Cashing In On Cadel

Well what an amazing three weeks! For those of you like me who sat up each night watching Le Tour de France, I hope you all enjoyed what was an amazing race from the very first stage right through to Cadel Evans wearing the Australian flag as a cape on the Champs-Élysées. Aside from being the first Australian to ever win the General Classification at Le Tour, (Don’t forget that Robbie McEwen and Baden Cooke are both former Points Classification winners), it appears to be a true victory for clean cycling bringing hope that the tainted era is in the past.

Personally, I’m spoilt. On a daily basis I am surrounded by some of the world’s finest athletes and a new bread waiting in the wings. Unfortunately, watching sport on a daily basis doesn’t capture my attention as it once did. Don’t get me wrong… I still love sport! It is a huge part of my life. But I think it’s like eating ice cream… Everyone loves ice cream but no one likes it when it’s shoved in your face. I see so much sport on a daily basis that in my spare time I enjoy noodling round with music or working on our family farm more than sitting in a grandstand or watching an event on TV. Perhaps, god forbid, actually getting out there for some physical activity myself. Maybe this is why AFL football doesn’t appeal to me. But isn’t it interesting how some events capture your attention. For me, there are two sports I cannot go without: Le Tour de France and Formula 1.

The later more so because of the gross indulgences of the sport. The most brilliant drivers in the most technologically advanced cars with the largest budgets in the most exotic locations etc, etc, etc… And Le Tour (team budget and bike design technology aside) for it’s complete simplicity and it’s extreme physiology. “A lap of France as fast as you can.” Maybe it’s because just about everyone can relate to the bike. If you’ve been on a bike you know the sensation of riding into a still headwind, or trying to get up a relatively steep bike path. And this is just taking that experience to another relative level. For instance, one of the climbs on Le Tour took 40min at an average power output of 5.4watts per kilo of bodyweight for the winner. Try that next time you are down the gym. Multiply your bodyweight by 5.4 and sit on that figure for 40min! I be you will struggle to last 4!!! For those of you who want a little extra complexity, try it at 2,000 meters…

So enough of all that… Time to get down to the business of this entry. The cashing in on Cadel. The money side of it is clearly obvious. HTC who sponsor Highroad, a US based pro team, is said to have gained $100 million worth of sponsorship exposure over the last three years (no reference). But that’s what they are in the game for. So while this figure, if accurate is impressive, has no real bearing on truly cashing in.

I’m more interested in what’s happening here. Bicycle Exchange (http://www.bikeexchange.com.au/), who are an online “eBay style” shopping network has had their site traffic take off in recent days. Shane Perkins was telling me that a friend of his bike store is expecting a 60% increase in sales over the coming weeks based on Le Tour results. And do remember we are in the middle of winter! So are the sellers of bikes cashing in? Well yes but they aren’t the real winners in this deal. The real winner is our society. And here’s how:

I made an interesting observation on the weekend. My home in Richmond is about a 40min walk from work and there is nothing better than on a Saturday morning than grabbing a nice coffee in Richmond on my way to… and way from work. Richmond is always a hive of activity in particular with the road bike traffic who have made their way down Beach Road nice and early (to avoid the traffic) feasting in the cafes on Swan Street. But last Saturday was different. Not a bike to be seen. All the poor souls who sat up watching the enthralling stage of the Col du Telegraph, Col du Galibier and L'Alpe d'Huez. On the way home however, something was different… Bikes everywhere! Yes the normal blend of the lycra covered bodies making their way out onto the open road… But what was even better were the masses of people who had brushed the cobwebs off the old Malvern Star to head our for what was quite obviously the first time in months or years.

It got me excited to think that the old ethos that rationalized high performance sport funding in increasing mass participation maybe (well certainly in this instance) alive and well. What a great thought that Cadel’s performance would motivate those who get out on the bike regularly to push themselves a little harder on their next ride and suffer like he did on the Galibier, or to attack their ridding buddies like he did up L’Alpe d’Huez, or the tri-athletes to bury themselves like Cadel did in the time trial. What a great thought that kids hound their parents for a new bike so they can charge round the streets racing each other like kids used to do 15-20 years ago. What a  great thought that a whole family might make a day trip out to the Yarra Trail for some fun in the sun.

So who has really cashed in on Cadel Evans wining Le Tour? The winners are the general public who have been inspired enough to get out of the house and enjoy what is one of the most accessible, pleasurable forms of exercise that can cater for all of any age or skill level. With the Geelong Grand Fondo fast approaching, the Great Victorian Bike ride coming up, a World Championship course set up so some of our sprinters and of course Round the Bay in a Day just round the corner, the opportunities to build momentum off Cadel’s victory is limitless.

In a time where we have never eaten worse, been more lazy our been totally uninspired by the world around us, one guys victory has given us the best reward of all… To get us motivated enough to go outside, get on a bike and enjoy a ride!

Everyone can cash in on that. Viva Le Tour! Merci beaucoup Cadel Evans!