8 Deborah HENNESSEY 04:35:43.67 30-49 8 Ayllie ALLEN 05:32:03.63 55-59
9 Paul GOUGH 04:37:21.88 50-54 9 Jolene THOMPSON 05:42:44.15 30-49
10 Noah CUNNINGHAM 04:37:34.50 30-49 10 Nat CAMERON 05:43:48.81 30-49
11 William CRADDOCK 04:37:36.55 30-49 11 Georgina WRIGLEY 05:54:47.29 30-49
12 Marcus TYRRELL 04:37:37.30 30-49 12 Elizabeth SWENSON 05:58:50.11 50-54
13 Simon DAW 04:37:37.73 30-49 13 Heather HAMLING 05:58:57.27 60-64
14 Iain MATHESON 04:37:38.09 30-49 14 Josie HOOPER 06:07:28.70 30-49
15 Lachlan HARRIGAN 04:39:30.86 19-29 15 Sarah ELLIS 06:07:35.74 30-49
16 Diego CANAVERO 04:39:37.07 30-49 16 Fay BUNCE 06:07:37.29 30-49
17 Trent ALEXANDER 04:39:40.02 30-49 17 Helen CHORLEY 06:07:38.29 30-49
18 Charles LIEBENBERG 04:43:02.00 U19 18 Lucy WALES 06:10:17.04 19-29
19 Scott HENSHAW 04:46:19.24 50-54 19 Helen GREENFIELD 06:20:22.47 30-49
20 Carlo CALLERI 04:48:11.65 55-59 20 Sharlene LEESON 06:22:29.13 30-49
21 Jason SIMMONDS 04:48:17.63 30-49 21 Anne MOFFIT 06:22:41.85 30-49
22 Deborah LATOUF 04:50:02.15 50-54 22 Michelle PETSKY 06:30:22.66 30-49
23 Richard GOODGER 04:51:22.08 55-59 23 Johanna WILSON 06:35:20.17 U19
24 Gavin PLUMMER 04:51:24.37 55-59 24 Lindy WILSON 06:35:25.29 30-49
25 John STEKELENBURG 04:51:29.52 55-59 25 Krista PAGE 06:35:59.78 30-49
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: 26 Andrew CASKA 04:51:33.70 30-49 26 Katrina BENDTSEN 06:40:06.45 19-29
A record number of female riders 27 James HEAD 04:51:36.37 30-49 27 Leeana JAMES 06:40:06.84 30-49
attended the 2019 Noosa Classic.
28 Mike MCGILL 04:52:05.00 50-54 28 Megan HAREN 06:49:55.49 30-49
Riders of all age groups were at the 29 Andrew PADDISON 04:52:05.83 30-49 29 Kristy ARNOTT 06:49:55.51 30-49
event held under picture-perfect
Noosa conditions. 30 Benedict PETTIT 04:55:16.96 55-59 30 Wendy MILGATE 06:49:57.97 30-49
31 Dan SAN MARTIN 04:56:16.22 30-49 31 Jo BOUTCHARD 06:52:07.27 55-59
MC Lee Turner interviews a rider at
the start line. 32 Brian STINSON 04:56:40.74 30-49 32 Virginia SARGEANT 06:52:07.49 30-49
33 Marcello MASSI 04:57:20.57 30-49 33 Kirsty FERGIE 06:53:54.86 30-49
Local and interstate riders mixed with
visitors attending from overseas. 34 Dominic SMITH 04:58:01.53 55-59 34 Emma Daisy FINNERTY 06:56:02.10 30-49
35 Megan SCOTT 04:58:40.41 30-49 35 Catherine MERCER 06:56:11.42 30-49
36 Oliver KELLAHAN 04:59:08.07 U19 36 Sally MCLEAN 06:56:13.62 60-64
37 Tyson MARSHALL 05:00:28.75 30-49 37 Michelle KENNEDY 06:59:12.90 50-54
38 Charlie APPLEBY 05:00:30.00 30-49 38 Jackie KER 06:59:19.82 55-59
39 Justin GRAVETT 05:01:14.57 30-49 39 Rosanna CRISP 06:59:20.42 55-59
40 Peter TAYLOR 05:02:17.00 50-54 40 Lisa GATT 06:59:37.15 30-49
41 Andrew MACCULLOCH 05:03:32.91 30-49 41 Nirvana MCBEATH 06:59:37.95 30-49
42 Kylie ADAIR 05:03:55.45 30-49 42 Natalia ROJAS JORDAN 07:05:31.94 30-49
43 Craig MASKIELL 05:04:05.54 50-54 43 Colette HANLON 07:05:32.07 55-59
44 Adam HAWKINS 05:04:07.57 30-49 44 Leonie MONTGOMERY 07:07:36.13 50-54
45 Peter GILLIS 05:05:59.37 30-49 45 Jenn BUTLER 07:11:56.27 30-49
46 Richard OÆCONNELL 05:09:00.21 55-59 46 Rose SLADDEN 07:14:39.53 30-49
47 James GOODLET 05:09:00.82 30-49 47 Donna SORRENSEN 07:14:40.00 30-49
48 laire THOMAS 05:09:01.43 30-49 48 Marion LEEKE 07:18:26.47 30-49
49 Nathan HABERMEHL 05:09:05.49 30-49 49 Selina HAYES 07:27:22.96 30-49
50 Dominic CALLAGHAN 05:09:06.76 50-54 50 Carrie LIM 07:38:02.74 30-49
28 Noosa Classic NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

RIGHT: Surf, sun and cycling ...

Noosa turned on spectacular weather 120KM CHALLENGE CLASSIC MEN
for the 2nd annual Noosa Classic. Pos Name Time Category
1 Tim DE VRIES 03:21:47.94 50-54
2 Brian FISH 03:21:52.42 30-49
3 Gary MCLENNAN 03:21:52.81 30-49
4 Oliver FERRY 03:29:18.10 55-59
5 Lee CHEVALIER 03:32:31.88 50-54
6 Garth KELLETT 03:32:33.37 50-54
7 Rob TYSON 03:32:34.00 30-49
8 Dionne FERREIRA 03:32:38.67 30-49
9 Justin MCDEAN 03:34:39.25 30-49
10 Andrew HILL 03:37:04.86 55-59
11 Richard HORLOR 03:37:42.47 30-49
NOOSA CLASSIC: 12 John Dougherty 03:37:43.12 55-59

RIDERS’ COMMENTS 13 Joe BORGER 03:37:43.34 30-49

14 Ian CHANDLER 03:37:43.61 65-69
More than a one-day Classic,
15 Mitchell BOND 03:37:43.95 30-49
the Noosa region oozed the
atmosphere of a full-on cycling 16 Kevin WOODS 03:37:46.38 60-64
festival over the August weekend 17 Adam ROCK 03:38:40.60 50-54
as riders from around Australia 18 Darren LOWE 03:38:41.62 30-49
and overseas honed in on the 19 Darryl Smith 03:39:04.40 55-59
region for Bicycling Australia’s
20 Gary BUCKLEY 03:39:47.97 60-64
sixth major cycling event.
21 Andrew THOMPSON 03:39:50.30 50-54
INTERNATIONAL 22 Dave ROBERTS 03:41:11.65 60-64
RIDERS ATTEND MEN’S KOM 23 Craig GOWER 03:41:16.37 50-54
Cycling is a truly international Gen Pos Name Time Category 24 Anthony BEST 03:42:58.17 30-49
pursuit and it was only fitting to 25 Jai WILLIAMS 03:42:59.27 19-29
1 Matt HICKEY 07:07.99 30-49
experience that global feel with
2 Kevin BIFFIGER 07:22.46 19-29 26 Brett WALLER 03:45:08.64 55-59
riders from various countries
including France & Colombia in 3 Drew WILLIAMS 07:53.79 30-49 27 Matt KAVALI 03:45:42.35 30-49
attendance. 4 Damien THOMPSON 07:58.30 30-49
28 Jared BIDWELL 03:45:44.12 30-49
Sebastien Pascal is a Frenchman 29 John BIDWELL 03:45:44.63 60-64
more familiar with the roads of 5 Cambell KNOX 08:07.47 30-49
30 Mathew SINGER 03:47:06.31 30-49
Bordeaux than those north of 6 Brad TOWNEND 08:08.22 30-49
Brisbane. After the Gran Fondo 31 Marty VEITCH 03:48:21.86 30-49
7 Cambell KNOX 08:09.15 30-49
he said the distances were 32 Ian MASSON 03:48:21.95 55-59
8 Justin McLEAN 08:13.80 30-49
“parfait”, the atmosphere was 33 David ROYLE 03:50:32.38 70
epic and he really enjoyed the 9 Luke MEERS 08:16.78 30-49
34 Kurt BARROW 03:52:33.69 30-49
food and goodies at the village 10 Teun SCHUT 08:16.94 30-49
afterwards. 35 Clinton DOW 03:52:34.67 30-49
11 Gavin SCOTT 08:17.19 30-49
“The volunteers were super 36 Craig BYWATER 03:53:55.24 30-49
cool,” he said. “I’ll look back at 12 Roy HICKMAN 08:19.44 55-59
37 Glen RYAN 03:53:56.45 30-49
the event as having joy, a good 13 Brian WHELAN 08:20.29 55-59
38 Richard NEWTON 03:54:19.13 55-59
atmosphere and very good vibe. 14 Del DOREE 08:33.29 30-49
Now I want to improve my cycling 39 Andries FERREIRA 03:54:32.14 65-69
15 Andrew CASKA 08:33.59 30-49
and come back stronger next year.” 40 Wayne CATHCART 03:56:04.60 60-64
Still celebrating fellow 16 Charles LIEBENBERG 08:33.60 U19
41 Sam HINSHELWOOD 03:56:26.59 30-49
countryman Egan Bernal’s Tour 17 Paul GOUGH 08:39.95 50-54 42 Trae KUEHN 03:57:16.44 19-29
de France victory, Colombian
18 Gary McLENNAN 08:47.95 30-49 43 Dave FLEMING 03:57:52.01 30-49
Carlos Pachon-Gomez described
the 160km course as “the perfect 19 William CRADDOCK 08:49.01 30-49 44 Jamie ROBERTSON 03:57:59.97 30-49
mix” and joked that “race-by-race 20 Colin THOMPSON 08:50.34 50-54 45 Stevan KING 03:58:06.13 50-54
Colombians are taking over the 21 Noah CUNNINGHAM 08:51.25 30-49 46 Anthony FELTELL 03:59:11.65 50-54
cycling world.”
22 Sam WALTISBUHL 08:52.54 19-29 47 Cam THOMSON 04:00:56.15 50-54
“The scenery was fantastic,”
Carlos said. “The toughest 23 Scott HESFORD 09:01.48 30-49 48 Owen Langley 04:01:15.39 30-49
bit was at the beginning ... I 24 Andrew PHILPOTT 09:05.24 30-49 49 Josh EAGLE 04:01:36.51 30-49
struggled but really enjoyed it.”
25 Iain MATHESON 09:05.29 30-49 50 Joshua HERBERT 04:04:12.14 30-49
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30 Noosa Classic NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

120KM CHALLENGE CLASSIC WOMEN

Pos Name Time Category
1 Julia EMBLIN 03:44:51.06 65-69
2 Alana HEWISH 03:45:44.59 19-29
3 Louise MCNULTY 04:00:30.82 55-59
4 Disa DYSON 04:04:29.15 30-49
5 Toni THORNTON 04:06:07.61 30-49
6 Sue DINGAS 04:06:11.75 50-54
7 Bernice ELLIS 04:17:42.34 60-64
8 Sarah BRYDEN 04:18:55.79 30-49
9 Maria TIERNEY 04:23:03.84 60-64
10 Julie BIDWELL 04:23:16.85 60-64
11 Virginia JOYCE 04:23:35.52 50-54
12 Julienne DRYSDALE 04:25:02.49 60-64
13 Zara NANCE 04:26:45.34 19-29
14 Shelley OSBORNE 04:28:18.42 60-64
15 Clare JOHNSTON 04:29:47.54 60-64
16 Kerry AKER 04:30:04.20 50-54
ABOVE: Organisers have reported an increase in female participation at each
17 Alice TANCRED 04:33:23.93 30-49
Gran Fondo event, a positive sign as cycling firms as a mainstream sport.
18 Cristina MORTON 04:36:22.86 50-54
19 Mariana PAPIC 04:37:25.20 30-49
20 Kate BAKER 04:37:54.37 30-49
21 Rebecca COBINE 04:39:07.00 30-49
22 Virginia REILLY 04:39:07.01 30-49

NOOSA CLASSIC: WOMEN’S KOM 23 Julie CATLIN 04:41:19.34 50-54

RIDERS’ COMMENTS Gen Pos Name Time Category 24

25
Catherine DONOVAN
Karen BRIDA
04:42:04.01
04:42:34.01
30-49
50-54
1 Deborah HENNESSEY 08:14.57 30-49
ALI’S SECOND 2 Johanna WILSON 08:39.19 U19 26 Alison DUNCAN 04:42:39.69 30-49
NOOSA CLASSIC 3 Helen GREENFIELD 09:32.65 30-49 27 Ali THOMAS 04:42:40.65 50-54
Well-known Melbourne based 28 Suzanne SHIPP 04:43:30.50 30-49
4 Mariana PAPIC 09:32.74 30-49
rider Alison McCormack said there 29 Kirsty WRIGHT 04:43:31.05 55-59
5 Alana HEWISH 09:33.77 19-29
was “nothing like Noosa’s cycling 30 Julianne TRIM 04:43:31.47 50-54
in Victoria” and described the 6 Heather HAMLING 09:42.03 60-64
31 Katie MONTGOMERY 04:46:40.22 19-29
course as “stunning and beautiful.” 7 Deborah LATOUF 09:57.53 50-54
“The hills, the mountains, the 32 Leonie BRIGGS 04:48:58.54 60-64
8 Kylie ADAIR 09:59.61 30-49
roads, the surface ... It’s just out 33 Steph ASTILL 04:50:06.35 50-54
of this world,” she said. 9 Megan SCOTT 10:00.23 30-49
34 Rosanne GEALE 04:52:11.13 30-49
Buoyed by the ever-increasing 10 Kirsten VONHOFF 10:18.71 19-29
35 Shiralee BIELENBERG 04:52:38.22 50-54
number of female participants 11 Disa DYSON 10:25.50 30-49
in Fondos, Ali rode with a 36 Nicola MEINTJES 04:53:39.28 55-596
12 Alison MCCORMACK 10:30.78 30-49
large group of ladies from 37 Alison MCCORMACK 04:55:00.53 30-49
Victoria, New South Wales 13 Virginia REILLY 10:36.00 30-49
38 Catherine HAGGART 04:55:01.17 30-49
and Queensland. She said one 14 Julia EMBLIN 10:36.79 65-69
39 Julie ORR 04:56:27.45 30-49
of the highlights of the event
15 Kirsty WRIGHT 10:41.53 55-59
and trip away was the lead-up 40 Jane SLATER 04:57:30.97 50-54
training, motivating, encouraging, 16 Sarah BRYDEN 10:48.17 30-49
41 Amanda INKSTER 04:59:24.84 50-54
then ultimately completing the 17 Jolene THOMPSON 10:48.55 30-49 42 Janine CAMERON 05:01:14.50 50-54
challenge together. 18 Helen CHORLEY 10:49.76 30-49 43 Jenny WALKER 05:01:45.77 30-49
“It’s wonderful camaraderie
19 Dianne DAWSON 10:57.11 30-49 44 Lynda BARNES 05:02:28.70 30-49
and such a good activity for the
girls to put focus and effort into 20 Nat CAMERON 11:02.28 30-49 45 Liz TURNER 05:02:37.93 30-49
leading up to the event,” she said 21 Louise MCNULTY 11:06.62 55-59 46 Tanya ASHTON 05:03:54.41 50-54
after the ride. “Plus it’s such an
22 Jane SMITH 11:07.49 19-29 47 Anne OOSTHUIZEN 05:05:48.08 50-54
amazing place to ride,” she said,
looking to partner Lee Turner. “We 23 Christina CASSIMATIS 11:09.63 19-29 48 Dianne DAWSON 05:05:58.83 30-49
love it so much here in Noosa 24 Julie CATLIN 11:12.24 50-54 49 Alison SLATER 05:06:26.49 50-54
we’re staying for another week.” 25 Rebecca COBINE 11:13.22 30-49 50 Jan KENNINGS 05:06:46.50 55-59

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32 The Next 12 Months In Cycling
WORDS: PETER MANIATY
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

VISION 2020
THE FUTURE IS COMING. READY OR NOT. PETER MANIATY
REACHED OUT TO A CROSS-SECTION OF INDUSTRY
FIGURES TO EXPLORE WHAT THE 2020 SEASON MAY HOLD
FOR WORLD CYCLING, ON AND OFF THE BIKE.

