James races onto the international stage

By James Gardner | Posted: Tuesday August 16, 2022

For me, riding my bike on the other side of the world has only been something I could dream about, until a couple of weeks ago.

My journey started like any others, riding my bike around the local tennis court, training wheels were the only thing keeping me going. Some would say I have changed since then, but when I am riding my bike, that same excitement I got while 3-year-old me was doing laps of the courts is still there.

It's no secret that professional sport is incredibly tough, being an athlete isn't for everyone, not everything is going to go as planned no matter the preparation done beforehand. Controlling the controllable is all you can do in most situations, dealing with the uncontrollable means you need to be adaptable. This is the best part and the worst part of sport, embracing the stuff that happens, adjusting and having a positive attitude is sometimes all you can do to make the best of any situation.

My cycling is so much bigger than me, it’s not just riding a bicycle, it takes support to improve, and that support comes from mentors, coaches, parents, friends, and many others. In my journey, this support network has been vital to get the most out of my performance. Without the time given up, knowledge, experiences, and reassurance given by these individuals I wouldn't be able to tell you where I'd be and what I'd be doing, and maybe not even giving this speech.

I was given the opportunity to tackle my first international race experience thanks to the MitoQ- New Zealand Cycle Project, my trade team that I have been representing for almost the last 2 years. I would be racing in Chicago for 10 days straight at the Intelligentsia Cup, in the Pro Mens Grade. With this being my first time out of New Zealand, everything was going to be different, and it absolutely was. Tripping around the city and the suburbs of Chicago was an experience in itself, with each day of racing providing us with a new course to master in a different location. Racing in downtown Chicago with skyscrapers only blocks over, racing in the suburbs in front of 3 thousand people streetside, pretty much the equivalent of riding on the Taieri, the atmosphere each day was something to be remembered.

I have been watching videos of this race on YouTube for the last couple of years, so when I was told I would be over there racing, bumping shoulders with those professional guys at 50kmph, it gave me a very surreal feeling. Just starting each stage was a win for me, with the list of uncontrollable things not going to plan. It was a matter of turning a lemon into lemonade. I was swamped with generosity. The racing was a shock to the system, with each day averaging speeds upwards of 47kmph, with short technical courses with tight corners, and at least 110 pro men starting each day in strong teams of 6 riders, all with a job to do. Nothing is even comparable to this racing in New Zealand, being a totally new experience for me, it was going to be a very steep progression curve. Starting at the bottom of the curve, taking in every point of feedback from my teammates it all started to come together. The advice from the team made it clearer to me how I was going to achieve my goals for the trip. The team podiumed in one race and my best placing was 28th in a bunch sprint. Criterium road racing is a combination of fitness, strength, bike handling skills and tactics. A rider must be well-rounded in all aspects to succeed in this sport. If you do all the training in the world, but you aren't confident in your bike handling skills you will lose position at each corner. For example, if you started at the front, and you only lost 5 positions each corner, because of your bike handling skills you would last 7 minutes before you are at the back. These races are narrow, tight, fast and brutal! To fully experience them in real life was amazing to say the least. Thank you to my MitoQ team and everyone else that had a part in making this trip possible.

From riding laps of the local tennis courts to riding laps of downtown Chicago in front of thousands of people in the pro races, things have progressed, but not changed. The training done doesn't mean it is any easier to do, it only means we go faster. Although the 14 days disappeared at the blink of an eye, the learnings and experiences will last forever. For now this trip is over, I am motivated to go back next year and double my experience and further explore what is out there. 

Image Gallery