True Blue
There's a term for people who embody the qualities of honesty, determination
and hard work that Australians admire most: True Blue. To be a true blue
Aussie it also doesn't hurt if you've had to struggle against the odds,
and especially against unreasonable odds.
His friends call him 'True Blue' and if any of the current crop of
Australian pros making a living in Europe deserve to be hailed this way,
Cyclingnews diarist Scott Sunderland surely does.
Scott was born in Inverell, a country town in northern New South Wales.
Inverell is in a silver and sapphire mining area, but the town's main
economic engine is the beef industry. It's a cliché that in Australian
country towns kids grow up tough but honest and not afraid of hard work,
but it's certainly true of Scott who worked
double shifts in the Inverell abattoirs to fund his early European
racing career.
Scott is currently Australia's longest serving professional cyclist and
has a depth of experience in racing that few in the European peloton can
match. He has placed highly in many of the cycling world's greatest events,
and is a well respected rider.
He has had more than his
fair share of injuries and setbacks, the most memorable being when
he was struck by a car driven by his former director, Cees Priem, during
the 1998 Amstel Gold race. Although the ramifications of that are still
being overcome, he has recovered and the last 18 months have seen a resurgent
Scott Sunderland.
After that accident, Scott's doctors thought he might never ride again,
and since returning to riding he has been, as his wife Sabine puts it
"200 per cent focused." His win earlier this year in the GP
Pino Cerami — one of his favourite races — showed that the old
Sunderland strength is still there. And when things do go wrong, as in
this year's Amstel Gold, he's philosophical. "That's bike racing."
Unusually, Scott's diaries are written from a range of perspectives.
His wife Sabine steps in from time to time, as in this
view from the 'women's room', and his friend, journalist Neil Storey,
earns his room and board in the Sunderland household by helping out with
insightful views from the
roadside.
Scott says he intends to carry on for another three years, till 2004.
He's enjoying helping the Fakta team develop and passing his knowledge
along to younger riders, but he thinks by the time he hits 38, he'll "be
done with it". Until that far-off day, we hope that you enjoy the
regular updates of the man from Inverell and Zottegem.
Photo Gallery
2003 Giro d'Italia
Stage 7 - May 17: Avezzano-Terminillo, 146 km
Images by Fotoreporter
Sirotti
Stage 14- May 24: Marostica-Alpe Pampeago, 162 km
Image by Iain Ashworth
Stage 15 - May 25: Merano-Bolzano, ITT, 42.5 km
Images by Fotoreporter
Sirotti
Stage 18 - May 29: Santuorio Vico-Chianale, 175 km
Images by Fotoreporter
Sirotti
Stage 21 - June 1: Idsroscalo-Milan, ITT, 33 km
Image by Marco Bardella
Other photos
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Photo ©: Frank Rud Jensen
Scott Sunderland
Born: November 28, 1966, Inverell, NSW, Australia
Lives: Zottegem, Belgium, with wife Sabine and sons Saën
and Tristan
Team: Team fakta
Height: 178 cm
Weight: 66 kgs
Club: St. George Cycling Club, Sydney
Biography
1973: Started racing at 7 years of age, as a member
of a cycling family -- father and four brothers all raced
1982: Age 15. Competed in Australian Championships
for the first time
1984: Age 17. Moved to Sydney (approx. 700km from
hometown Inverell) to find work and further cycling career
1986: Age 19. First overseas trip to USA for two
months. Upon returning I won the Australian Championships.
1987: Age 20. Moved to Europe and raced for the Swiss
based Mazza Amateur Team; living in Geneva, Switzerland.
1990: Age 23. Started first year as professional
with the Dutch TVM Team. Remained living in Geneva for the
year.
1991: Moved to Belgium to be closer to team HQ and
more centralized (also to get English TV!)
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Harley
dudes
Photo: © Sabine Sunderland
1994: Marriage to Sabine, whom Scott calls "my Belgian
soulmate. I definitely recall this to be a really happy
period; we had so much fun together."
1996: Birth of son Saën: "the start of a lot more happy
days."
1998: Accident in Amstel Gold. "The start of the
darkest period in my cycling career."
1999: Victory in Vuelta a Castilla-Léon. "The sign
for me that all was going to be okay after all."
Significant races
1986: National Championships, Road Race (amateur)
1991: First Pro victory, the Tropheo Pantalica, (febr.
Sicily)
1992: 5th in Milan-San Remo. "This race was just
one adrenalin blast"
1993: 1st overall in the Mazda Alpine Tour (Australia).
"Just great to win on home soil."
1999: victory in Vuelta a Castilla-Léon. "I won the
first stage and put on the leader's jersey thinking 'I'm
back', it was satisfying and rewarding."
2000: 7th in World Championships in Plouay (Fr).
"This confirmed that again I can perform at the top level"
Up close and personal
Sporting dream
"As a teenager, and still today, it has always been my dream to
represent Australia at the Olympic Games. Probably because in sport,
and more particular in cycling, these seem to be the most important
events in the eyes of the Australian Public together with the Tour
de France.
"As a little boy riding my bike, I was imagining being
a World Champion; and I haven't given up on that dream yet.
The pink or yellow jersey of the three big tours have never
really appealed to me as much as that Rainbow Jersey a World
Champion gets to wear all year."
Likes
- Good food and fine wine enjoyed in nice company
- Riding the Harley. "I love motorbikes!"
- Scuba diving with friends
- Camping and fishing in Australia
- Watching movies (action, thrillers and comedies)
- Reading (favourite author: Stephen King), new age books.
"The books which were most influential during my recovery
in '98 were the ones written by Norman Vincent Peale"
- Listening to music (of great variety, music to suit
the mood) "I like to listen to hard rock before races.
Going to concerts and festivals is something I really
enjoy."
- "People who are straight up and honest. People who
you can have a good laugh with. I enjoy being in groups,
just hanging out together."
Dislikes
- Rainy days, being wet and cold on the bike
- Bad food like overcooked pasta and French green beans
- Waiting "I simply cannot handle standing in long queues
and being stuck in traffic jams."
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