A rider tackles a high-speed

Tuscan corner during the
official launch of Schwalbe’s
2020 range of lightweight
tubeless Pro One tyres. Will
tubeless continue to be one
of the major innovations of
2020? It sure seems so!
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 33
34 The Next 12 Months In Cycling NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

N
OSTRADAMUS WAS NOT A CYCLIST.
But imagine if he was. What
might the famed French
astrologer make of the next
twelve months in cycling? Can
Chris Froome make a successful
return from devastating injuries?
Is women’s cycling set to take a
major leap forward? Who will
seize Olympic gold in Tokyo? Will
Julian Alaphilippe deliver a Tour
de France encore? Or will Team
Ineos reassert its stranglehold
on the Grande Boucle? Looking
at cycling tech, how many rear
sprockets is enough? Will 2020
be the year rim braking descends
into its final commercial death
“...As far as the enthusiast spiral? And how much further
will e-cycling grow? Of course,
is concerned, the answers depend largely on
who you ask. Alas, Nostradamus
was unavailable. But plenty of
eminent cycling folks were. From
commentators, manufacturers
and race organisers, to sports
directors and even the UCI itself,
here’s what they had to say when
we asked them to gaze into their
carbon-coated crystal balls…

2020 WILL BE A
BIG YEAR FOR:
e-Cycling
Van der Poel & Evenepoel
High altitude super-climbers
Mathieu van der Poel, one of the most exciting young riders
of our time and sure to be on the main stage in 2020.
UCI Women’s WorldTour
Increased sustainability
Connectivity & integration
Tokyo Olympics
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36 The Next 12 Months In Cycling
MATTHEW KEENAN | BROADCASTER
GENERATION NEXT. NOW.
“Mathieu van der Poel will be the most talked
about rider in 2020. He’ll possibly win the
cyclocross world title in February, a big one
day race on the road in April as he did at
Amstel Gold Race in 2019, and then the big
target, gold in the MTB cross-country race
at the Olympics in Tokyo. It’s a massive
menu but he has the appetite to demolish it
all. Remco Evenepoel will also continue to
attract a lot of the headlines. Also watch the
progress of Tadej Pogacar, the 20-year old
Slovenian.”
TEAMS TO WATCH.
“Team Jumbo-Visma were brilliant in 2019.
Whether or not they can all come together,
with the recruitment of Tom Dumoulin, and
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
challenge Team Ineos at the 2020 Tour de
France is going to be a must-watch. Ag2r is
under pressure to figure out the best way
to structure Romain Bardet’s season. He
can’t win the Tour but he can win the Giro.
Is a French team, particularly its sponsors,
prepared to invest in supporting the team’s
big budget rider for anything other than the
Tour? I hope so.”
EQUAL = OPPORTUNITY.
“Media coverage is priority number one to
help grow cycling. Sponsors want return
on investment, which comes from getting
viewers, readers and listeners. And it’s
self-perpetuating. With more money, more
can be invested in growing the sport.
This is particularly important in women’s
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
LEFT: The sport of cycling is
constantly evolving, not just
in technology but the age
and experience of Grand
Tour champions. Here 22yo
Egan Bernal is led to the line
on the final day of the 2019
Tour de France.
BELOW LEFT: 2020 looks
set to be an even bigger
year for women’s cycling at
all levels of the sport - from
Gran Fondos and indoor
spin right through to the
WorldTour.
BELOW: Cycling
commentator Matthew
Keenan.
cycling. I believe cycling (as a whole) would
greatly benefit – getting a bigger audience,
attracting more sponsors – if women’s races
were put on equal footing with men’s races.
Tennis does this best. Australia was just as
enthralled by Ash Barty’s Roland-Garros
win as it was by Lleyton Hewitt’s grand slam
victories.”
CHRIS FROOME AT THE TOUR?
“In many ways, this year’s Tour de France
benefited from the absence of Chris Froome.
He’s been so dominant. But in 2019 there
was an air of optimism which changed the
way the Tour was raced. Hopefully a fully fit
Froome returns in 2020, but the rest of the
peloton maintains the attacking mentality of
this year’s race.”

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WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 The Next 12 Months In Cycling 39

ANTHONY McCROSSAN | BROADCASTER PHIL LIGGETT | BROADCASTER,

MORE E-SPORTS TEAMS WILL EMERGE. LIVING LEGEND, THE VOICE OF CYCLING
“Like it or not, e-platforms like Zwift are changing cycling. In my
view it’s positive – a healthy and safe way to encourage more
people to train on a bike, even if they’ve never hit the road. In
2019 Canyon announced a Zwift team that would compete
on the platform and be given a pro package of sponsorship
support to do so. The level of comment on Twitter was huge
and it was pretty much split 50/50, lovers and haters. I’d not
be surprised if at least one WorldTour race for men or women
has a Zwift stage in it soon. Within two Olympic cycles it might
even be a show event in the Olympic Games.”

REMCO EVENEPOEL
“The young Belgian will stand on the podium of an elite
World Championship and will win a stage of a Grand Tour.
When I saw him race in Innsbruck at the World Junior
Championships back in 2018, I nearly couldn’t commentate
– my mouth was pretty much wide open. I thought his
immediate move to the WorldTour would be too much, but
now we can see that isn’t the case. He’s on a fast track
trajectory and he’s going to win...a lot!” THE RAPID RISE OF A
NEW GENERATION.
WOMEN’S CYCLING WILL GET A “This year we’ve seen the arrival
FRENCH-BASED GRAND TOUR. of some super young and talented
“The first race may not happen in 2020. But if all the signs riders. Egan Bernal, the first
and rumours are true, then we will see the announcement of Colombian and youngest rider
a major French women’s stage race. It won’t be three weeks since the War to win the Tour is
(and to be honest most of the women’s peloton don’t actually mature, intelligent and seemingly
want that) but it will be long and it will have the support and limitless in talent. There’s also
structure the women’s peloton deserves.” Daniel Martinez and Ivan Sosa,
both are under 24. Colombian
E-BIKE RACING. cycling is on fire right now. From
Denmark they also just keep
“2019 saw the launch of the first ever e-bike World MTB
coming, led by Kasper Asgreen
series. This covered four rounds in Europe. Expect to see this
and Jonas Vingegaard. Looking
expand in 2020 and for e-MTB to grow quickly with factory
to Belgium, the loss of Bjorg
teams, TV coverage and all the attention an exciting new
Lambrecht was probably the
sport can command.”
saddest happening of 2019. He was
an emerging superstar. But in his
same age bracket, the big star of
Remco Evenepoel, a name to watch in 2020.
2020 should be Remco Evenepoel
who became the youngest
WorldTour winner ever when he
took the Classica San Sebastian.
The UK also has an array of young
talent led by Tom Pidcock. There
are other names, especially,
Mathieu van der Poel. It’s difficult
to know where to stop. In 2020,
the peloton will make a 27-year-old
look just that – old!”
THE REVIVAL OF COFIDIS.
“On a most improved basis, I expect
Cofidis to realise its ambitions under
Cedric Vasseur and progress towards
being a WorldTour squad. They had a
Elder statesman of the sport, Phil Liggett.
very brave, attacking Tour de France
to no avail, but with the will and desire
that’s now with the French team and
the addition of Elia Viviani, the wins
and stability will come.”
ANOTHER EXCITING TOUR PLEASE.
“Of the 47 Tours I’ve worked on,
2019 was up there with the best.
We had a real bike race, as quite
a few riders believed they could
win and the big teams all had bad
moments and looked fallible. I have
every respect for Team Ineos, but
they found the secret of winning
and turned the Tour into one long
yawn. The crowds returned to the
roadside ... and it was a race to the
last three days and without doubt
the best man won. With the return
of Froome, Dumoulin, Bernal, and
with others like Enric Mas, there
are hopes the Tour of 2020 will not
be dominated by just one team.
Hopefully never again!”
GB TO DOMINATE IN TOKYO. AGAIN.
“Other nations may have figured out
the Olympic success of Great Britain,
but do they have the funds to back
it up? I think Team GB will continue
to win most of the medals, but I am
hoping the Aussies rediscover what
they’re capable of. I’m biased of
course, as I will be doing my 16th
Olympics (and likely my last) for
Australian television.”
 AUSTRALIA

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42 The Next 12 Months In Cycling
PAUL KANTOR | ROAD CATEGORY MANAGER, SRAM
CONNECTIVITY AND CUSTOMISATION.
“Electronic and connected components are
going to continue to expand, but we want
to make sure these add to the cycling
experience. Connected components open
up a world of opportunities to solve some
long-standing frustrations that many of
us have just come to accept. I think you’ll
also see an increasing number of options for
customisation through electronic interfaces
like your smartphone. At the same time we
remain super aware some people ride to get
away from technology, so we try to find the
right balance of being true to the joy of just
going for a bike ride.”
DISC AND 12-SPEED.
“Is rim braking dead? From a development
standpoint, yes! As far as future
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
investment goes frames, components
and wheels will be focused on continuing
to optimise the disc brake experience
for drop bar bikes. As for the future of
11-speed? For mid to high end road
drive trains, we really like the benefits of
12-speed especially the range options we
can create for a rider with a 10-tooth start
and a smaller jump up front.”
E-BIKES ARE JUST BEGINNING.
“E-bikes have brought people back to
cycling who may have lost some fitness
as life gets in the way. They’ve also
lowered the intimidation for new people
to start riding. No doubt e-bikes are here
to stay and will be a significant portion of
the cycling business going forward. For
SRAM, the cost of motors impacts the
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
LEFT: 2020 will be an even bigger year for
e-road with bikes such as the Wilier Cento
10 Hybrid (left) nudging the 10kg mark.
TOP: The ultra-light Schwalbe Pro One TT
tubeless at 205g.
ABOVE: POC’s Ventral Air helmet features
an NFC chip – yes technology is coming to
all aspects of the sport!
cost of bikes and that changes the way
product managers prioritise specification
decisions. But it also opens up new
opportunities.”
MORE FOCUS ON LESS WASTE.
“SRAM is working really hard in this
area. Much of it is internal, such as our
Continuous Improvement team that
coaches us on eliminating and reducing
waste in all aspects of what we do.
More obvious to the market would be
our conscious reduction in the amount
of packaging, and making it recyclable
wherever possible. Our packing teams
have done great work in reducing plastics
already. That said SRAM, and the
industry at large, has plenty of room for
improvement. It’s an ongoing process.”
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 43

MARIA BENSON & SCOTT ROY | DIRECTOR PRODUCT MANAGEMENT & PRODUCT ENGINEER, CERVÉLO
A GOLDEN AGE. challenge for the UCI. They need to look at ways of working
with industry partners and government organisations to
“As far as the enthusiast is concerned, we’re living through
develop a clear plan for it. In fact, they probably need to look at
the golden age of cycling. Just about every brand has at least
fundamentally re-writing the whole rule book. Our fastest bike
a handful of performance-oriented products that are equally
isn’t UCI legal, our lightest bike isn’t UCI legal, and so on. They’re
comfortable smashing a KOM/QOM up Alpe d’Huez, shaving
really leaving a lot on the table.” (Scott)
minutes off your time on the Queens Highway at Kona, or even
sending it at RedBull Rampage. Frames under 900g are now
commonplace and the magical sub-700g is not only available, SUSTAINABILITY FOCUS.
but surprisingly inexpensive. Gone are the days of needing to be “The bicycle industry is looking at ways of reducing its
a master yogi to get that ‘correct’ position. Gone are the days of footprint, but it’s still very dated. Cervélo has shifted the needle
geometry being tied to fit. Gone are the days of narrow is aero, in so many aspects of the sport that I feel we have a moral
and gone is that notion of inaccessible performance.” (Scott) responsibility to once again move forward and look at ways of
being more green. Our close relationship with SCB and Focus
LOOKING BEYOND AERO. has been invaluable in allowing for open discussions in this
space. A few avenues we’re exploring include non-toxic resin
“Cervelo’s heritage is in aerodynamic development. We’ve
systems, reducing ply wastage during layup, reusing offcuts,
watched the entire industry follow and realise massive gains
reducing the scrap and rework rate, organic substrates and low
in making bikes faster. As time goes on, this means we’ll have
energy cure cycles.” (Scott)
to work even harder to discover new ways to unlock additional
speed gains.” (Maria)
“Brands are all collectively converging on what we see as
the uppermost threshold of the current understanding of aero
development. In my view, the next big push is if we look to
move away from the major OEMs like SRAM and Shimano
or, alternatively, co-develop the form with them. If you look at
Ironman distances or flat time trials, for example, huge gains can
be made to stiffness and aerodynamics by designing the bike
exclusively around 1x.” (Scott)

TECH TRENDS TO WATCH.

“Connectivity is likely to play a growing role in how we interact
with our bikes. It will be interesting to watch how the industry
narrows down on what is important and useful for riders to offer
new and unique experiences.” (Maria)
“From a manufacturing and engineering standpoint, a lot of
interest is bound in thermoplastics. We’re a long way off, but with
my history in aerospace and where the composite industry was
five years ago, the accelerated development of that is only going
to get shorter, so I say stay tuned.” (Scott)

ARE RIM BRAKES DEAD?

“Yes, yes and yes. Disc brakes are a no-brainer. From an
engineering perspective we have so much more design
flexibility, even if you remove the unquestionable braking
performance improvements from the argument.” (Scott)
“Disc brakes open up so many design possibilities that simply
make bikes better. As new generations of cyclists come along,
rim brakes will continue to fizzle out. The challenge of added
weight is also becoming easier to overcome, which will make the
final argument in favour of rim brakes a moot point in the near
future.” (Maria)

THE E-BIKE ERA.

“The potential for e-bikes is only just being realised. Think
about the resources available with an e-bike, such as a battery
and motor. It makes integrating other technologies a lot more
accessible. We’re only seeing the tip of the iceberg.” (Maria)
“How far can e-bikes can go? Maybe look toward what’s ABOVE: Disc brakes are becoming firmly embedded as the
happening in the automotive industry and how Tesla is reshaping norm while (BELOW) more examples of unique futuristic
the perception of transport. The e-platform is going to be a real design are expected to be unveiled through 2020.
44 The Next 12 Months In Cycling NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

SCOTT SUNDERLAND | GENERAL RACE DIRECTOR, FLANDERS CLASSICS

RACE DIRECTOR, CADEL EVANS GREAT OCEAN ROAD RACE
LEFT: Race radios have changed the sport and are
here to stay, says Aussie legend Scott Sunderland.

case one gets lost in nature – which we try to avoid – they

do break down quite quickly. We’re adding new sections
into our road books to remind teams to be really conscious
of reducing waste in the peloton.”

RACE RADIOS STAYING PUT.

DAVID LAPPARTIENT & UCI.
“Lappartient, president of the UCI, came into office a couple of years ago
and has been able to manage two massive stakeholders, RCS and ASO,
while still ensuring a positive, forward momentum. I think introducing the
new UCI Cycling World Championships for all disciplines every four years
is a great concept. Lappartient has got the tact of a politician along with
good business sense and some good advisors. He’s patient when needed,
but he will also make a decision, he doesn’t procrastinate.”
GREENER RACES.
“Reducing the carbon footprint of races is becoming increasingly
important. I hope electric cars and motorbikes will become more
prominent in the race convoy, I think that’s inevitable. The teams as well
as the UCI have been working with organisers, to create official green
zones for waste. Most of the water bottles are now biodegradable, so in
“I think this year’s Tour de France wiped the thought of getting
rid of race radios! Can you imagine the chaos with those
landslides without radios? It was a dramatic demonstration
of why we need them. Besides that, if radios are eliminated,
it wouldn’t be long before the team directors started sending
text messages with race information to their riders’ bike
computers. That would create additional hazards because
riders will be reading instructions off devices attached to their
head stem. You’d remove one problem and create another.
If you want more exciting stage racing, ban power meters.”
AUSTRALIAN TALENT POOL DEEPENS.
“Young Aussies like Jack Haig, Lucas Hamilton and Rob Stannard are
ready to do exciting things in 2020. I’m also looking forward to seeing
new riders like Chris Harper and my nephew Dylan at work. (Editor’s note:
Since this interview was conducted Dylan Sunderland has been signed by
Team Dimension Data / NTT for 2020.)
“What I’m really happy about, is where a lot of this new talent is coming
from in Australia. The southern states have always been strong, though now
New South Wales and Queensland have increased their talent scouting and
development with good numbers coming through. I’m genuinely excited about
the next years. What I’d love to see next is an Australian Pro-Continental team
racing in Europe. The challenge is the low Aussie dollar. But have no doubt,
we could easily fill a Pro-Conti team with talented strong Australian riders.”

