What is it about Tasmania?

[beroepsrenner]

Why is it that Australia's island state of Tasmania with a population of a mere half a million people continually produces world class cyclists?
Traditionally a hot bed of track cycling which produced international stars such as 1956 world motorpaced champion, Graeme French, Six Day stars Graeme Gilmore and Danny Clark and more recently Mat Gilmore. Led by Michael Wilson in the early 80s a steady progression of outstanding road riders has emerged from a region where, apart from a handful of events, road racing hardly exists beyond club level.
Among the 14 Australians who started this year's Giro, 3 of them are from Tasmania and 2 of them have played a staring role.

 

[Notso Swift]

The Beer ads would tell you its in the water

More likely it is because they have real hills, which means good core strength with light weight and bloody minded determination

 

[brianf7]

It s always raining down there so that is why they are doing so well in the tours. there used to it cold wet conditions.

The beer helps

 

[Sasquatch]

Could say something right now but will refrain.

What do Australian's commonly refer Tasmanian's to?

They do produce good cyclists!

Maybe everyone should be doing it!

 

[issoisso]

They get a lot of practice running from tasmanian devils

 

[Notso Swift]

Could say something right now but will refrain.

What do Australian's commonly refer Tasmanian's to?

They do produce good cyclists!

Maybe everyone should be doing it!

I will not touch that, so


Cutting off the second head??

LOL

 

[stefank]

They get a lot of practice running from tasmanian devils

Oh dear, a Tasmanian Devil courtesy of Warner Bros. I suppose we should be thankful it wasn't Disney.

 

[Sasquatch]

I will not touch that, so


Cutting off the second head??

LOL

lol

 

[beroepsrenner]

The Beer ads would tell you its in the water

More likely it is because they have real hills, which means good core strength with light weight and bloody minded determination

Tasmania certainly has the best training roads in Australia and the unreliable weather is good for building resilience. I predict that we will see more young talent come from here in the years to come with the current publicity being generated by Richie Porte and Mat Goss.

 

[valentius borealis]

Tasmania certainly has the best training roads in Australia and the unreliable weather is good for building resilience. I predict that we will see more young talent come from here in the years to come with the current publicity being generated by Richie Porte and Mat Goss.

Don't forget about the Sulzberger brothers.

 

[beroepsrenner]

I hadnt forgotten them and there's also Karl Menzies racing with great success for a number of years now in the USA as have Caleb Manion, Sean Sullivan and Matt Rice. In fact if you go back over the last 20 years there have been a number of Tasmanians racing in Europe and the US.

 

[craig1985]

Why is it that Australia's island state of Tasmania with a population of a mere half a million people continually produces world class cyclists?
Traditionally a hot bed of track cycling which produced international stars such as 1956 world motorpaced champion, Graeme French, Six Day stars Graeme Gilmore and Danny Clark and more recently Mat Gilmore. Led by Michael Wilson in the early 80s a steady progression of outstanding road riders has emerged from a region where, apart from a handful of events, road racing hardly exists beyond club level.
Among the 14 Australians who started this year's Giro, 3 of them are from Tasmania and 2 of them have played a staring role.

I can tell you from personal experience he's still kicking people's backsides.