The "Secrets" of Oz!

[oldborn]

Well I can only be jealous and admire Aussies. I am interesting what by your means are key points of Australian cycling rising? When it starts, how much money are involved, what institutions, infrastructure, and especially kids recruiting.

I remember reading Cadel interview once, where he talking how cycling was out before 15-20 or so years ago. Could someone explain me how cycling was then and especially now after Cadel TDF winn.
Role of AIS in cycling? I mean are Cadel, Bobridge or Goss where recognized and when it started and what scholarships kind.

Thanks!

 

[GreasyMonkey]

Grassroots Track cycling.

Most country towns, typically around 10,000 or more in the immediate district will usually have an outdoor velodrome (concrete, 250 or 333 metre, with proper bankings).

Some examples are Bowral, 8000 population, only 90km from Sydney & the 2000 Olympics velodrome. Tamworth and Armidale both have top-class outdoor tracks. Even in Sydney City, there are at least two outdoor tracks used regularly, at Tempe & Hurstville. I am sure there are others in Sydney that I am not aware of.
In Victoria, nearly every country town I visited as a youngster had a velodrome - no charge, just grab a bike & go riding.

It is cheap for the kids to buy/build a basic track bike and go racing from a young age, even fronting up on their BMX'ers that they ride to school for an evening of junior racing.

Keeps the kids from getting bored, good outlet for excess hormones of teenagers, and fuels a healthy spirit of competition.

From the track background and BMX, they will often make their way into road-racing through the AIS Talent ID program, or with clubs, some which are very long-established (80 or 90 years)

Cheers.

 

[oldborn]

In Victoria, nearly every country town I visited as a youngster had a velodrome - no charge, just grab a bike & go riding.

Like this part, many thanks.
Here you should have a club license to use track I think it is easier to hire a wind tunel than track

 

[Martin318is]

yes but usually these country velodromes are 300-450m long and very shallowly banked. they are most often around the edges of sporting grounds so it is eay to get in and use them. The 'real' tracks are more difficult to get onto but stil just a matter of contacting the local club.

It is very noticeable that over the last 20 years the amount of support for cycling and in particular new or talented cyclists has gone through the roof.

 

[Tapeworm]

The Australian Government also has heavy involvement in the form of the Australian Institute of Sport in the structure of pathways from junior to elite levels of most sports and the development and coaching of these athletes.

Many univeristies with a sport sciences field are "farmed out" topics of particular interest to the AIS (in the lead up to Beijing there were many studies conducted around thermal stress, core cooling techniques, pacing in heat etc). This gives them a large scope for theories to be tested and quantified.