JAMES YAFFA | PUBLISHER, BICYCLING AUSTRALIA & FOUNDER OF THE CLASSICS SERIES
THE RISE AND RISE
OF THE FONDO.
“I think the 2020 Fondo scene is
in for more growth, with a range
of fantastic events being offered
across Australia.”
MORE FEMALES CYCLING.
“The rise of the female market is
the one to watch. You are seeing
a complete transformation of the
once only ‘boys weekend away’.
Double digit growth is coming
from female ride participation
and the girls weekend away is
alive and well. In just 4 years
we have seen our female ride
numbers explode for all four of
the current Classics – Clare,
Mudgee, Noosa and Bowral.
“Cycling events used to be
marketed to a bunch of blokes
climbing a big hill in the middle of
nowhere, I think those days are well
and truly limited. The Fondo scene
is now a good even gender mix and
in the main are held in desirable
destinations that allow riders to do
more than just the ride.”
ROAD IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
“The future Fondo weekend will
also include cross-discipline
activities like CX, MTB and
hopefully E Bike only events ... The past few years has seen a boom in Gran Fondos with new
watch this space, it will happen!” events such as the Mudgee Classic to take place in 2020.
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46 The Next 12 Months In Cycling
TIM KERRISON | HEAD OF ATHLETE PERFORMANCE, TEAM INEOS
Nairo Quintana may be only 29yo but much younger riders are now vying for and winning Grand Tours.
YOUNG RIDERS AND THE NEXT
GENERATION.
“Bernal, Evenepoel, Sivakov and
others have achieved rare feats
for young riders this year. Bernal
was the youngest rider to win the
Tour in over 100 years. Evenepoel
achieved the same for a WorldTour
one day classic. Sivakov was
the youngest top 10 in a Grand
Tour in 26 years. These young
riders, and others, are defying the
conventional wisdom, performing
beyond their years, and should
continue to develop into the stars
of an exciting future for the sport.”
PERFORMANCE SUPPORT.
“There’s been a lot of talk of new
forms of nutrition, such as ketones,
and stories of bad performances
resulting from changes in nutrition.
Fuelling the demands of our sport
remains a key limiting factor in
performance, and advances
in nutrition strategies will allow
the limits of performance to
be extended. More teams are
investing in developing and
supporting performance through
coaching, sport science and
engineering. Different teams
are raising the bar in different
areas and teams are also taking
a more professional approach to
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
JOSHUA RIDDLE GLOBAL
MARKETING MANAGER, BASSO
BICYCLES (EX-CAMPAGNOLO)
INCREASED INTEGRATION.
“I see a strong continuance of the way
integration has been moulding product design
for the past several years. With mechanical
transmissions becoming less common and
electronic ones nearly omnipresent amongst
high-tier bikes, sleek design and integration
becomes even easier. Smaller cables that can
be routed with as many curves as necessary
without hindering performance – or in the case
of wireless, zero cables and zero curve and
nothing to integrate – will make for even sleeker
designs moving forward.”
YEAR OF THE DISC.
“Perhaps 2020 will be the year where road
disc finally reaches its tipping point. Nearly all
equipment development such as manufacturers are starting to see their disc
the McLaren/Bahrain partnership, braking platforms deliver over 50% of their road
for example. The best teams will sales. On the higher end it’s generally even
continue to watch each other and more pronounced. While not quite time to count
continually improve to ensure they out the rim brake just yet, it’s certainly headed
remain competitive.” towards minority status.”
HIGH ALTITUDE SUPER DEATH OF TUBULAR?
CLIMBERS. “With such great offerings in clinchers
“The number of Latin Americans and substantial improvements in tubeless
in the WorldTour has been steadily technology, you’d be hard pressed to find many
growing, and teams are learning willing to purchase tubular wheels nowadays
how to better support this talent – due to practicality and also the lack of
– many of whom are ‘altitude performance benefits over clincher or tubeless.”
natives’ and pure climbers. It will
be interesting to watch how race INCREASED VERSATILITY.
organisers adapt their races in “We’re starting to see a clear return to bikes that
response to this new generation are capable of doing more and performing over
of high altitude super-climbers. a wider variety of terrain and situations. This will
For example, the recent trend for only continue in 2020.”
less individual time-trialling in the
Tour de France may favour this
CeramicSpeed’s ‘Driven’ chainless drive system.
emerging population of super-
climbers, opening up the sport
to a new market, and forcing
European riders and teams to
adapt. Or an increase in time-
trialling and other challenges in
races may bring the balance back
in favour of more versatile riders,
and force the climbers to improve
their time trialling. Increasingly
altitude training has become an
indispensable training tool for sea
level-based athletes, and this is
only likely to continue.”
 HAUL ASS,
NOT CARGO.
It’s time to change the paradigm of gravel bike
design from hauling gear slowly to empowering
athletes quickly. Leveraging vast knowledge
from road racing, the Áspero frame is designed
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climbing and accelerating, while maximizing
speeds with aerodynamic shapes critical to
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ROAD RACING INSPIRED. GRAVEL RACING REFINED.

48 The Next 12 Months In Cycling
MATT WHITE | HEAD SPORT DIRECTOR, MITCHELTON-SCOTT
FEWER RACE DAYS.
“One of the big changes in recent years is the amount of race
days the riders aren’t doing. A lot more science and specific
training goes into programming and race days have fallen
dramatically. There wouldn’t be a rider in our squad now that
does more than 80 race days a season, most will only do
between 60 and 70, that’s the least of any WorldTour team. The
racing is just so intense, from the Tour Down Under in January to
the Tour of Guangxi in October, you can’t race 120 days a year full
on, it’s impossible. That’s why a lot of teams are cutting back. If
you go into a race underdone, unless you’re a very, very talented
athlete, you will simply get beaten down.”
TURNING JAPANESE.
“For guys targeting the Tokyo Olympics in 2020 there’s really only
two ways to prepare. Obviously the Tour de France, but that’s
tight, just a six-day turnaround with the men’s road race on the
first day of the Olympics. Basically riders will be going straight
from the Champs Élysées to Charles de Gaulle and boarding a
plane for Japan that night. There’s no training to be done, they
just need to spend the week recovering. How well that goes is
very individual, but I’d still suspect the gold medal winner will
come from the Tour de France. The other event riders might use is
the Tour of Poland. Every four years they move it so it runs during
the second week of the Tour de France.”
NON-TRADITIONAL RACE PROGRAMS AND TRAINING.
“Doing different types of exercise, even 10 years ago, just didn’t
happen during the season. But I absolutely see value in riders
trying something different. No disrespect to EF Education First,
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
One of the major
young stars of the
future, Mitchelton-
Scott’s Jack Haig.
but I think it [their ‘Alternative Calendar’ in 2019] was mostly a
gimmick. Whereas cyclocross and MTB for someone like van der
Poel is hugely valuable because it keeps him fresh for the future.
We don’t have anyone in our team riding cyclocross, but what we
are seeing are guys doing running. It isn’t for everyone, but some
really enjoy it. If you want to lose a bit of muscle, for example,
running gives a good bang for your buck. You also want to stay
mentally fresh of course, it’s a long season, so doing something
a little different, whatever that may be, I think that’s going to be a
trend that becomes more and more common across the peloton.”
MORE RIDERS ON THE MOVE.
“We’ve never really struggled with WorldTour points, so the new
UCI three-year cycle doesn’t change too much for us. But there
are definitely other teams who are very nervous. Who’s going to
miss out on a licence? That’s why this year we’ve seen such a big
transfer market, with more stars moving than ever before. Teams
that don’t have the points have to go out and spend money on
athletes, because if you miss out now you’re really in a spot
of bother. Mind you, licence or no licence, if you haven’t got a
sponsor, you don’t exist. Obviously a three-year licence should
help, but it’s still no guarantee.”
YOUNG GUNS COMING THROUGH.
“I think you’re going to see some pretty big things from Jack Haig
and Lucas Hamilton in 2020. The other guy who’s coming to our
team and has already showed lots of potential is Kaden Groves.
He’s still pretty green, but he’s very fast. He actually reminds
me a bit of Michael Matthews, maybe a bit bigger and stronger,
not quite as good on the climbs. But he’s certainly not a one-
dimensional sprinter, definitely a young guy to watch.”
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WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
TRACEY GAUDRY | UCI MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE MEMBER
PRESIDENT, OCEANIA CYCLING CONFEDERATION
E-CYCLING AND E-SPORTS.
“We see emerging technologies as a really important
opportunity to grow cycling, especially through active e-sport
platforms like Zwift, Sufferfest and VirtuGO, which Michael
Rogers is involved with. It’s a way to increase participation so
more people can get fit and maintain healthy lifestyle. We’re
actively looking at how e-sports might affiliate with the UCI,
that’s very exciting, and we also have e-MTB as an official
discipline now of course. These are all fundamental new ways
of increasing cycling participation by removing constraints for
people maybe who are older, have disabilities, live in areas with
very challenging terrain and weather, or are simply too busy!
Obviously there’s a lot of rules and regulations that have to go
around it, but we’re certainly looking at how it can work.”
DYNAMIC BOARDROOM.
“There’s been a noticeable shift in the UCI Management
Committee over the last couple of administrations, it’s younger
and very progressive now, a combination of maintaining
tradition, but also moving forward with innovative ways of
doing things – not just in technology, but also things like
commercial modelling. We have a real diversity in skills, it’s a
very dynamic boardroom. We’re also finding more and more
National Federations (UCI had over 190 at last count) are putting
their hand up. Together we’re looking at doing modelling and
prototype events to trial different approaches, that’s how new
ideas and entrepreneurship happens.”
DIVERSITY-DRIVEN GROWTH.
“Diversity will continue to be key. Globally, we have a structure
called the World Economy of Cycling, where we assess countries
into different groups. A big part of the opportunity is to provide
resources to grow participation in countries that currently have
a smaller economy of cycling and help them develop more
autonomy. Another important area is obviously gender diversity.
Tracey Gaudry says 2020 will
be a bigger year for growth
driven diversity with more and
more women turning to cycling.
The Next 12 Months In Cycling 51
Since I joined UCI nearly seven years ago there’s been a lot of
heavy lifting to drive more gender diverse dialogue inside the
boardroom. Getting that big gear turning is hard work, it’s been
extremely exhausting but also very rewarding. In 2020 we’re
relaunching the UCI Women’s WorldTour. There will be two tiers
(WorldTour and Continental) and every event must have a live
broadcast. There will also be minimum mandated contractual
requirements for every rider including insurance, bona fide
employment conditions and salary expectations.”
OLYMPIC EQUALITY.
“For the first time ever, Toyko will see the same number of
Olympic cycling events and medals for men and women, and
close to the same number of participants. The only anomaly
is the road races. We’ve been increasing the Olympic quota
slowly over time but it isn’t necessarily a case of more is
better, not every country can field four or five elite athletes.
There’s a sensitivity around that, we want to make sure
countries are growing women’s cycling at the elite level so
fields are stronger, not just bigger.”
PROTECTING THE INTEGRITY OF CYCLING.
“We’re concerned with anything that’s a detriment to the sport.
Anti-doping is a constant challenge and we’ll continue to invest
more into testing and prevention practices. Technological fraud
is another area where we’ve invested heavily in the last four
years, we’re working very actively in that space to minimise
risk. Sports betting and illegal betting is a another emerging
area, there’s clearly an underlying risk there. We cover that off
within our Finance Audit & Risk Committee, but there’s a wider
conversation happening at a global level across all sports in
terms of what are the risks, where are those risks coming from,
and what are the mechanisms to monitor and mitigate them.
While we’re smaller than some global sports like football, as the
commercial value of cycling continues to grow it brings in other
risks. We’re very aware of that.”
52 Remembering Bjorg Lambrecht
BY NAT BROMHEAD
Bjorg Lambrecht Tribute
AUGUST 5 WAS A DARK DAY FOR WORLD
CYCLING, BUT FOR MANY REASONS
IT NEEDN’T HAVE BEEN. MUCH OF
EUROPE WAS ENJOYING WARM SUNNY
DAYS, THE TOUR DE FRANCE HAD
JUST FINISHED AND ONE OF THE MOST
ANTICIPATED POST-TOUR RACES, THE
TOUR OF POLAND, WAS UNDERWAY.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
D
URING STAGE 3 OF THAT SCENIC AND POPULAR
WorldTour event the shock news of
a serious crash was delivered. Bjorg
Lambrecht, just 22yo, had crashed after hitting
a safety reflector and was in a critical condition
at the scene. He passed away a short time later
while undergoing an emergency operation in
hospital. It was later reported he had suffered
serious chest injuries including internal bleeding.
Extremely talented, Lambrecht had recently
won the U23 Liège–Bastogne–Liège and finished
second to subsequent Tour de France winner Egan
Bernal at the Tour de l’Avenir.
Many Aussie cycling fans would remember Bjorg
for his stubborn perseverance at the 2018 Santos
Tour Down Under. The young rider, then 20yo,
made news for being omitted from the Tour by the
UCI due a technical race license issue.
Refusing to give in after having flown across the
world to participate in his first UCI event – and
support none other than then team leader Andre
Greipel – Bjorg set about riding every kilometre of
each stage of the Tour ahead of the peloton.
He became a fan favourite. Proudly riding his
team bike in full team kit, with a second bike
computer on his bars providing route directions
of each stage, he completed the task solo in the
stifling South Australian heat.
Bicycling Australia befriended and spent time
with the likeable young pro during that time.
Positive, friendly, upbeat, incredibly talented and a
gem of a young man, he oozed personality and was
certainly a star of the future.
Lotto Soudal issued a statement shortly after the
tragic news broke – here it is in full.
‘The biggest tragedy possible that could happen
to the family, friends and teammates of Bjorg has
become reality today… Lotto Soudal is deeply
saddened to inform that 22-year-old rider Bjorg
Lambrecht passed away following a crash in the
Tour de Pologne today. The entire Lotto Soudal
team would like to express its deepest condolences
to the family, friends, teammates and all the loved
ones of Bjorg. May you rest in peace, Bjorg…’
Bicycling Australia offer our deepest sympathy to
family, friends, and teammates of the talented young
rider – may he forever Rest in Peace.
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 53

CLOCKWISE
FROM LEFT:
Bjorg at the 2018
Tour Down Under
– he rode the entire
course after not
starting due to a
paperwork issue.
Charging on in the
warm January heat.
Bjorg was
considered a star
of the future.

“...Lambrecht had recently won the U23 Liège

– Bastogne – Liège and
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Doctors Prescribing Cycling
SHOULD DOCTORS BE PRESCRIBING CYCLING FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND WELL-BEING?
YES, SAY A GROWING NUMBER OF PRE-EMINENT SPECIALISTS, AS NICOLA RUTZOU EXPLAINS.
T
O MOST CYCLISTS, THE IDEA OF PRESCRIBING
cycling to improve mental health and well-
being is pretty obvious really. People who ride
regularly usually don’t visit their GP as often as
others, and when they do they are congratulated
for their active lifestyle.
And in Wales, there’s a program being trialled to
actually prescribe cycling for improved mental and
physical health. The pilot program, the first such
initiative in Britain, according to the health board
that is leading it, reflects an effort by medical
professionals around the world to give patients
alternatives to drugs, in order to avoid side effects
and improve cost efficiency.
Mental Health
BY NICOLA RUTZOU 55
The serenity of cycling – enjoying the
quiet country roads of the Southern
Highlands in New South Wales.
Patients at two medical centres in the Welsh
capital Cardiff are offered six-month subscriptions
to a bike-rental service that allows them to take
unlimited free rides of up to 30 minutes at a time.
This program is part of a wider trend called social
prescribing where GPs and other frontline healthcare
professionals refer patients to a link-worker who
works with them to design their own personalised
‘social prescription’, often using services provided by
the voluntary and community sector.
General Practitioner Dr Catherine McInnes who
is also a cyclist herself says a number of good quality
studies support the theory that moderate exercise is
beneficial to both physical and mental health.
56 Mental Health
RIGHT: Even when climbing a hill
they are smiling – riders tackle
one of the climbs in the recent
Noosa Classic Gran Fondo event.
“Exercise is especially beneficial for mild to
moderate depression (and perhaps also for anxiety),
so I often encourage my clientele to exercise as
part of their treatment and relapse prevention.
Difficulty with motivation can be a problem with
depression so engaging others, such as finding a
training buddy or joining group rides, can be a
good way of staying on task,” said Dr McInnes.
“...cycling, and more broadly
exercise,
conditions like
depression...”
HAPPY BRAIN CHEMICALS
So why is cycling so good for our mental health?
Cycling improves your mood, reduces anxiety, and
allows you to handle stress more effectively by
increasing the levels of serotonin and dopamine
production in our brains. These chemicals make us
feel ‘happy’ when they are released in our brains,
and they are not the only feel-good chemicals
produced when we ride.
Our bodies also produce endorphins and
cannabinoids from the same chemical family
associated with cannabis, although these are
naturally produced by our bodies.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
RELIEVES ANXIETY AND STRESS
Cycling can also help relieve anxiety and stress.
Our stress hormone or cortisol is reduced while
cycling or exercising. Apart from this, BDNF or
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor is released
when we exercise that helps in protecting our brain
from stress. This helps in generating happiness
and improving memory too.
IMPROVES CONFIDENCE
Cycling also helps improve self-confidence.
The serotonin mood neurotransmitter released
while cycling aids in keeping us stable, socially
and emotionally. It helps in enhancing positive
feelings, self-esteem, and self-confidence.
Apart from this, cycling gets you in shape
physically and it helps you in improving your
confidence too.
Psychologist Amanda Edkins who is also a
keen road cyclist sees exercise as a key tool in
treating depression and anxiety. “In psychology,
whenever we evaluate effective treatments for
depression and anxiety, exercise will always
feature close to the top of the list. It tends
to rate as effective as most anti-depressant
medication or counselling alone.
“In fact, when first assessing patients who are
referred for mental health or mood disorders,
I take a careful look at the three things which
are the bedrock of good mental health and
functioning – diet, sleep, and exercise. Without
these three things being in reasonably balanced
order then it is almost impossible for any of us
58 Mental Health
“...The pride we feel in ourselves when we achieve
a goal ...
.”
to be feeling our best. Not only does exercise
benefit our mental and physical health, it also
has a positive impact on the other two areas.
“When we get enough physical exercise
then we tend to sleep better and have more
regular sleep patterns, and we are generally
more focussed on eating well and staying
hydrated. For that reason, I will often start
with interventions that include exercise and the
other changes tend to follow.
“Cycling is a particularly good choice of
exercise when it comes to improving mood and
mental health. As we know, any vigorous exercise
increases endorphins and builds serotonin levels in
our brains, but cycling also has the benefit of being
an outdoor activity that can be highly social.
“Sunlight has been shown to be effective in
improving mood and well-being. Not only does
sunlight encourage the production of serotonin,
ABOVE: Fresh air, exercise but it also helps us to regulate our sleep patterns.
and wide open spaces – It also increases vitamin D in our bodies which,
three key ingredients to a along with improving our bone health, is important
happy, healthy living. for our mental well-being.”
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
SOCIAL CONTACT AND GOAL SETTING
Amanda Edkins also emphasised that social
contact is a key element in treating depression.
“When we have a low mood or feel depressed or
anxious we tend to hide ourselves away and have
little interaction with others. Cycling with friends
or joining a social cycling club is a great way for
people to start getting back to face-to-face contact
rather than rely on social media/phone contact. It
provides a focus for connecting with others and a
reason to get out of the house.
“Cycling is also a sport that has something
for everyone when it comes to setting goals and
involvement in the community, both highly
important elements in building our confidence
and well-being. The pride we feel in ourselves
when we achieve a goal such as going on a group
ride for the first time or cycling our first 25km
really makes a difference to our mood and future
motivation. It creates a momentum that carries
us towards better mental health and happiness,”
said Amanda.
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WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 Mental Health 61

LEFT: The ever-increasing

number of Gran Fondo
events help to not only
get more people outdoors
and amongst like-minded
others but provide a
focussed training target.

