Apres Velo Blog

January is the most exciting month in Adelaide because it's the month when the boys and their bikes arrive.
Everyday the excitement builds as the teams arrive through Adelaide airport !
About 7 days before The Tour begins, I start carrying my camera everywhere I go - just in case I see a team out & about on their training rides. The Cancer Council Classic - The excitement is almost at boiling point. I can't even sleep the night before it starts !
The morning of the classic, we packed our standard TDU kit (that we have carried with us, us being Dad and I since about 2007)
"The Backpack" contains water supply to survive long walks in the dry Adelaide heat, the programme, which starts off very clean and flat and ends up doggy eared and drawn on. And finally the most important thing - stuff to get signed !
In the morning, my Dad raced in his veteran race and was on the front every lap & got 4th (cut off by C grade).
After his race we got to Cancer Council Classic quite early, to get a good seat ! The first voice I heard over the sound system was none other than my absolute favourite rider - Robbie McEwen. Though admittedly and little grumpy he is a very talented bike rider.
Just like every year, the 1st lap is AMAZING! I love the wind as they wizz past, at what seems like 100km/h and every year I forgot not to stand so close ! The sky team didvery well at this Classic, winning their 1st pro tour event at their debut.
Stage One - The only time of year I don't mind getting up at ungodly hours is Christmas and The Tour Down Under.
Stage One was no different, Dad and I were up at what people his age call ' a sparrow fart' which still perplexes me alittle.
We drove to Clare, which was a strange place to hold the offical start but I thought that would definately mean less people...Boy ! was I wrong. That would have to be the most people that have EVER been in Clare at one time. Huge amounts of people swarmed around Lance Armstrong while he sat in a van with the door closed and the windows up(?). Strangely there was no one around our home grown champ - Cadel Evans, Dad & I waited by his WORLD CHAMPION bike for him to come over. I had, in my hot little hands, a 1980 collectors world champion cap for him to sign (Dad always sent me to get things signed because he figures I have more chance of getting it than he does). Cadel came over, signed my hat, I was so nervous I barely spoke and I had a photo with him (Dad was very jealous) !!! After the start, Dad and I took off and tried to beat them to the feed zone. We just made it (after walking about 4kms)!
We watched as they went past (got hit with a drink bottle) and we collected a team Sky feed bag which Dad was very proud of.
We, after walking 4kms back to the car, took off again, while trying to find the commentation on the radio, we also were tryingto beat them to the finish line and we made it with plenty of time to spare.
There was, again, thousands upon thousands of people at the finish, and being from little ol' Adelaide, I'm not used to that many people. The Jolly German Machine, Andre Griepel, won this event with no trouble and as much as I love my Aussie riders, you just can't go past someone like Griepel. (other stages to come soon) !!!

APRES VELO is pretty stoked to announce its sponsorship of RACHEL NEYLAN who just 2 short years ago competed in her first cycling race. Green & gold, stage races, the European peloton and world cups and were only a distant vision.

The late transition from elite runner to international cyclist was sparked by will, spirit and a few remarkable life changes in late 2007 – Sydney to Adelaide, full time profession turned to hours in the saddle and running shoes to pedals.

Rachel Neylan is a fast progressing road cyclist climbing the ranks of Australian Women's Cycling. In 2010 racing on the international professional European circuit with Italian Team System Data and the Australian National Team.

“I am a passionate about elite competition, and all that it entails - the daily physical challenges, the technical ability, the mental discipline, and the camaraderie with other elite athletes. I enjoy the ability to share my journey with others, engaging people along the way. Through the medium of rachelneylan.com. I hope to take my family, friends and sponsors around the world with me from ambition to accomplishment in the exhilarating sport of world class cycling. This is a gesture of my appreciation for all your support along the way!"

The APRES VELO team and its Cog-regants wish Rachel all the success in the world and look forward to sharing all her accomplishments and victories along the way.

Visit www.rachelneylan.com for more details

Friday afternoon is generally an afternoon of much leisure, caffeine, lying on the AV designed couch and wearing flip flops. So it came as no surprise to the production staff to see the BIG COG meditating flat out like an iguana in the sun. Me (Web Schlepper) and Sarina (Crash Test Mummy)  decided to climb the barbed wire fence that surrounds the BIG COGs expansive office and raid his hard drive in an effort to find any photographs of him in compromising situations.

Alas we were very dissapointed to find that he is a clean living man. He had NOTHING we could use to intimidate and shame. So me (Web Schlepper) and Sarina (Crash Test Mummy) had no alternative but to steal some anyway, pole vault out of there and head back to the AV Design Temple to conjure some up in Photoshop.

Whilst these don't lean toward naming or shaming anyone, let's be clear, they are not real. LIVE the RIDE people. (Apres Velo 1 - Lawyers - Nil)

BIG COG making a name for himself (or someone else at least)

The AV Man Bonding 'Arnie' Truck - parked illegaly

The AV Man Bonding 'Uber' Bike

The AV Television screen on the Main Straight