A couple of days after returning to Sydney from the world championships in Wollongong, it became apparent that I’d not get an official opportunity to speak with any of the Australian riders involved…
– By Rob Arnold
When an organisation is focussed on a task, it’s logical that any distraction in the quest to achieve their goal is best avoided. Trying to win a world title, for example, is a huge undertaking, one that should never be taken lightly.
The Australian Cycling Team had its eye on the prize(s) when the worlds came to Wollongong last week. It was a great opportunity to showcase all that’s great about a sport that continues to experience growth in Australia.
The Australian riders showed commitment and honour as they set about trying to win another rainbow jersey and although they didn’t achieve that objective, it was still a successful campaign, one that many can be proud of.
Medals were won and inspiration was provided by a team of outstanding athletes, who have a wide range of strengths, and their efforts were applauded by many.
– Click the link below to learn about some of my frustrations with AusCycling at #Wollongong2022 –
On the final weekend of #Wollongong2022 huge crowds gathered on the roadside and at various locations around the city to cheer on riders of all countries. The variety of flags being waved as people watched a bike race in Australia was testament to the interest the worlds can create.
Although there was a strong international flavour to the racing (and in the crowds that assembled) the local team, the Australian Cycling Team, received the loudest cheers and the warmest welcome across Wollongong and surrounds.
It was a festival that reminded everyone who has followed cycling that this is something beautiful, something that is welcoming and fun and healthy and worth savouring. Riding a bike has many benefits and on the weekend some of the best in the world gathered to showcase something that we know is fantastic.
Alas, as you can see if you click the link above, some aspects of The Big Show were not, in my appraisal, managed as well as they could have been. The video linked to this story highlights one of my more negative experiences in a week which was otherwise enjoyable and enlightening.
After two years of being away from bike racing, I had a chance to be reunited with people I’ve known for many years. Friends from Europe arrived to report on the racing, or be part of the action themselves. And it was a pleasure for me to show them around ‘My Place’.
Although I now live in Sydney, Wollongong is a nearby centre that ultimately welcomed cycling and cyclists, seasoned fans and newbies alike. The town put on a show by closing down streets to traffic and allowing a bike race to take centre stage.
Unfortunately, the management at AusCycling and the Australian Cycling Team didn’t realise that this great event could have been even better if they had just been a little more inclusive. Or if they had promoted the event and the efforts of the Australian riders.
Yes, there are reasons why my many requests for interviews were denied or delayed (or simply ignored) which I find disturbing on many levels, not least because it was a chance to report on the endeavours of riders I’ve known for a long time and highlight what makes their sporting achievements so impressive.
I didn’t get a chance to have a formal interview with anyone from the Australian Cycling Team last week. That’s not okay, but I accept that this is how it panned out. The event is over and I cannot go back in time to change how things were managed.
What I can do, however, is express my frustrations and explain that the management of cycling in Australia has continued with its obstructionist ways – certainly when it comes to dealings with me and my company, RIDE Media. That’s life. I’ll continue to ride my bike, enjoy what’s good about cycling, and report on something that I’ve long been passionate about.
The reason I decided to share my experience, however, is that during the course of the championships – in a week when I vowed that I’d focus on the positive and try to ignore the negative – I heard many complaints from others about their dealings with AusCycling and/or the Australian Cycling Team.
We could consider the reality that there was no under-23 rider selected to race the TT in their home country (not male or female) or the strange situation that saw one elite rider nominated by their national sporting organisation for a race they was never told they were listed to contest (and consequently didn’t).
For now, I’ve shared my experience – my frustrations – about my treatment during the championships in the hope that it gives others the inspiration to also tell their stories.
Once again many people have chimed in and contacted me with anecdotes of their own about their dealings with AusCycling and/or the Australian Cycling Team and my suspicions about a number of confusing events have been confirmed. But I’m not going to share every story on RIDE Media, not right now, not when there are many more positive things to say about a championships that is sure to leave a lasting legacy.
#Wollongong2022 was a hugely successful event. It was an enormous undertaking and the organisers pulled off a coup with minimal staff (especially when compared with equivalent events elsewhere) and the overall vibe was special, inspirational even.
If you have just come to cycling and you’ve seen something you consider to be amazing, welcome to my world. Jump on a bike and ride. Discover the joy of pedalling and experience the many rewards that can come from this fantastic activity. Don’t be put off by some negative elements of what is a very positive thing to do.
Ride. Enjoy it. Share the love and be sure to let others know what you have discovered.
This is a great time for cycling in Australia and it is a great time be a bike rider. Let’s all work together to ensure that the legacy of the worlds coming to town is not just fleeting. It was something special and I’ll remember it very fondly.
– By Rob Arnold
#Wollongong2022
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