“...but I often wonder if I’d even

be CYCLING AND MENTAL HEALTH
.” WHY CYCLING IS SO GOOD • Social contact is a key element in
treating depression and cycling
FOR MENTAL HEALTH: can be highly social, particularly
• Vigorous exercise increases feel- those post-ride cafe visits
good chemicals in our brains • Goal setting is a highly important
FOR SOME, A LIFE SAVER • Cycling and other forms of element in building our confidence
Cyclist Paul Mitchell (not his real name) says exercise leads to better sleep and wellbeing, whether it be local
that cycling has played a really important role in and more regular sleep patterns club racing or challenging yourself
his mix of treatments for depression, a condition which is very important for to complete a long ride
that he was diagnosed with about six years ago good mental health
after his marriage broke down. “Over a number • Sunlight has been shown to be All of this can improve self-
of years, I’ve found the right mix of treatment effective in improving mood and confidence and self-esteem
options for me including medication, diet, wellbeing and riding a bike gets which is a key indicator of good
meditation and psychologist visits. But the most you outdoors mental health.
enduring has been riding my bike. It’s impossible
to know for sure of course, but I often wonder if
I’d even be alive today if it weren’t for cycling.
“I find riding regularly is essential for my mental
well-being. And it’s not just the feel-good hormones
that I benefit from, but the distraction of focusing
on something different, and the social interaction
that cycling provides. If I take a few days off, my
partner reminds me of how much better I feel
when I’m riding regularly, so I guess I’m harder to
live with when I’m off the bike,” he said.
And he’s not alone in finding that cycling has a
very positive impact on his mental health. There’s a
cycling group founded in Melbourne called Knights
of Suburbia which is a community of women and
men with a passion for cycling—whether it be crit
racing, commuting or coffee shop rolling.
On their website, they say, “We cycle for
physical and mental health, for the sense of
62 Mental Health
BELOW: Indoor spin classes are increasingly popular and
provide a wonderful social environment for those keen to
improve fitness, health and well being.
GETTING SOCIAL
Riding with other people is great for your mental health.
Here are a few tips for finding ride buddies:
• Ask at your local bike shop – They may have regular shop
rides or know of other nearby rides you can join.
• Internet and social media search – lots of cycling groups have
Internet sites or social media pages where they post ride details.
• Join a cycling club – while some clubs are focused on racing,
there’s also plenty of clubs where the majority of riders prefer
social rides.
• Start your own ride – if you already know a few locals,
then start your own ride and invite other riders to come along.
• Ask at your local cafes – particularly on Saturday or Sunday
morning you’ll find cyclists at local cafes who’ll be happy to tell
you about their regular rides.
• Group and social rides are not confined to the outdoors! Many
enthusiasts ‘meet’ online to enjoy regular virtual get-togethers
and challenges on Zwift. Download the Zwift companion app
to find a ride or event for you.
Need Help?
Lifeline provide 24/7 crisis support and suicide prevention
services. You can get help online at the Lifeline website,
or call 13 11 14.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
community, for adventure and most importantly,
for fun. But what unites us is our mission and
sense of purpose: to change the culture around
mental health by raising awareness, stopping the
stigma, starting conversations and empowering
people to develop well-being and resilience in
overcoming life’s challenges.”
MINDFULNESS
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle was ahead of his
time when he wrote in an article in 1885 for
Scientific American: “When the spirits are low,
when the day appears dark, when work becomes
monotonous, when hope hardly seems worth
having, just mount a bicycle and go out for a spin
down the road, without a thought on anything
but the ride you are taking.”
He probably didn’t call it mindfulness at the
time, but he was talking about that feeling of
being completely engaged with what you’re
doing and where you are at a particular moment
in time. Mindfulness is about focusing on the
present moment, instead of dwelling on the
past, or fixating on future events, nothing to
think about except keeping the pedals turning.
This gives your brain a welcome break from
brooding thoughts that are often a major
component of depression.
Alongside mindfulness, cycling is also great for
creative thinking. The ability to exercise while
getting fresh air helps to sharpen problem-solving
skills as well as creativity. A lot of cyclists will
tell you they have an addiction to riding, and this
positive addiction is a great way to refocus your
mind’s energy into a positive place.
So cycling should definitely be prescribed
more often by doctors. It’s not a complete
panacea on its own, but cycling, and more
broadly exercise, can play a major part in the
treatment of mental health conditions like
depression. More than likely for most people
plagued by the black dog there will be a mix of
treatments to complement their pedalling.
64 Destination | Tuscany
WORDS & IMAGES: AMY McPHERSON
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

BELOW: Alison Testroete tackles one of the

dreamy local climbs just south of the walled
city of Lucca. Image: Nat Bromhead
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 65

Under The Tuscan Sun

AMY McPHERSON RIDES
WITH EX-CANADIAN CHAMPION
ALISON TESTROETE TO DISCOVER THE
JOY OF THE TUSCAN HILLS.

T
HE TEMPERATURE IS 30 DEGREES AND I AM GRINDING
up a four kilometre climb. Having lived
in London for too long, I’d forgotten what
heat feels like. Sweat dripped along the helmet
straps gathering at the buckle and the Lycra is
beginning to stick to my skin. The temptation to
give up at this mid-way point was strong.
“C’mon!” shouts my new-found friend back at
me, “You are a better climber than you think!”
The ego boost was all I needed to keep going,
after all, I am chasing former professional
cyclist and Canadian National Champion Alison
Testroete around the hills of Tuscany. If she says
I am a good climber, then I wasn’t going to show
any weaknesses.
Most come to this region to visit Renaissance
cities Florence and Pisa or the wine regions such
as Chianti, but I base myself in Lucca, a historic
city nestled in a valley among the hills north
of Pisa. Enclosed in perfectly preserved 16th-
century city walls, which is now a well laid out
pedestrian and cycle path, it is the sort of city
that epitomises Tuscany.
This is the sort of destination in Italy that
combines all that with a touch of romance
influenced by books and movies such as Under the
Tuscan Sun. It is a place where you come to sit in a
beautiful renovated villa, leisurely sip on a chilled
glass of wine produced by vineyards just ‘down the
road’ while soft music – an Italian opera – plays in
the background.
For this trip, I had wanted a woman guide,
because with a sport that is mostly associated with
men, I needed someone I could relate to: women
like me who enjoy the challenges and rewards
that road cycling gives, and at the same time who
don’t always want to talk about gears, kit and
professional results.
Alison now lives locally in Lucca and runs the
Lucca Cycling Club. Promising to make my first
day easy for me, she planned a route of roughly
30 kilometres to give me a taster of what would be
expected from a leisure ride in this region.
66 Destination | Tuscany NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

GETTING THERE & AROUND

Lucca is served by an excellent
train service from both Pisa
and Florence, both cities with
international airports served by a
good network of airlines in Europe.
Visitors can use a Eurail Pass
if combining the trip with other
Italian or neighbouring European
destinations. It is possible to travel
with your bike on most trains and
long distance buses, however it is
also possible to hire a quality road
bike locally at a reasonable cost to
avoid the logistics.
Driving can be tricky in the small
cobbled Italian roads however for
those who do wish to drive, all
major hire car companies have
desks at airports and city centres.

WHEN TO GO
Best seasons to ride are between
March to June and September to
October.
ABOVE: Lucca-based former Canadian National Champion Alison Testroete stops to take in the scenery during a local ride.
EATING AND SLEEPING
Lucca has plenty of
accommodation options within
its city walls. From budget to
The Tuscan landscape is a patchwork of the At this point, I do a quick scan of my surrounds.
luxury, there is something for
greens of vineyards and olive groves, rustic honey- I couldn’t see many hard climbs in the vicinity.
everyone.
coloured villas and punctuating Cypress trees. The “You want hills? Could save a couple for you
Finding accommodation with
mostly empty roads are well paved and smooth, tomorrow!” Alison winks mischievously.
breakfast included will save you
its curves nestle in the crease of the rolling hills Fuelled with enthusiasm from my first day on
the effort of having to find one
decorated with castle and church towers joining the hill, I meet Alison again in the morning of the
that serves more than just an
villages and communes with lyrical names such next day ready to take on more. After all, she did
espresso and a pastry for fuel.
as Sant’Alessio, San Martino in Vignale and San promise me some challenges.
Most towns and villages will have
Gemignano di Moriano, it is all very much like a
a deli and a ristorante for lunch
painting, making a ride in the Tuscan countryside
and plenty of options for a carb-
especially exhilarating.
filled dinner back in Lucca.
Leaving the city centre and taking the road
going north across the Serchio River where the
traffic begin to thin, we start shifting to higher
such as TOURING
gears for some speed. When my legs are spinning Sant’Alessio, San Martino in Lucca Cycling Club offers tailor-
made road cycling travel from
at a comfortable cadence, I pull alongside Alison
for a bit of a chat. Vignale and San Gemignano point to point multi-day itineraries
When Alison first moved to Italy she
immediately fell in love with the Italian lifestyle.
di Moriano...” to centre based day trips.
Bike Hire: Want to save the
Having quit professional cycling, she continues her hassle of take by your own bike?
love of cycling by guiding visitors on tailored road Following a similar route out of the city, Lucca Cycling Club can organise
cycling holidays around Lucca. westwards this time, Alison takes me deeper into high-end bike hire from single
“I find Lucca to be the most authentic of all the mountains. It’s another clear day with not to multi day for individuals up to
Tuscan cities. When tourism dictates so much a cloud tainting the perfect blue sky, meaning large groups.
of the infrastructure and personalities of other another hot day in the saddle. Ride Guide: Cycling guide
destinations, Lucca remains to be itself. It is lively, Once again, I am being pulled towards the Alison Testroete is a former
friendly and honest. I knew I wanted to live here attractive landscape of Tuscany. Feeling more Canadian National Champion
the first time I visited it. confident in my hired bike, I open my eyes to and pro cyclist. With more
“The areas around Lucca provide so much the mountains and the valley, listened for the than 7-years cycling industry
variety for cyclists. You can ride to the sea, into the song birds and the distant chimes of church bells experience she now owns
mountains, keep it flat or tackle some pretty hard and felt flower-scented breeze on my skin. Once and operates Lucca Cycling
hitting climbs. So it’s great for point to point trips a while we stop to admire the view. The sun is Club. Further details at
or to base yourself in one place and still experience bright, highlighting the glory of the surrounding www.luccacyclingclub.com
something different every day.” in saturated colours.
 PREPARATION IS ESSENTIAL
Brian has the confidence to ride even when the road
can be unpredictable. He stores all his roadside
repair needs in his Seat Roll PREMIO. And most
often, he forgets it is there; because it doesn’t
rattle as a constant reminder. But if something does
happen, it’s one pull of the dial and a quick snap to
salvation. Like a Boy Scout, Brian is always prepared
and puts his faith in gear that embodies integrity and
accountability. #mySILCAstory

info@echelonsports.com.au | www.echelonsports.com.au | 07 3457 9999

68 Destination | Tuscany NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

LEFT: Quiet country roads and stunning

Tuscan scenery ... the joys of spending
time exploring the Lucca region.

roll with my broken Italian from

I breathe it all in.
“...I think women Ten kilometres in, we hit our first climb near the
want a sense of village of Cappella. A steady rise of five percent for
four kilometres isn’t anything to write home and
friendship and female boast about, but enough to make me stop talking
to concentrate on the grind.
bonding. One of the things I love about a hard climb is that
what goes up always come down, but down can be
terrifying.
As we plunge into a series of hairpin descends,
I am nervous and wobbly. This isn’t the sort of
descend I am used to, but adrenaline can be a
powerful thing, and soon I find my rhythm to roll
with it. Many cyclists have dreamed of riding on
roads like this, the sort of descend where I can feel
the wind gush through my helmet, hear the faint
whirl from the wheels and the thrill as I tilt my bike
to meet each bend.
Relief came in short bursts of subtle slopes that
eventually flattens out along the river where we
decide to pause. I manage to order myself a cured
ham sandwich with cheese in a fresh multi-seed
a local deli, and we eat our lunch
shaded under a giant garden umbrella
accompanied by the soundtrack of the
nearby river. I take the opportunity
for a bit more chatter to ask Alison
about something that has always
bothered me.
The lack of women’s presence
in cycling.
It bothers me as a cyclist that there
isn’t a professional equivalent to Tour
de France or Giro d’Italia, and the
so called women’s versions are always
significantly shorter and don't get the same coverage.
Then there is the MAMIL phenomenon. The
2017 film highlighted the popularity in cycling and
the camaraderie among those keen to spend more
time in Lycra than with their families.
But what about those of us MAWILS?
“M-A-W-I-L, that doesn’t actually sound all that
nice!” laughs Alison when I bring up the subject,
“and we are not middle-aged yet!”
Jokes aside, I ask whether she feels there is a
lack of representation of women in the cycling
world. Does she think perhaps women just don’t
see cycling the same way?
“Well, we are all different. I think all of us
enjoy cycling for the same reasons, the sense of
camaraderie and the joy of a ride but, for women,
we also look for more than just cycling.
“I think women want a sense of friendship
and female bonding. It’s not about boasting what
distances we have tracked on Strava, but taking
the time and stop to do some shopping, wine
tasting or enjoy an aperitivo along the way,”

JOURNEY ACROSS THE TOP OF TASMANIA

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70 Destination | Tuscany NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

Alison continues, “we want a break from taking

care of others, something I think women feel most
“...I shall take some time for myself
guilty about – is taking time for themselves. on my beautiful Tuscan balcony...”
“Also, I think media will always go with what
is popular, what the audience wants,” Alison
continues, “but we should not see that as women
don’t enjoy cycling. We obviously do! We just need
to stop talking about it and actually do it, show the
world we are here and we are cycling.”
We fall into a post lunch lull, sitting in silence
watching the daily lives of the community go by.
It’s hot, and my appetite was beginning to wander
to one thought.
“Now, how about a gelato?” Alison breaks my
mental silence with the exact thing that had just
popped in my mind.
So we turn the bikes around back towards Lucca,
where we both enjoy a double scoop of gelato before
farewell. There is some truth about what Alison says
after all. I had enjoyed the cycling around Lucca,
but at the same time, the best part wasn’t about the
speed and the technicality of a ride, rather, it was
the companionship, the chats over coffee, the quick
glances into boutiques along the way that were
enjoyable. After all, it’s not all about the destination
but the journey itself. And now, I shall take some
time for myself and sip a chilled glass of wine on my ABOVE: Alison rides through the Piazza
beautiful Tuscan balcony. dell’Anfiteatro, a Roman amphitheatre and
Oh wait, I need to stop my Strava. now restaurant precinct in central Lucca.

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72 View From The Top
BY NAT BROMHEAD
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

Tackling The Mighty Stelvio

IT REALLY DOESN’T NEED
ANY INTRODUCTION
AT ALL ... THE MIGHTY
‘PASSO STELVIO’, ONE
OF THE WORLD’S MOST
ICONIC CYCLING CLIMBS.
BICYCLING AUSTRALIA
WERE FORTUNATE TO BE
IN BORMIO FOR THE ONE
DAY OF THE YEAR THE
STELVIO WAS CLOSED
TO TRAFFIC. EDITOR
NAT BROMHEAD HAS
THE STORY.

