National Road Championships: the power of spectatorship

The weekend’s National Road Championships from Buninyong was a feast of Australian cycling excellence.

On show was the nation’s cycling depth and for the men’s race at least, a party atmosphere akin to a Grand Tour stage.

A lot of the success of the men’s race in terms of support is in the increased coverage Aussie cycling fans now get of the European action.

It is through this coverage that fans are able to get interested in watching cycling and it this fan energy that creates the sort of carnival scenes from Sunday’s Men’s Road Race.

Fans are powerful beings and now is the time for cycling fans to make some moves toward seeing women’s cycling enjoy the same kinds of crowd numbers.

Many of us who witnessed the weekend’s action are still buzzing on the energy of the racing.

This energy is not manufactured in some sterile lab or clinic. It is the screaming, passionate cheering and frivolity of enjoying live sport. But being a fan is in many ways a learned activity.

The picnics and dress ups along Mount Buninyong Road were learned from watching telecasts of overseas cycling races.

Cadel Evans and Richie Porte each commented that the crowd atmosphere was similar to a race in Europe.

We’ve been up all night for a mighty long time watching cycling well into the wee hours of the morning and we’ve picked up a thing or two.

There was though, a tale of two races, at least from a numbers point of view.

The women’s race, held on Saturday was an incredibly exciting affair, full of breakaways, attacks, counter attacks and a sprint to the finish. Orica-AIS rider, Gracie Elvin won the event for a second year in a row.

The men also produced an exciting afternoon of racing on Sunday, with the podium a celebration of our greatest cyclists currently competing on the world stage.

In spending time on the roadside on Sunday, I saw some fabulous examples of Aussie cycling spectators enjoying watching their heroes flaying themselves in the noon day heat for our entertainment.

And no one caught my attention more than a young cycling fan, committed and passionate about the Adam Hansen-Lotto Belisol cause.

This young lad had an eye so keen for his Queensland hero that is was almost uncanny.

Hansen joined the early breakaway and stayed with them, until caught in the final laps.

The thing is, with Lotto’s new retro orange tinted, red kit, he was initially a little hard to spot among the fire engine red of Drapac Cycling.

It did take me a lap or two and a consultation of the race guide before I had Hansen separated from the Drapac boys as they whizzed past so fast, it hurt my eyes.

But not this young lad. He was onto his favourite rider straight away.

Perhaps it was the Lotto-Belisol jersey he was wearing or the team logo he had painted on his arm, but like a bee to pollen, like a moth to a flame or like a gold digger to a millionaire, this kid had Hansen spotted in a flash.

This young fan is obviously such a keen fan cycling, he didn’t even take his bike helmet off.

I got the distinct impression that if he ever has children when he’s all grown up, he has them already named.

1. Adam. 2. Hansen. 3. Lotto (although not sure if that’s after the team name or Hansen’s whippet). 4. Belisol.

He was also in some spectacular dietary training for taking on the Croc Trophy, like his hero successfully did in 2004 and 2005. It’s not often you see someone eat a lemonade icy pole at the same time as a potato cake.

Great work young man!

Sitting under the tree near this cycling fan and his family made me realise just how much we can follow our heroes and show our fandom.

Of course, I suspect this young cycling fan is able to follow the exploits of Hansen and our other European male riders through televised coverage of men’s cycling events.

There is no doubt that SBS showing more races from Europe is directly responsible for our growing interest in watching cycling.

SBS, should of course be applauded for this.

Back in July I wrote this piece celebrating SBS retaining the Tour de France broadcast rights for the next 10 years.

For those who travelled up Mount Buninyong or lined any other part of the course, the party atmosphere was electric.

But from where did many get the inspiration to party like it’s a European Grand Tour?

From watching the telly of course.

What I want to see next is similar party crowds cheering the women on.

And one of the best ways for this to happen is to see more women’s cycling on the TV.

We can see how increased coverage has improved the profile of cycling for men, now let’s see how it can also do the same for women.

And let’s face it, Aussies are leading the way in women’s cycling.

Orica-AIS, WiggleHonda and Specialised-lululemon are either Australian registered women’s teams or owned/founded/managed by Australians.

The only other women’s team comparable is the Dutch Rabobank/LivGiant.

We clearly have the cycling talent.

Now let’s see what we can do to grow spectator numbers for the women’s event.

I’m really looking forward to this year’s cycling season but I’m looking forward to agitating for increased coverage of women’s cycling more.

I hope you are too!