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The Scott Sunderland Diary 2002
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Diary Entries
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True BlueThere'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 GalleryFirst
coaching session, Inverell |
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