RIGHT: Not quite the top but what a

view! Looking back down the valley
when tackling the Stelvio Pass from
the Italian village of Bormio. Note
the lack of traffic and numerous
cyclists – this was the 2019 Stelvio
Bike Day when the climb is closed
to motorised transport.
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 73
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
I
T’S UP THERE (NO PUN) AS ONE OF
the ultimate destinations on
earth, an absolute bucket
list climb and one of the peak
personal challenges for any keen
road cyclists.
Yes, it’s the Stelvio Pass, or
‘Passo dello Stelvio’ in Italian, and
it’s located in Europe’s Central
Alps on the Italian/Swiss border.
Like many addicts of the sport,
the author’s personal journey
to this high-altitude heartland
began many years before
ultimate arrival.
The climb is etched in bike
racing folklore, has been freshly
ridden by seemingly every rider
‘just back from Europe’, and was
made famous when named as ‘the
world’s greatest road’ by Top Gear
over a decade ago.
So when the opportunity to
spend a week in nearby Bormio
came up at the end of August
– the same time as the annual
‘Stelvio Bike Day’ when the
climb is closed to traffic – it was
impossible to say no.
Bikeless and local knowledge-
less (if that’s even a word?), upon
the advice of more than a few
recent Aussie visitors I paid a visit
to Spot On Bike Shop and soon
learned about their fascinating
Aussie connection while sorting
out a steed.
“Before I opened my bike shop
I was helping an Australian client
with a damaged bike,” Paulo
Birroci told us. “He said ‘Paulo,
please help me … save my holiday,
my bike is broken.’ I fix the bike
and he said ‘Paulo, Spot On.’
I call my friend Daniela and said
‘Spot On.’ He said ‘magnifique,
perfect,’ and I name my new shop
Spot On.”
With riders from all around
“...on the 2019 the world visiting Bormio to ride
Stelvio Bike Day the Stelvio Pass, Paulo said up
to a quarter of visitors are from
well Australia. So why the Stelvio,
we asked him.
“It is the bucket list destination,”
he said. “The Stelvio is not that
steep. The problem is the altitude,
, snap their and the length of the climb. Most
of the people who come here are
selfies, and raise from lower areas. It’s something
a glass...” very special – we start the climb at
1200 at Bormio and arrive at the
top at 2700.”
“It doesn’t matter how long the
climb takes,” Paulo added. “Once
they arrive at the top it’s such a
big satisfaction.”
As daunting and impressive as
the Stelvio is, the Bormio region
is famous for far more legendary
climbs than that, the pinnacle of
world cycling.
“We have a lot of other options,”
Paulo continued. “The top three
other climbs are the Gavia,
Mortirolo and Cancano … the
lake. Stelvio is the King, Gavia is
the Queen, and Cancano is the
Princess. The Gavia and Mortirolo
LEFT: The Stelvio is just one of the
region’s great climbs – this shot is
from Bormio 2000.
ABOVE: Looking back down the
mighty Stelvio from the top, an
absolute dream descent.
75
are the most famous climbs of the
Giro d’Italia. These climbs are
hell – very steep with up to 24%
gradient. There are three routes
to the top of Mortirolo and the
hardest is only for the brave.”
It’s not often that brilliant
cycling climbs are closed to
traffic but, as Paulo explained,
that was the case the following
Friday and Saturday.
“Cancano is closed on Friday
and the Stevio on Saturday,” he
said, “no cars, bikes only.
To ride these climbs over these
car-free days was an absolute
delight. First up was Cancano
with its gentle 7% gradient and 17
dreamy switchbacks. The view from
the top is absolutely staggering, the
picture-perfect hairpins a visual
reminder of a road you’ll never
forget. That Friday sortie to 2000m
was the perfect pipe opener to
Saturday’s Stelvio mission.
With Bormio absolutely buzzing
on Friday night it was clear that
thousands of riders had honed in
on the region for the open day.
Early the next day I was awoken
by the sound of clipping cleats and
freewheels, the hotel balcony doors
being open and an almost endless
line of riders leaving the village for
the challenge ahead
After a hearty breakfast I joined
the parade. A few kilometres
out of town the bunch I’d joined
passed two armed officers, their
police car blocking the turnoff
to the Stelvio climb ensuring the
popular route remained car-free
for the day.
76 View From The Top NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
A relatively constant climb and
with plenty of wheels to follow
and riders to share the work with,
the distance from Bormio is just
over 20km. The gradient ranges
from 7 to 14% and there’s a total
of 1,657m gained to the maximum
elevation of 2,799m (just above
the highest cafe at the top). A truly
spectacular climb, it’s not just the
view from the top that will make
your day but the view from along
the way as well. Stopping to take
in the spectacular valley behind,
the enormous rock formations
along side and high pass ahead
was certainly one of the highlights,
right up there with ultimately
reaching the top.
Of course the view from the top
is the icing on the cake and on the
2019 Stelvio Bike Day well over
12,000 riders were there to share
their joy, snap their selfies, and
raise a glass or two to one of the
world’s most iconic climbs.
See the video interview with
ABOVE: Yet another world class climb a short ride away from the regional centre Daniela Schena aka ‘Stelvio Man’
of Bormio, Cancano. This climb is set to feature in the 2020 Giro. on the Bicycling Australia website.
WWW.DIGGARI.COM.AU
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
BREAKOUTHEAD
BIKE HIRE
Spot On Bike Shop
High-end Pinarello, Cervelo
and 3T bikes available.
Via Monte Cristallo,
Bormio, Italy.
info@spotonbormio.it
ACCOMMODATION
Hotel Funivia
Specialist bike hotel
Via Funivia, Bormio
info@hotelfunivia.it
GETTING THERE
Road 190km from Milan or
290km from ZurichTrain from
Milan to Tirano then local bus
BEST TIME TO GO
Typically from late May to early
November. Even in mid summer
snow can fall so check the
weather first!
THE PERFECT GIFT
FOR THE “HARD TO BUY FOR”

PERSON

SCODY’S NEWEST ADDITION.

GIVE THE GIFT OF COMPLETE
PERSONALISATION THIS CHRISTMAS. #SCODY CYCLING
78 Bunch of Fives
BY PETER MANIATY
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

RIDER: Mark Chaffe

LIVES: Elanora Heights
RIDES: Cannondale R1000
OCCUPATION: School Principal
RIDER: Dave Sheppard
LIVES: Narraweena
RIDER: Greg Doherty RIDES: Giant TCR Pro 0
LIVES: Wahroonga OCCUPATION: Physiotherapist
RIDES: S-Works Tarmac
OCCUPATION: Mechanic (soon
to be ‘retired mechanic’)
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
RIDER: Warrick Nicholson
LIVES: Newport
RIDES: Specialized Tarmac Di2 Disc
OCCUPATION: Production Director
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
5s
A bunch of
RIDER: David Martin
LIVES: Warriewood
RIDES: Giant TCR
Advanced Pro 1
OCCUPATION: School
Psychologist
FIVE RIDERS.
FIVE QUESTIONS.
ONE BUNCH.
WHO?
FIVE GOOD MATES
WHERE? SYDNEY’S
NORTHERN BEACHES
POST-RIDE? 8 KNOTS
CAFE, PITTWATER
T
O SOME, IT’S THE ‘INSULAR
Peninsula’. But to Northern
Beaches locals, this part
of the world is nothing short of
cycling nirvana. Based on personal
experience, past and present,
it’s hard to argue with them –
especially gazing out from my
current waterfront surroundings
on a glorious morning in early
spring. Whether you’ve just
cruised up the coastline from
Brookvale or Narrabeen, or
hurtled down from McCarrs
Creek Road after a loop out to
Akuna Bay or West Head, there
are surely few better-located
coffee stops in Sydney than 8
Knots Café at Bayview. Nestled
at the southern edge of Pittwater,
directly adjacent the local
marina with its bobbing yachts
and chirping seabirds, 8 Knots
provides the perfect park up for
many reasons. For starters, the
79
coffee is excellent. Same goes
for the service, which gives the
whole place a delightfully relaxed
and welcoming feel. The vistas
are spectacular. You can even
take a dip at Bayview Baths right
next door if your cooked legs are
in need of cooling (just heed the
signs and watch for sharks). On
any given morning, certainly
during the warmer months, you’ll
likely find a healthy gathering
of two-wheeled bunches sipping
coffee and talking bikes. Today is
no exception…
GREG DOHERTY
1. WHAT’S THE BEST
RIDE IN SYDNEY?
I always love going out through
Akuna Bay in Ku-ring-gai
National Park and the Northern
Beaches in general.
2. SHOULD WOMEN HAVE THEIR
OWN VERSION OF THE TOUR DE
FRANCE?
I thought they already did, just a
bit shorter.
3. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THE
UCI’S NEW E-MTB RACE SERIES?
Well, I’d like to compete with
an e-bike!
4. CAN CHRIS FROOME RETURN
FROM HIS INJURIES AND WIN THE
TOUR DE FRANCE IN 2020?
He will come back. I don’t think
he can win the Tour, but good
luck to him.
5. IF YOU HAD $500 TO SPEND IN A
BIKE SHOP WHAT WOULD YOU BUY?
New shoes and a helmet.
MARK CHAFFER
1. BEST RIDE IN SYDNEY?
Our Akuna Bay circuit. Within
minutes you’re up into the
National Park enjoying challenging
climbs and quick descents.
The scenery isn’t bad either.
2. WOMEN’S TOUR DE FRANCE?
A big yes from me. It seems
strange we can have a sport as
popular as cycling and an event
with as much media coverage as
Le Tour and not have a female
version. It happens in many
80 Bunch of Fives
other sports, so why not cycling?
I’d happily watch it.
3. UCI’S NEW E-MTB RACE SERIES?
Ah, this is an interesting debate.
I have friends riding mountain
bikes and there’s an ever-growing
number of them switching to
e-bikes. Simply put, as we get
older these riders are finding
e-bikes allow them to ride for
longer. I can imagine the e-MTB
race series would follow a similar
principle with races able to be
run over a longer timeframe.
4. CAN FROOME WIN THE
TOUR IN 2020?
I believe he can. If you can
win Le Tour a bunch of times,
then you’d have the mental
determination to overcome just
about anything. I wish him well.
5. $500 TO SPEND IN A BIKE SHOP?
Wahoo cycle computer or a new
pair of road shoes.
DAVE SHEPPARD
1. BEST RIDE IN SYDNEY?
It’s hard to beat our standard
ride around Akuna Bay. The
climbs in and out ask enough
of you, and the scenery is
stunning. There aren’t many
cars either. It’s hard to believe
you’re in Sydney.
2. WOMEN’S TOUR DE FRANCE?
I’d watch it. Why not? Cycling
as a spectator sport is about
racing, bikes, personalities and
terrain. I don’t think there’s any
more to it. The only difference
for women at the moment is we
don’t know as much about the
individuals. Give them some
exposure and it will take off.
3. UCI’S NEW E-MTB RACE SERIES?
I didn’t see that, but it would
open up events for lots of people
who would otherwise not race
or ride. I know people who
are having cycling holidays on
e-bikes now, going with friends
who are on standard bikes. I’m
hopeful e-bikes will change
community opinion about cycling
by bringing many more people in
and, ultimately, make it safer for
us all. The other thing to think
about is…if something moves, it
should be raced!
4. CAN FROOME WIN THE
TOUR IN 2020?
Yes. I’m a physio and I see loads
of cyclists with injuries. I don’t
have full knowledge of the type
of fractures, however assuming
they weren’t overly unusual, his
pelvis, ribs and femur should
recover well and not bother
him too much eventually. The
elbow may not straighten fully
– but has anyone ever seen
Chris Froome straighten his
elbow on a bike? The neck and
other soft tissue injuries may
bother him, so I’m not sure
about those. The other thing
is his confidence. My wife is
a Clinical Psychologist with a
sports psych background. She
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
“...I never tire
of my local loop
ABOVE: Not a lot goes on at sleepy
Bayview, a splendid waterfront
location just 25km north of Sydney.
BELOW: Good coffee and quality
banter, two key ingredients for a
memorable ride with mates.
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
said ‘Froome will be OK, he’s a
tough bastard!’ I have to agree
with that. I’m looking forward
to seeing him return and, if they
give him a start, I expect he will
be hard to beat.
5. $500 TO SPEND IN A BIKE SHOP?
Clothes. I’m very happy with my
bike and anything new I bolt on
to it would have to be carried up
the hills. Hopefully they’d have
a barista and I would spend the
last $5 on a coffee.
WARRICK NICHOLSON
1. BEST RIDE IN SYDNEY?
Can’t say I’ve done them all, but
I never tire of my local loop out
to Akuna Bay and back home to
Newport. Incredibly scenic from
start to finish, a lot of it flanked
by Pittwater, full of birdsong
and native wildlife sightings
are common. It also has some
good solid climbing, twisty fast
descending and for the most
part, great road surfaces…
heaven! Tack on a diversion out
to West Head for some extra
distance and an insanely good
view of the mouth of Broken Bay
at the half-way point.
2. WOMEN’S TOUR DE FRANCE?
Yes! Why should Grand Tour
cycling be any different to World
Surfing, Tennis, Soccer etc. in
this day and age? If my daughter
harboured dreams of one
day winning a Grand Tour in
cycling, I’d love to think she had
every opportunity to strive for
that, as much as my son would.
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82 Bunch of Fives
“...for me the power in any UCI event
ABOVE: David Martin takes time out to enjoy
a morning coffee at Bayview north of Sydney.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
3. UCI’S NEW E-MTB RACE SERIES?
I think it’s very odd. Not to
mention a nightmare to regulate
for a fair race. It’s akin to having
a sailing race and allowing an
electric motor to be used for the
lulls. A marketing coup to be
sure, but for me, the power in
any UCI event should only ever
come from the legs of the riders.
Pretty sure Jens never uttered:
“Shut Up, Batteries!”
4. CAN FROOME WIN THE
TOUR IN 2020?
If his family can keep him
from using overly sharp
kitchen knives, running with
scissors or mowing the lawns
in bare feet, I’d say he’s in
with a fighting chance. But I
hope someone else can come
through and mix it up to be
honest – this year’s Tour was
immensely more watchable.
5. $500 TO SPEND IN A BIKE SHOP?
A fresh helmet most likely –
mine’s definitely getting close
to retirement – and some new
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
rubber front and back with
the change.
DAVID MARTIN
1. BEST RIDE IN SYDNEY?
West Head.
2. WOMEN’S TOUR DE FRANCE?
Yes. They should try to run it
concurrently with the men’s race,
possibly the day before. I’m a
strong supporter of equity for all.
3. UCI’S NEW E-MTB RACE SERIES?
As long as all the bikes have
consistent power assistance, I’d
be happy to see it.
4. CAN FROOME WIN THE
TOUR IN 2020?
I think the biggest issue will
be his motivation. It would be
disappointing to see a champion
like him struggle in a Grand
Tour, especially the Tour de
France. In summary, no.
5. $500 TO SPEND IN A BIKE SHOP?
I’d convert to tubeless tyres.
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84 Profile | Bossi Bicycles
BY PETER MANIATY
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

Bossi Bicycles:
From Fast Food To Fast Wheels
LEADING AN INTERNATIONAL DESIGN AND
MANUFACTURING TEAM FOR CLIENTS LIKE McDONALDS
MAY NOT SEEM A NATURAL PATHWAY INTO HIGH-END
BICYCLE FRAMES AND WHEELS. BUT FOR INDUSTRIAL
DESIGNER AND PASSIONATE ROAD CYCLIST,
JAMES BOSSI, IT WAS A ROLE THAT PUT THE WORLD’S
BEST TITANIUM AND CARBON FACTORIES AT HIS
DOORSTEP DURING A TWO-YEAR STAY IN CHINA,
AS PETER MANIATY DISCOVERED.

S
KETCHING PROTOTYPES AND
visiting local production
facilities in his spare
time, it provided a unique
opportunity to establish
relationships that, today,
underscore Bossi Bicycles, the
burgeoning business he owns
with his father, John-Paul, in
Sydney’s inner west.
Articulate and approachable,
the 29-year-old explains he first
came to cycling when a serious
leg injury halted a promising
soccer career. “I actually broke
my knee in year twelve and got
into cycling through the rehab,”
he says. “I just fell in love with
it, the riding but also the design.
I started sketching triangles
when I was studying at UTS and
I’ve been doing it ever since!”
While it would be almost
a decade before Bossi’s twin
passions of design and bicycles
converged, the idea of was
always in the back of his mind.
“In mid-2016 I decided to come
back to Australia to give the
bike business a real shot. I was
26 and I didn’t have a house
or a family, so if it failed, it
failed.” (Clue – it didn’t.) “Three
years on and we’re seeing really
healthy growth, we’re investing
heavily into design and stock,
we’re also looking to expand into
a larger premises.”
In the early days, Bossi was
designing both commuter and
road frames. However 2018 saw
a strategic shift towards lower
volume, higher quality custom
titanium builds which now
make up around 80% of the
business. It also paved the way
for high-end carbon wheels to
be added to the Bossi stable.
“Titanium frames are beautiful
things – but they aren’t designed
to be aero,” Bossi explains.
“It meant our bikes needed to be
performance optimised in other
areas. We took a deep dive into
aerodynamics and our research
showed only 5% of total drag
was the frame. Wheels were
at least double that, so we
started realising we needed
to be specifying high calibre
carbon wheels to complement
our frames.”
As Bossi explains candidly,
that quickly led to another
problem. “Australians are
paying way too much for
carbon wheelsets. Initially for
us it was about bringing much
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 85

BELOW: James Bossi takes a keen personal

and hands-on interest in all his products
including the new range of Bossi wheels.
86 Profile | Bossi Bicycles NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
“...2018 saw a strategic better value to our customers
while ensuring they still get
shift towards the performance their build
deserves. But we’re now seeing
interest in our wheels far beyond
just our custom builds.”
Provenance and quality are
common talking points when it
comes to carbon components,
especially for newer brands.
ABOVE: James Bossi
“There are good carbon factories
clearly enjoys his work and
is particularly proud of not
and there are bad carbon
only the wheels and bikes factories,” Bossi points out.
but the business he has “We spent over a year and a
built from the ground up. half, and three separate trips to
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
China and Taiwan, before we
found one we were happy with.
But it was absolutely worth it.
Every Bossi rim is manufactured
from Toray T700 and T800
carbon in one of Asia’s top
carbon factories. The value,
performance and attention to
detail is very high, they also
come with a three-year factory
backed warranty.”
As for the design itself?
“It’s a very wide and versatile
rim (22mm internal, 29mm
external) which is perfect for
28mm+ tyres. That extra width
makes a big difference with
handling, aerodynamics and
keeping the tyre in place in all
conditions, on road or gravel.
To that end we’re actually
sponsoring a CX team this year.”
It’s also worth noting Bossi
personally hand-builds and
laces every wheel in his
Annandale studio with spoke/
tension variations of less
than 5%. “Wheel-building
is very finnicky and doing
it right takes time,” he says.
“We typically specify Sapim
CX-Ray spokes and DT Swiss
240 straight pull hubs, but
we can also be quite bespoke.
Some customers want DT350
hubs for a little more value,
others want Chris King hubs,
different spoke patterns and
spoke counts. We’re always
happy to talk through the
options, everyone is different.”
For now Bossi offers the
one disc-brake rim design in
depths of 30mm, 40mm and
50mm. Two rim-brake options,
38mm and 50mm, have also
been recently added. As for the
future? “Down the track we’re
certainly looking to create new
moulds, but for now we’re very
happy with the current rims.
We’ve had nothing but positive
feedback.”
BOSSI BICYCLES
bossibicycles.com
27 Parramatta Road, Annandale,
NSW, 2038
(02) 9516 1975
info@bossibicycles.com
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88 TEST LAB 92 Perfuro Gear 94
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
Oval Chainrings 98
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IKE RIDERS LOVE ‘NEW’ –
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sometimes we find a product
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us, and we don’t really want to
BICYCLING AUSTRALIA JOURNALIST KAREN FORMAN TRIALS PREPD – A change things up, especially
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HOME AND ABROAD. Asked to review another new
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Bicycling Australia, I wondered…
really? Can there be anything
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fruit smoothie (the mango and
passionfruit Prime is taken
six to 12 hours before training
or racing while the equally as
flavoursome strawberry and
kiwi Recover is taken straight
afterwards) works with other
forms of hydration in my body
(including water), enhancing
their absorption.
And as most riders know, with
better hydration, an athlete can
minimise dehydration, sustain
training/racing efforts, recover
better and reduce the risk of heat
stroke on super-hot summer days.
With that information, I was
keen to try some for myself and
even hauled the road bike out
of storage after a snowy winter
to get out there, sweat a bit in
the spring sunshine, and see if
it worked.
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 89
102 Bianchi Aria E-Road 108 Giant Revolt

A MAJOR ADVANCEMENT
Until recently, we have not
seen any substantial advances
in hydration technology
since sports drinks were
invented. PREPD professes to
change this by significantly
increasing the absorption of all
fluids consumed by athletes.
Backed by 20-plus years of
research and testing through
Flinders and Yale Universities,
PREPD, as mentioned above
consumed pre- and post-
exercise, has been proven to
boost the absorption of leading
sports drinks and water.
Interestingly, the Prime is
taken a minimum of six hours
before you clip in and with its
smoothie-like texture, minimal
sugar and a pleasant flavour,
isn’t bad as a night cap the night
before a morning ride.
So how does it work? Why is it
so different?
The team at PREPD explained
they use patent-pending
resistant starch formulations;
this specific resistance starch
has been proven through
research to enhance fluid and
electrolyte absorption in the gut.
As many of us have experienced,
often most inconveniently while
trying to do a PB in a race or
sportif, when dehydration sets
in it is extremely difficult to
rehydrate fast enough to avoid
performance deterioration.
Nathan from PREPD said
the crippling sensation of
fatigue towards the end of
a long training session or in
competition is caused as much
by dehydration as from depletion
of fuel stores as is commonly to
blame.
CLINICAL STUDY
A recent hydration clinical trial
of elite AFL players published in
the Journal of the International
Society of Sports Nutrition
acknowledged that fluid deficits
exceeding as little as 1.6% could
“...The key
difference we
continue to see
with pro cyclists
using PREPD is
ABOVE: A stockpile of PREPD
hydration enhancer ready for a
pre-summer training block.
OPPOSITE PAGE:
Best consumed well before and
after activity, PREPD Prime &
Recover is increasingly popular.
lead to physical and cognitive
impairment in athletes.
It found that sport drinks
used by athletes were often
hyperosmolar; this was known to
be suboptimal for rehydration as
it did not utilise the absorptive
capacity of the large intestine
which could be enhanced by
fermentative production of short
chain fatty acids (SCFA) from
substrates such as resistant
starch – as utilised by PREPD.
The primary outcome markers
of hydration were hematocrit
(the ratio of the volume of red
blood cells to the total volume
of blood) and body weight.
Across three time-points,
hematocrit was significantly
lower and body weight
significantly higher in sports
drinks compared to maize starch.
The study’s conclusion was
that the combination of the
significantly lower hematocrit
and increased body weight in the
maize starch group represented
better hydration not only at
the end of training as well as
following a recovery period but
also at its commencement. “The
magnitude of the benefit seems
sufficient to have an impact on
performance and further
studies to test this possibility
are now indicated.”
There is strong research
to back up PREPD’s claim of
enhanced hydration along with
a growing number of athletes
using PREPD and experiencing
improved hydration and
performance benefits.
Riding (and a bit of spring
snow skiing) with PREPD for
just a week, I wasn’t able to
test my hematocrit and didn’t
weigh myself, but I found that
I didn’t feel as thirsty/obviously
dehydrated as I usually do,
particularly on the mountain.
I am keen to try it again in the
hot summer months when I
spend hours coaching junior
and master’s riders at mostly
club level.
WORLDTOUR TESTED
Kevin Poulton is head coach
UCI WorldTour Team Katusha
Alpecin and has had long-term
experience and is a strong
advocate of using PREPD. With
20 years of coaching experience,
victories in Paris-Roubaix 2016,
Grand Tour stage wins, World
Tour Classics and many podium
places at World Tour level,
Kevin understands the planning,
science and training required to
win the biggest cycling races.
He was first introduced to
PREPD at a pre-Vuelta training
camp in Andorra during the
height of summer last year,
conducted his own research
and knew what the supposed
benefits were.
“I wanted to trial PREPD
without giving away what
90 Test Lab | Prepd Hydration NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
we were looking for from
the product,” he said. “To
my amazement, everything
PREPD expected the athlete to
experience with the product,
he was conveying the same
messages back to me. Most
notably, he was strong in the
final hour of training. I was
monitoring pre- and post-
exercise weight and I was very
pleased with the minimal
amount of fluid loss experienced
despite the high temperatures.
“PREPD complimented our
existing hydration strategy.
For the athlete, implementing
the use of PREPD pre- and post-
training into the daily hydration
strategy was seamless.
“The key difference we
continue to see with pro cyclists
using PREPD is less reduction
in post-exercise weight through
ABOVE: Pro team Oliver’s Real Food
Racing use and endorse PREPD. better hydration. This reduced
fluid loss is resulting in a
stronger performance by the
athlete especially in the later
stages of racing.”
by Insurance House
YOUR HOME,
CONTENTS &
BICYCLES COVERED
UNDER ONE POLICY
Request a quote at www.insurancehouse.com.au/cyclesafe
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
Another fan of PREPD is
Australian rider Gina Ricardo,
who rides for the Sydney Uni-
Staminade Women’s Cycling
Team.
“I first trialled PREPD in
training in January 2017 and then
continued using it throughout
UCI road racing events in the
heat of summer,” she says. “I have
to say that I truly believe in the
product – my performance felt
great after drinking Prime and I
didn’t experience any cramping at
all throughout the January racing
calendar despite some really
tough and hot conditions.””
PREPD comes as a bottled
drink and the recommended
retail price for 350ml is $7.50.
Riders can order a starter pack
online, 2 x Prime & 2 x Recover
for $26 including freight. It is
also available through a growing
number of cycle and sports
retailers.
More details at www.
prepdhydration.com.au
 For 40 years Burley has been the leader in recreational
transport gear. Our products are known around the
world for their safety and durability.

Distributed by: P: +61(0)2 8882 1900 E: enquiries@cassons.com.au Like us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram
Cassons Pty Ltd - Australia F: +61(0)2 8882 1999 W: www.cassons.com.au Cassons Australia Bicycle @cassonsaustraliabicycle
92 Test Lab | Perfuro Cycling Kit
BY NAT BROMHEAD
Perfuro Gear
WE ROAD TEST THE LATEST KIT FROM GOLD COAST BASED
PERFURO GEAR, A NEW PLAYER IN THE CYCLING KIT MARKET.
W
EATHER CAN BE EVERYTHING
in cycling. It can have
a direct and dramatic
effect on all aspects of the sport
– from the decision on whether
(no pun intended) to ride,
where to ride, what to ride and
indeed what to wear on a ride.
Perfuro Gear, is a relative
new player on the cycling apparel
scene and one of their debut
collections draws inspiration from
exactly that: weather systems.
Just over a year old, Gold
Coast-based Perfuro was
established and since then has
quickly made its mark on the
cycling fashion scene.
“Our designs are influenced
by weather systems,” says
Martin Coleman from Perfuro.
“It is Mother Earth’s natural
elements and the patterns
in nature that make up our
surroundings. We use these
patterns, then extrapolate them
into designs that represent
energy, endurance and that
spark of motivation.”
All Perfuro Gear features
Italian fabrics and the knicks
incorporate the highly-regarded
‘Paris’ breathable chamois from
Elastic Interface, world leaders
in chamois and cycling-wear
technology.
“Being a cyclist I always
thought there was a gap in the
market for more comfortable
apparel,” Martin told us.
“Also, being a creative I
needed an outlet. Coming
from the Northern Beaches
in Sydney I grew up with the
surf and the weather. I’ve also
been a pilot since a young age.
Combine the surf, the sky and
cycling and obviously weather is
a major influence – it has always
been a fascination for me and
that’s the basis of Perfuro.”
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
Perfuro is Latin for the term
‘to storm, to rage’.
Martin said the designs are
themed around the elements. It’s
the stuff you see on the news every
day but with an artistic twist.
“I’m offering something
different, something meaningful
... I’m not going to go down that
mainstream path. These themes
are designed to give the rider
motivation, it’s a lot easier to ride
knowing nature is on your side.”
PERFURO TESTED
Having taken a close look at
Perfuro and worn the bibless
knicks and coldfront jersey on
numerous rides we can certainly
verify the comfort factor. The
jersey lives up to its UV rating,
fitted true to size in medium,
and provided a smooth and
comfortable fit over a recent
60km / 2.5hr outing.
I’m not going
to go down that mainstream path...”
PERFURO GEAR
Big fans of the Elastic Interface The fabric used in all Perfuro
chamois, it’s wonderful to see the gear has been selected for the
small Aussie company has chosen following key reasons:
this world-leading insert from the • Sweat wicking and moisture
booming Italian manufacturers. management.
The synoptic series • Quick drying.
includes the Rainmap and the • Air, ventilation and comfort.
Coldfront. These both have the • 4-way stretch to ensure a
lightening bolt with symbolise comfortable yet firm fit.
strength. “Lightening • Dimensional stability.
galvanises power and strength,” • Odour resistance – resistance
Martin told us. “The lightening to bacterial residue from sweat
bolt symbolises that.” that produces odours
ABOVE: Perfuro have launched a
• Its SPF resistance.
For further details on the range range of stylish cycling wear with • Printing ability.
and to buy online visit www. design inspiration drawn from the • Overall weight.
perfurogear.com weather, a key aspect of the sport.
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94 Test Lab | Oval Chainrings
BY STAFF WRITERS
Oval Chainrings? Absolutely
BICYCLING AUSTRALIA RECENTLY PUT 1X 42T AND 2X 52/36T
ABSOLUTEBLACK OVAL CHAINRINGS TO TEST – HERE ARE OUR FINDINGS.
S
OME OF THE MOST
successful pros of all
time swear by them,
the science backs it up, the
numbers are clear…so why do
oval chainrings remain a topic
of debate and division in the
cycling world?
Real life results speak for
themselves with thousands of
amateurs right through to some
of the biggest names of the sport
– none other than Chris Froome
and Bradley Wiggins – choosing
oval chainrings over round.
In essence the theory is this –
elliptical chainrings help smooth
out the pedal stroke, eliminate
dead spots and offer a marginally
longer (therefore more powerful
and efficient) down stroke.
A leader in oval chainring
technology, AbsoluteBlack
worked with the University
of Primorska in Slovenia to
record and compare differences
between oval chainrings
compared to round. The
results…up to 9% increase of
force effectiveness, up to 7% less
oxygen consumption, up to 15%
less ventilation and up to 10%
heart rate decrease when using
oval chainrings versus round.
“What does that mean?” a
spokesman from the company
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
ABOVE & RIGHT: Eye-catching
and perfectly finished, the
AbsoluteBlack chainrings look
great and have a positive impact
on performance.
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
asked. “In short, it means you
will consume less energy at the
same power output using oval
chainrings so you can ride for
longer and/or faster.”
TESTING THE CHAINRINGS
Bicycling Australia recently
tested out a set of 52/36 and
a 1x 42T AbsoluteBlack oval
chainrings. First things first,
so far as construction goes the
chainrings are a high in quality
and look fantastic. They are
manufactured in Europe from
7075 aluminium and certainly
stiff enough to provide good
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
shifting performance, with
no noticeable flex under high
torque efforts.
THE RIDING EXPERIENCE
AbsoluteBlack say the non-
traditional oval chainring shape
will help riders ‘climb easier
and faster, shift better than any
other oval chainring and help
smooth out your pedal stroke.’
Rider impressions will always
be somewhat subjective however
after testing different chainrings
on a 2x Specialized Tarmac and
1x 3T Exploro the claims do
stand up.
First to the Specialized, and
in 2x setup shifting performance
is virtually indistinguishable
from round chainrings. While
climbing times on the local
northern Sydney loops did
not feel significantly faster,
we did feel more on top of
the gear when climbing and
better able to maintain a higher
cadence. It certainly felt like
the AbsoluteBlack rings helped
maintain a smooth stroke for a
good 10-15 seconds longer than
a comparable round chainring.
In 1x setup (on the 3T Exploro
gravel bike using a 42T chainring)
findings were this – initially we
could detect that non-familiar
oval pedal stroke. Like is often the
case, this change morphed into
normality within a short amount
of time. The oval chainring felt
to assist with a smoother power
transfer and overall more efficient
riding experience. It's difficult
to dispute the fact there were
more usable chainring teeth on
the downward (power) stroke
– especially noticeable when
climbing a steep or uneven hill.
This was particularly
noticeable on a well-known
local climb ‘The Wall’ on West
Head Rd (Bicycling Australia's
#1 road testing ground). On
that challenging 200m climb
we were able to stay ‘on top’ of
95
the gearing. Through the 42T
AbsoluteBlack chainring and
with a middle gear selected on
the 11-36 cassette you could
feel the transfer of a smooth,
powerful rhythm. That feeling
turned to fact soon after cresting
the top – the breaking of a 6-year
PB the first time using oval up
the notorious climb!
IN SUMMARY
Are oval chainrings a worthwhile
investment? These from
AbsoluteBlack certainly are high-
quality and well-constructed add
on. They look great on the bike,
offer smooth and efficient shifting
performance and do seem to offer
overall performance benefits …
certainly so, if that ‘Wall’ sortie
was anything to go by.
“...It certainly felt like
the AbsoluteBlack
oval rings
So if you’re looking to eke
out a few extra watts (and who
isn’t?) then the AbsoluteBlack
chainrings are certainly worth not
only investigating but investing in.
AbsoluteBlack Premium
Oval road chainrings are
available in a number of four-
arm and five-arm chainring
combinations, with 50/34 and
52/36 being the most popular
options for roadies. 1x for gravel,
cyclocross (and roadies keen
on the simplicity of the single
drivetrain system) along with
mountain bike chainrings are
also available.
Visit www.scvimports.com.au
for pricing and local stockist
information.
YA F FA 0 8 8 7 8

© BEARDY MCBEARD

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98 Test Lab | Specialized Roubaix
BY NAT BROMHEAD
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

Specialized Roubaix in Flanders

COBBLES. THE MERE THOUGHT OF THEM CONJURES UP EXCITEMENT, ANTICIPATION,
W
ITH A FORTHCOMING TRIP TO
the absolute heartland of
SWEATY PALMS AND DREAMS OF ADVENTURE. FLANDERS IS THE HOME OF COBBLES cobbles – the Flanders
SO THAT'S WHERE WE REVIEWED THE LATEST ROUBAIX FROM SPECIALIZED. region of Belgium – the plan
was hatched. An eager call
to the team at Specialized
Australia and within a few days
the idea was confirmed, locked
and loaded.
We would fly to Europe with
the latest Roubaix – an ‘Expert’
spec level bike with Ultegra Di2,
Roval C38 wheels and Specialized
Turbo Pro 28mm tyres. To
complete the package we also took
a pair of S-Works 7 Road Shoes
and a the companies premium
helmet, the uber-impressive
S-Works Prevail ii with ANGi
(see separate reviews at www.
bicyclingaustralia.com.au)
Upon opening the bike
box 16,500km from Sydney
the blue/charcoal Roubaix
was gleaming…the bike was
carefully and rather excitedly
assembled that evening with
tyres pumped, hex bolt tensions
checked, future shocked dialled
in and the Di2 put on overnight
charge.

YES, SMOOTHER
IS FASTER
Next morning and it wasn’t long
before the Roubaix was bouncing
along over a cobbled sector
at speed. And it was instantly
apparent that Specialized’s often
quoted line of ‘smoother is faster’
packs way more substance than
a slick three-word slogan – it’s a
statement of fact!
Enjoying that first local loop
out of Oudenaarde, a ride that
took in the legendary cobbled
climbs of the Kwaremont,
Patterberg and Koppenberg,
the Roubaix was the perfect
platform for this high-intensity
dream destination, heart-starter.
The fact that this bike has
a suspension dial on top of
the stem is no gimmick. Twist
it half a turn left for more
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 99

1. It’s a long way from Sydney

to De Muur but that’s exactly
the icon we made a beeline for
when the opportunity arose to
1
review the Roubaix.
2. Attention to detail can be seen
in the paintwork, the front
thru-axle and industry-leading
Shimano disc brakes.
OPPOSITE PAGE: The
Roubaix out front of historic
Oudenaarde’s gothic
centrepiece, the town hall.

SPECIFICATIONS
GROUPSET: Shimano Ultegra
Di2 Disc R8070
CASSETTE: Shimano Ultegra,
11-speed, 11-34t
CHAINRINGS: 50/34T
REAR DERAILLEUR: Shimano Ultegra RX, RX805
STEERER / FORK: Future Shock 2.0 w/
Damper, Smooth Boot, 12x100 mm thru-
axle, flat-mount
SADDLE: Body Geometry Power, Hollow
Titanium rails
BAR TAPE: Roubaix S-Wrap
SEATPOST: S-Works Pave 2
HANDLEBARS: Specialized Expert Hover,
alloy, 125x75mm w/ Di2 hole
TUBES: Presta, 48mm valve
TYRES: Specialized Turbo Pro, 700x28m
WHEELS: Roval C 38 Disc
BRAKES: Shimano Ultegra, Hydraulic
FRAME: FACT 10R, Rider First Engineered™
(RFE), FreeFoil Shape Library tubes,
threaded BB, 12x142mm thru-axle, flat-
mount disc.
RRP: $8500
100 Test Lab | Specialized Roubaix NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
3
– make no mistakes the latest
Roubaix is a bike you will grow close to ..
compliance and to the right
for minimal shock absorption,
the new and dramatically
enhanced Future Shock 2.0
system delivers 20mm of
hydraulic dampening that, as
Specialized say, ‘suspends the
rider and not the bike’.
Look at the bike side on and
you’ll see a boxed section on
top of the seat stay along with
a refined seat post design.
First to the seatpost, this is
Specialized’s new ‘Pave’ design,
an incarnation of the former
‘Cobbler Gobbler’ post designed
to absorb shock and provide
more comfort. In addition to
this is that aforementioned
box section – a void above the
hidden internal seat clamp
that provides extra for and aft
compliance due to to top of
4 the seat post sitting free of the
frame.
How does it all come together?
Well in conjunction with the
FutureShock 2.0, and floating on
28mm tyres paired to the 38mm
Roval carbon wheels, super
comfortable, highly compliant
and exceptionally smooth – in
fact the term ‘armchair ride’
came to mind during the first
few days of that dream week
exploring the notoriously rough
roads of Flanders.
COBBLES, BERGS
AND THE BUNCH
A true all-rounder, the platform
proved itself not just over the
uneven country lanes, gravel
segments and cobbled sectors, but
also at speed with the locals and
fellow visitors along the ‘Scheldt’.
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
It’s an 80 or so kilometre
loop to Gent, a stunning city
that simply should be way up
top of any itinerary for those
visiting Belgium.
Enjoying the relatively
flat ride along the peaceful
Scheldt riverside bike path,
the approaching cacophony of
rubber and direct voices became
more obvious by the second. A
peloton, and a significant one, at
speed. I accelerated away from
my ride partner in anticipation
of the arrival of the bunch, the
plan being to tack onto the back
and stick with them for as long
as possible.
Moments later the bunch
zinged past. Random colourful
kit from around the world
was punctuated by current
Pro Continental & WorldTour
jerseys – and the genuine
articles as it turned out.
Pushing hard to catch the
back of the bunch it struck me
that the same bike that was so
comfortably gliding over the
cobbles of De Muur the day
before was now accelerating
through 50kph on a smooth
bitumen path with what could
affectionately be described as
‘the bunch from hell’.
‘This bike can do it all,’
I thought while sitting on,
catching breath and preparing
the challenge of moving up
through the focused but friendly
riders. ‘Same tyres, same
compliance via Future Shock
2.0, same gearing, super capable
and ridiculously easy to ride…
this thing’s just proven itself,’ I
thought a short time after sitting
between amiable Wolfpack,
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
5 discovered the tramlines are the
Astana and Drapac riders.
It was a surreal moment
to be scooting along on the
Oudenaarde-Gent express, on
the Roubaix, mixing it with
a peloton packed with mid
to high-end road bikes and
similarly accomplished pros.
MORE AERO THAN
A TARMAC
With a frame lighter than the
Venge (900g in size 56cm) and
more aero than the Tarmac (as
tested in the company’s ‘Win
Tunnel’), the Roubaix is a truly
impressive release. Not only
have engineers incorporated
aero shaping (for a claimed
saving of 20+ seconds over
40km), they have also opted to
make the bike gender neutral.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
Unlike previous model
Roubaix (male) and Ruby
(female specific) models, the
new Roubaix features a shared
geometry that Specialized say is
the result of research from more
than 8,000 bike fits.
The test Roubaix came fitted
with a unisex Specialized power
saddle, one I found perfectly
comfortable and visually in
keeping with the sleek, minimalist
and functional lines of the bike.
HOVER BAR FOR COMFORT
To the handlebars and the
Roubaix features the company’s
‘hover’ bar with 15mm of
rise either size of the stem.
This made for a comfortable,
endurance style riding position
and was perfectly comfortable
for the duration of the test
3. Upon riding through Gent we
4. No horsing around … the
5. A quick stop at the top of the
Back to that catchy three
word slogan and yes, smoother
certainly feels faster. The bike
clung to the road whether it be
harsh cobbled climbs, gravel
backroads, the single lane
concrete paths that criss-cross
rural Flanders or the smooth
blacktop riverside run.
To that final morning and
the bike was dismantled and
boxed up a lot slower and with
a lot less gusto than it had been
assembled some 10 days earlier.
The Roubaix was one of
those review bikes we certainly
would have been very happy
to keep for a year (or more).
Delivering it back to the local
dealer in Sydney was like
farewelling an old friend –
make no mistakes the latest
Roubaix is a bike you will grow
101
perfect width to swallow a 28c tyre.
Specialized Roubaix alongside a
farmyard fence near the base of the
cobbled Kwaremont climb.
mighty Koppenberg. ‘Koppen’
is a Dutch abbreviation of
‘Kinderkoppen’, a slang term for
cobbles.
SUMMING UP
We found this bike to be
exceptionally smooth, super
comfortable and incredibly
versatile. It’s a capable bike that
not only looks great but is ready
to head most places you point it.
PERFORMANCE
As mentioned above – a capable
machine and very versatile.
Whether it be on a cobbled
climb or fast ride with the local
bunch the Roubaix is a genuine
all-rounder
FINISH
The only minor issue we had –
as ironic as it seems – was the
Future Shock adjustment dial
coming off on the first cobbled
sector. This was re-secured later
in the day (via 1.5mm hex key).
Other than that minor irony the
finish of the bike (in blue and
silver) was spot on.
OVERALL
The latest Roubaix is a huge
step forward for the model line,
a giant leap from the previous
incarnation. It’s a standout
release, a super-impressive
offering. One only wonders
what the company could do to
improve it next year.
102 Test Lab | Bianchi Aria E-Road
BY NICOLA RUTZOU
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

Bianchi E-Aria
THE BIANCHI ARIA E-ROAD IS PART OF A NEW ERA IN ROAD CYCLING – THE ELECTRIC ASSISTANCE ERA.
NICOLA RUTZOU RECENTLY ENJOYED THE ENVIABLE TASK OF TESTING ONE OF THESE CELESTE STUNNERS.

T
HE BIANCHI ARIA E-ROAD IS
part of a new era in road
cycling – the electric
assistance era. Some call it
cheating, while others are in
favour of a bike category that
allows more people to enjoy
road riding. Either way, the Aria
E-Road is an impressive machine
with plenty of Bianchi’s street
cred, with the added bonus of
some electronic assistance.
When I arrived at my local
cafe to meet up with my usual
riding bunch, they flocked around
to admire the glossy Celeste
Bianchi paint job, and then one
by one realised that this bike
had something they weren’t
expecting. The first question was
unsurprising – how much does
it weigh? In response, I invited
them to pick it up and see for
themselves. They were universally
impressed with its 12.3 kilograms,
which is saying something when
most of them ride bikes around
the 8-kilogram mark.
The friend who was most
impressed and was pretty much
ready to buy it on the spot was my
mate who has recently been told
by his cardiologist to take it easy
on the bike and not get his heart
rate above a certain threshold.
He’s in his mid-sixties and has
been riding a road bike for years,
and is struggling with this new
decree. He could instantly see
that the Aria E-Road would give
him that little boost he needs,
particularly on hills to allow him
to ride with his friends and keep
his heart rate at the required level.
RIDES LIKE A ROAD BIKE
The Bianchi Aria E-Road is
based on the aero road bike
of the same name. I suspect
Bianchi chose this particular
frame because it’s a bike built
for speed and they wanted to
make this e-bike fast and sleek
even when the assistance level
is set to zero.
I’m pleased to report that
it really does ride like a road
bike, albeit a slightly different
feel because of its extra weight
but nonetheless, like a racing
machine. It corners well and
goes up and down hills with
ease. The only time I noticed
the extra weight in the rear was
when I stood up while climbing
and noticed an unfamiliar feeling
in the rear of the bike. On
reflection, I should have dialled
up the assistance level which
would have precluded the need
for me to stand up on the pedals.
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 103

1. Discreetly mounted in
the rear hub is the
internal Ebikemotion X35
electric motor.
1
2. The only sneaky
e-road giveaway on the
top of the ARIA E-road
is the multi-function
power button.
3. The ARIA E-road
continues Bianchi’s long
history of high-quality,
perfectly-finished
performance bikes.

SPECIFICATIONS
SIZING (*TESTED): 47, 50, 53*, 55, 57, 59, 61 cm 2
WEIGHT: 12.3 kg
FRAME: Aria E-Road Disc Carbon
FORK: Bianchi Full Carbon Disc
STEM: Bianchi Reparto Corse alloy stem
HANDLEBARS: Bianchi Reparto Corse Aero Compact bars
SEATPOST: Aria Full Carbon Aero
SHIFTERS: Shimano Ultegra ST-R8020 2 x 11 speed
FRONT DERAILLEUR: Shimano Ultegra FD-R8000
REAR DERAILLEUR: Shimano Ultegra RD-R8000 GS 11 speed
CASSETTE: Shimano Ultegra 11-32T
CRANKSET: Shimano Ultegra FC-R8000 52/36T

3
CHAIN: Shimano Ultegra 11 speed
BRAKES: Shimano Ultegra hydraulic disc BR-R8070
ROTORS: Shimano SM-RT86, 160mm
BOTTOM BRACKET: Shimano SM-BB72-41B
SADDLE: Selle Royal Seta S1, steel rails
WHEELSET: Vision Trimax alloy disc with Ebikemotion motor
unit rear hub
TYRES: Vittoria Rubino 700 x 28c
MOTOR: Ebikemotion X35 system, 250W rear hub motor unit,
250Wh integrated battery, and iWOC One remote control
PRICING: $8,499
104 Test Lab | Bianchi Aria E-Road
4. The bike features a beefy bottom bracket and
comes standard with a Shimano Ultegra groupo.
5. Spot the difference…the E-road version is
strikingly similar to the standard Bianchi ARIA.
THREE POWER LEVELS
There are three power levels –
Eco/Green, Comfort/Orange,
and Power/Red which are set at
30 per cent, 60 per cent and 100
per cent assistance respectively
as standard. However the
companion App which works
with both Android and IOS
allows you to change these to
suit. When I tested the bike it
was set at 25 per cent, 50 per
cent and 100 per cent.
In Eco mode, the bike felt like
another rider was gently pushing
me along with their hand on my
back so it’s a good choice when
you want just a little assistance.
In Comfort mode, it gave a
little bit more particularly when
riding slightly uphill on an
incline rather than a hill.
It’s in Power mode that I
really noticed the difference.
5
4
It gave me a feeling that I
was being towed along by an
invisible rope. I tested it on
some of my local ascents and
it handled them with ease.
I actually overtook a couple
of friends who I’d normally
struggle to stay with on a hill,
and they were surprised at the
ease with which I achieved it.
When I skipped back to no
assistance from Power mode I
certainly noticed the difference
but as long as it’s done on flat
terrain or even slightly downhill
I soon adjusted and enjoyed the
feeling of putting a little more
effort back in.
HOW DOES IT FEEL?
I’ve previously test ridden
a number of other e-bikes
including a cruiser style and
mountain bike and both of
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
“...The friend those had a surge feeling when
you first take off because they
who was most offer a high level of assistance.
The Aria E-Road only has that
impressed was surging feeling if you take off
in Power mode, with the other
modes you barely notice the help
but it’s working quietly in the
background.
I enjoyed the assistance
when I was taking off on traffic
lights or stop signs, particularly
when it was uphill and there
was traffic around. It certainly
allowed me to move off more
quickly and made me feel more
confident alongside the cars.
The same occurred when I was
riding on narrow suburban
streets riding uphill where
car drivers have difficulty in
passing. I could ride that much
faster and keep myself safer in
the process.
INTEGRATED SEAMLESSLY
The assistance system is
controlled by a button-mounted
flush with the top tube near the
headset so it’s easy to operate
while you’re riding. It took me
a little while to get the hang
of scrolling through the three
power options but once I’d
mastered it I found it pretty
straightforward. Simply press
the button once to turn it on
then where the LED-lit ring
shines white. Press and hold it
and it turns green (Eco), orange
(medium), red (full). It’s also
visible in bright sunshine.
The same button is also the
battery level indicator: white is
100 to 75 per cent; green 75 to 50
 For daily commutes
and family bike
adventures
Thule Child Bike Seats

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Sport&Cargo and Active With Kids
thule.com/au
106 Test Lab | Bianchi Aria E-Road
6. The internal battery is charged
via a port neatly positioned above
the bottom bracket.
7. The Bianchi companion app
proved simple to use and offers a
surprising amount of data.
per cent; orange 50 to 25 per cent;
red 25 per cent; and flashing red
is less than 10 per cent.
The Aria E-Road is also
Bluetooth enabled which allows
you to view a number of bike
functions in conjunction with
the Ebikemotion App on an IOS
or Android phone which shows
battery level, distance travelled,
altitude, average speed, cadence,
gradient, and current speed.
RELIABLE GROUPSET
AND WHEELS
The Ultregra groupset and disc
brakes make it a very smooth
ride, and the disc brakes
give a very firm braking feel,
particularly when descending
with the extra weight on board.
All the electronic wiring of the
bike runs internally, sealed
away from the elements and
danger, completing the Aria
E-Road’s aero aesthetic.
The groupset is complemented
by Vision disc wheels that roll
well and Vittoria 28mm wide
tyres match the bike well with a
nice firm grip on the road.
WHAT ABOUT THE RANGE?
The other big question that I
found other riders ask is about
the range or the distance you
can travel before the battery
runs out of juice. I found it to
be pretty good on a 90-minute
ride where I experimented with
the different assistance levels
and used only about 20 per cent
of the battery. The phone app
allowed me to keep a close eye
on this while I was out.
The suggested range figures
that were provided by the local
Bianchi distributor were:
• Eco mode set at 25 per cent –
80 to 100 km
• Comfort mode set at 50 per
cent – 50 to 70 km
• Power mode set at 100 per
cent – less than 45 km.
But when looking at these
figures you need to understand
that most riders will not use
the assistance 100 per cent
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
SUMMING UP
7 A new era in road riding which
of a ride. Like me, most will
spend part of a ride in the
different levels including zero
assistance. Owners of this
bike will find out what works
best for them and adjust the
assistance levels to suit their
own needs.
INTEGRATED MOTOR
AND BATTERY
The motor is discreetly located
in the rear hub while it’s
powered by a slim, 40mm
wide 250W battery, positioned
inside the downtube of the
Aria E-Road frame. The
weatherproof charge-port is
located discreetly in the upper
surface of the down tube, near
the junction with the seat tube,
for a simple plug and charge
operation via any household
mains electricity supply. I’m
also told there will be external
batteries, that fit in a standard
drink cage available in the
future that will increase the
range of the bike.
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
will be great for older people
who want to keep riding, people
with health conditions like heart
issues, and commuters who
want to minimise the sweat.
PERFORMANCE
Rides like a regular road bike and
ticks all the performance boxes
when cornering and descending.
It comes into its own when
ascending, allowing all riders to
enjoy the joys of road cycling.
FINISH
Everything you’d expect from
Bianchi with a glossy celeste
and black paint job, matched
with quality, reliable components
like the Shimano Ultegra Disc
Groupset and Vision wheels.
OVERALL
The new Aria E-Road aero
carbon bike, engineered with
Bianchi’s Inner Power Drive
system, has the look and feel of
a traditional, high-performance,
race-bred road bike, with
integrated electrical assistance
only when you need it.
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108 Test Lab | Giant Revolt
© LUKE MEERS
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

Giant Revolt Advanced 1

LUKE MEERS IS AN OUT-AN-OUT ROADIE, A PASSIONATE CYCLIST WHO TYPICALLY DARES
NOT VENTURE FAR FROM THE BLACKTOP BITUMEN. BUT RECENTLY HE'S BEEN SEEN ON THE
OTHER SIDE…YEP, OUT ON THE DIRT ABOARD THIS INTERESTING NEW RELEASE FROM GIANT.

I
’M NOT PARANOID BUT….
I’m pretty sure the powers-
that-be in the mountain bike
world are infiltrating the road
market with some tempting
offerings to lure riders off the
tarmac on to dirt. They may
look like road bikes and they
are increasing in number, but
be careful…slippery slopes
abound. These “gravel” bikes
may just tempt you onto some
literal slippery slopes, but the
mountain bike head honchos
are banking on you also finding
yourself on a figurative slope
and sliding uncontrollably
towards hairy legs, full
suspension, long-fingered gloves
and 26-inch tyres.
In search of truth, I have put
the New Giant Revolt Advanced
1 through its paces.
The Revolt Advanced is the
latest gravel bike from Giant.
The new range is an attempt
to create a bike that is truly
versatile, capable of smashing
up dirt trails and gravel roads
without prohibiting its ability
to be a suitable steed on long
road rides, commutes or any
combination of the above.
Spoiler alert: the Revolt was
impressively capable on almost
any surface.
The Advanced 1 model on test
here sits in the middle of the
range. The top-tier Advanced
0 upgrades the wheels to
proprietary carbon rims and
utilises the Ultegra 11 speed
groupset. The lower-range
Advanced 2 uses a Shimano
105 drivetrain and the Giant
Conduct braking system.
The Advanced 1 uses
SRAM’s Apex 11 speed 1x
system with Apex hydraulic
brakes, a 40 tooth SRAM
Apex 1 crankset combined
with a 10-42 tooth cassette.
This bridging model shares
the same wheelset as the lower
Advanced 2, Giant’s aluminium
tubeless-ready PX2 rims.
All three models share the
same frameset, utilising Giant’s
“Advanced Composite” carbon
and fabricated as one piece
in what Giant call “modified
monocoque construction”. The
Revolt frames look noticeably
similar in style to the road-based
Defy range, with severely sloping
top tube and low set seat stays.
The Revolt Advanced range
offer no active damping
technologies, but rather utilise
something called D-Fuse
technology. Essentially this is
designed compliance in the seat
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

1. Similar in look to the Defy and

phenomenally capable off-road, the new
Revolt Advanced in action on the gravel.
2. The test bike was fitted with SRAM Apex,
a proven all-round performer.
3. OPPOSITE: Side on the 2020 Giant
Revolt not only looks ready for action but
proved itself a capable and comfortable
performance gravel bike.

SPECIFICATIONS
FRAME: Advanced grade composite,
12mm thru-axle
FORK: Advanced grade composite, full
composite OverDrive steerer, 12mm thru-axle
HANDLEBAR: Giant Contact XR D-Fuse,
31.8mm
STEM: Giant Connect, 8 degree
SEATPOST: Giant D-Fuse, Composite 2 bolt

1
SADDLE: Giant Contact, Neutral
SHIFTERS: SRAM Apex, 11sp
FRONT DERAILLEUR: N/A
REAR DERAILLEUR: SRAM Apex
BRAKES: SRAM Apex hydraulic disc, 160mm 2
BRAKE LEVERS: SRAM Apex hydraulic
CASSETTE: SRAM XG-1150, 10-42T, 11sp
CHAIN: SRAM PC1110
CRANKSET: SRAM Apex 1, 40T
BOTTOM BRACKET: SRAM GXP pressfit
RIMS: Giant PX2 disc tubeless
HUBS: Giant sport disc, 28H
TYRES: Giant CrossCut Gravel 1 tubeless,
700x40c
RRP: $3499
DISTRIBUTOR: Giant Bicycles
www.giant-bicycles.com/au
110 Test Lab | Giant Revolt NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
3
post and handlebars. During my
time riding any extra handlebar
compliance was not overly
noticeable. Although having
too much flex in the steering
connection would not be a great
thing anyway. In contrast, the
flex in the seatpost was evident
within 30 seconds of hopping
on the bike the first time. The
D-Fuse post allows movement
due to the flat rear surface
(creating a “D” shaped profile),
which facilitates flex in the
forward-backward plane, whilst
limiting lateral movement. This
system was remarkably effective
in reducing transmission of a
range of bumps, from regular
road-based high-frequency
vibrations all the way through to
4 larger bumps when riding on dirt.
The Revolt frameset, like
any gravel bike, utilises slacker
frame angles to increase
comfort/compliance and also
improve handling predictability
when the going gets rougher
off road. 50mm of fork rake
combines with trail of 74mm
to attempt to hit the magic
middle ground between off-road
stability and responsive on-road
handling. From my experience
with the Revolt, Giant seem to
have done this very well. The
bike feels assured and stable on
dirt and I imagine, with a set of
5 It allows backwards movement
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
slick tyres on, would effectively
mimic an endurance style road
bike (more on this a little later).
This bike was used with 40c
tyres but has enough clearance
for 45c rubber or even more if
some 650c wheels were fitted.
The Advanced 1 is fitted with
SRAM Apex and the 1 x 11 speed
groupset includes hydraulic
brakes and a clutched rear
derailleur. The front chainring is
a 40 tooth and the cassette fitted
was a massive 10-42 tooth. This
obviously gives an impressive
gear range when compared
with a compact road groupset.
The highest gear (40 front, 10
rear) is 12% easier than the 50
front, 11 rear compact groupset
combination. This is unlikely
to be a problem for most of
the speeds encountered on the
Revolt. The low gear, however (40
front, 42 rear) is an impressive
20% easier than a 34 front, 30
rear combination on a compact
groupset, giving that extra bit of
range for the steep dirt trails.
Where single chainring setups
definitely are compromised, is
that the jumps in between gears
are much larger in order to
obtain the overall range in just
11 gears rather than 22. The
clutched rear derailleur shifted
very crisply and confidently. For
the pure roadies amongst us,
the clutch is a system designed
to keep tension on the chain
despite potentially rough terrain.
of the derailleur in order to
keep the chain tight, but will
not allow forward movement
under most conditions. Once the
load is increased past a certain
threshold, for example by the
force induced by shifting, the
clutch allows forward movement.
It then essentially resets itself
until required to release again.
This is common in mountain
bikes and is an effective way to
all but eliminate chain bounce
and the undesired effects of it.
The Apex hydraulic brakes
and 160 rotors worked
beautifully across all the terrain
and situations thrown at them
during the test. The brakes
exhibited plenty of power when
required and modulation was
excellent too.
The frame has lots of little
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 111

6
3. Slick attention to detail is clear in
the finish of the 2020 revolt.
4. The chain guide as fitted to the
SRAM-equipped Revolt.
5. The Revolt comes fitted with Giant
Crosscut 40c tyres.
7. An aggressive stance and ready
to roll, the 2020 Revolt Advanced
in it’s sparkling ‘Wine Purple’
colourway.

SUMMING UP
QUALITY
Giant have produced a quality
all round product. Good
finishing on the frame and
attention to the little details like
mounting points and rubber
covers indicate the high level of
design and production which
“... essentially the premise is correct; has been utilised.

features that are well thought
out such as mountings for
racks and mudguards which
are hidden beneath removable
covers. There is a third bottle
cage mount underneath the
downtube as well as a rubber
guard which indicates the intent
for this bike to be used on the
rough stuff. All cable and hose
routing is internal, keeping the
aesthetics relatively clean.
The aluminium tubeless-ready
Giant PX2 wheels felt relatively
bulletproof but on the flipside
the weight of the wheels (just
over 2000g) added a sluggish
feel to the bike. The Advanced
0 (top tier) includes the carbon
fibre CXR1 wheels which are a
full 400g lighter than the PX2s.
Undoubtedly this upgrade would
make the bike feel much more
responsive and nimble. This
wheel upgrade alone could be
enough to justify the $800 jump
in price.
So the real question is how
well did the Revolt Advanced 1
handle all the different types
of terrain which is slated to be
suitable for?
DIRT: As described previously,
the relaxed geometry and
compliance in the D-Fuse
components combine to deliver a
stable and confidence inspiring
ride. On rougher terrain, riding
in the drops became more
necessary, particularly when
descending. The crosscut tyres
seem to grip well as a good
range of angles.
GRAVEL: basically the same
as for dirt. Fast gravel sections
were super fun. If there was a
particular sweet spot for the
Revolt, this would be it.
ROAD: The geometry, while
more relaxed than endurance
frames, is close enough that the
Revolt feels okay on the road. The
CrossCut tyres make a little noise,
but feel ok when riding solo.
BUNCH: Same as for the
road, except this was where the
extra resistance became very
noticeable. If you’re feeling strong,
going for a bunch ride on the
stock Revolt could just be the
training hit you’re looking for.
Alternatively, if fitted with some
fat slicks, I think the Revolt would
actually ride quite reasonably on
flattish group rides.
COMMUTE: The commute was
a great way to use this bike.
You can have a little thrash,
jump gutters and have some fun
on the way to or from work. A
few sneaky dirt tracks on the
commute could also be added in
with confidence.
ADVENTURE RIDING: This was
not tested, but given the extra
bottle mount and well thought
out rack mounts, it seems the
Revolt is well equipped for some
long term, mixed terrain tours.
CAFE: Not really the forte of
the Revolt. Cafes are more the
scene of deep-dish carbon and
price tags well north of $5000.
So, essentially the premise is
correct; this bike can basically
do it all. Giant has produced an
impressive all-round machine
that will certainly lure road
riders off road and down the
slippery slope of fun that is
gravel and dirt. To seal the
deal, a recommended retail of
just $3499 is impressively low
for such a well thought out and
engineered bike. But folks, just
remember who you are. It’s
ok to dabble off road, but we
must hold firm to our roadie
foundations and always come
back to bunch rides, cafe stops,
shiny legs, meaningless banter
and excessive spending.
PERFORMANCE
Well, it really depends on where
and how you are riding this bike.
But basically, it can do it all,
and do it well. The only clearcut
improvement would be from a
lighter wheelset.
VALUE
$3499 is a very competitive
price point and gets you a
lot of bike. Giant may not
be the trendiest of brands,
but they know how to offer
products which are solid value
propositions. Depending on
your needs a move up to the
Advanced 0 ($4299) or down to
the Advanced 2 ($2799) could
be appropriate.
OVERALL
Slated on the Giant website
as a “performance gravel bike
that’s equally adept at tackling
paved roads or dirt”. Sometimes
manufacturers clearly overstate
the calibre of their products but
in this case their description
is pretty bang on. The Revolt
Advanced 1 is a well priced
product that delivers in spades
and allows for such a range of
riding that it is hard to look past
when considering a gravel bike.
112 Spin Cycle
BY ANTHONY TAN
From David to Goliath
IN HIS FINAL POST OF THE YEAR, ANTHONY TAN LOOKS BACK ON THE
HISTORY OF A TEAM THAT WENT FROM THE PRECIPICE OF FOLDING
TO FRONT AND CENTRE AT EVERY GRAND TOUR THIS SEASON.
T
HEY SAY IMITATION IS THE
sincerest form of flattery,
but what happens when
imitator becomes governor?
In 2015, when Team LottoNL-
Jumbo took over naming rights
from the Belkin-Pro Cycling
Team, they had fairly modest
expectations. The previous
season wasn't a complete write-
off – four WorldTour stage
wins including Lars Boom's
memorable victory on the pavé
at the Tour de France – but
as far as stage races were
concerned there were no GC
triumphs at WorldTour-level
races and just two podiums – at
the ENECO Tour and Tour de
Suisse.
This was a team born from
the ashes of the Rabobank pro
cycling team who competed
(and indulged) at the height of
the EPO era. Their claim to
infamy culminated in Michael
Rasmussen being kicked out of
the 2007 Tour while wearing
the maillot jaune for lying as
to his whereabouts. It marked
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
ABOVE: The rise and rise of Team
Jumbo Visma – with 2019 their
best season to date, Anthony Tan
ponders their potential for 2020.
OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM TOP:
Teammates form a guard of
honour around Vuelta winner
Primoz Roglic.
Jumbo-Visma’s Steven Kruijswijk
on the podium at the 2019 TDF.
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
the beginning of the end for
Rabobank; following the United
States Anti-Doping Agency's
(USADA) 'Reasoned Decision'
report in October 2012, after 17
years' sponsorship, they left well
and truly embittered.
The intervening years,
2013-14, were neither sorry nor
spectacular, Tom-Jelte Slagter's
overall victory at the 2013
Tour Down Under and Boom
on the Tour's fifth stage to
Arenberg the highlights. When
Belkin decided midway through
their sponsorship agreement
to end things early, however,
precipitating a second major
funding exploration in as many
years, Dutch cycling's future
looked bleak as a northern
European winter.
Yet in July 2014, less than a
month after Belkin pulled the
plug, it was announced a formal
declaration of intent with the
Dutch national lottery and
marketing agency BrandLoyalty
WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM
had been signed. Two years
with an option for an additional
two years. And that somehow
there would be synergies with
the existing BrandLoyalty speed
skating team.
What the …? Let's see how long
this one lasts, I thought to myself.
MORE THAN A
RESULTS SHEET
Nevertheless, three months
later in the medieval town of
Utrecht, the fourth largest city
in the Netherlands, the team
was presented to the public,
along with another title sponsor
in privately-owned Dutch
supermarket chain, Jumbo.
If they were going for a
completely new look, they
delivered. From the 'oranje', blue
and white of Rabobank, to the
lime green, white and black of
Belkin, and now the bumblebee
colours of Team LottoNL–
Jumbo. Richard Plugge, the
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019
“...at Le Tour, where
team's managing director from
their days as Blanco/Belkin,
would continue as MD/CEO, a
role he holds to the present day.
Eight riders from their 2015
line-up are also still there; one
is their New Zealand climber
George Bennett.
"When I first joined, to be
perfectly honest, I didn't have any
other options. It was at the end
of a crazy year where a bunch of
teams had folded and there was
just nowhere [else] to go," he told
The Cycling Podcast during this
year's Vuelta a España. "[But]
I guess it was the first sign of
their – especially [sports director]
Merijn Zeeman’s – scouting
process. They can identify talent
in other ways that isn't just
looking at a results sheet."
Gradually mimicking Team
Sky (now Team Ineos) in method
and approach, it wasn't a copy-
and-paste in terms of objectives.
(How could they? They were yet
to present a contender for the
113
Tour – Sky had already produced
two champions and three wins!)
For the first few years they were
still interested in the Spring
Classics (Sep Vanmarcke was
their main man there) and it
wasn't till Steven Kruijswijk
finished fourth at the 2016 Giro
d'Italia did their Grand Tour
ambitions ramp up in earnest.
next July, ALL FOR ONE,
ONE FOR ALL
Vanmarcke's departure was in a
similar vein to the goings on at
what is now Mitchelton-Scott
with the rise of the Yates twins
and Esteban Chaves. Both
teams realised the pursuit of
success at Grand Tours is an all-
encompassing affair, with riders
like Vanmarcke, and in the case
of the Australian outfit, Simon
Gerrans, Michael Matthews and
Caleb Ewan, credentialed and
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114 Spin Cycle NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2019 WWW.BICYCLINGAUSTRALIA.COM

promising as they were, surplus

to requirements. Few teams
can afford to be so focused,
but in the case of Team Ineos,
Mitchelton-Scott and Team
Jumbo-Visma, who notched
their maiden Grand Tour victory
with Primož Roglic at this year's
Vuelta, their investments have
paid handsomely.
Unlike Team Ineos, who
reached their Grand Tour zenith
with Bradley Wiggins in 2012
and have nowhere to go other
than winning Le Tour over and
over again (which, mind you,
they've done remarkably well
at, achieving said milestone six
times since), Mitchelton-Scott
and Jumbo-Visma have taken
a broader approach. Both have
come close to winning the Giro
and in the past two seasons have
claimed the overall title at La
Vuelta. And in the space of six
months, the latter has podiumed
in all three 'Grandies'.
"When you get good riders
together, you get on a good
vibe – that's a massive thing.
“...Now, it seems, Also momentum – that's a
(Jumbo-Visma) are psychological thing. Now we're
always at the front…'cause we're
ready to properly winning," Bennett, who was
part of the team at the Tour and
take on Team Ineos Vuelta, said.
at Le Tour "There's definitely enough
room for a couple of big teams,
and I guess we're one of the big
teams now."
Now, it seems, Plugge and his
apiece...” merry men are ready to properly
take on Team Ineos at Le Tour,
where next July, both may well
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Richard Carapaz will be at the
British-backed mob till 2022.
This is what happens when
the stakes are raised to the
point where only a Grand
Tour win will do. And largely
explains why few others can
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TRAIN
TOGETHER.
GAME
TOGETHER.

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