Adelaide Now: Cycling’s Aussie boom

International cycling is waging a war on two fronts, but here in Australia the sport is experiencing a different type of boom. While elite cycling is plagued by problems, the sport in Australia has become so popular doctors and lawyers are choosing to network on the bike instead of the golf course. In Europe, there’s an ugly fight against drug doping and the less publicised, but potentially devastating spat between the sport’s governing body – the International Cycling Union – and the major race organisers over the new ProTour. In Australia, people are joining racing and recreational clubs in record numbers, inspired by the success of Aussie pros overseas.

The contrast couldn’t be more stark. While German television networks refused to broadcast this year’s drug-tainted Tour de France, here more people tuned into SBS’s live coverage than ever before. Audiences were up 27 per cent on 2006, with each live stage attracting an average 211,000 viewers over the three weeks as Cadel Evans rode to his runner up finish. According to a recent Australian Sports Commission survey, cycling is now the fourth most popular physical activity in Australia.

It’s behind walking, aerobics and swimming, but ahead of tennis, running and golf. Last year, Cycling Australia (CA) saw its membership climb 17 per cent to 26,000 racing cyclists. CA chief executive Graham Fredericks says another 80,000 riders belong to recreational and advocacy groups. He says people are jumping on their bikes for health reasons – but staying enthusiastic due to remarkable performances by Aussies in the great international races like Paris-Roubaix and the Tour de France.

This year, Stuart O’Grady won the biggest one-day classic of them all and Evans stepped onto the podium in the Tour – both firsts for Australian cycling. “We just couldn’t believe it,” Fredericks said. “If anyone doubted that we were up there competing with the best . . . we certainly are now.”

Rosemarie Speidel, from the Cycling Promotion Fund, believes riding is so popular because it’s an easy way for people who are “time-poor” to get active. “People can integrate it into their daily lives,” Speidel says. “The bicycle is always there and everybody can do it. “If you’re not very fit you go slowly and if you get fitter you go faster and longer.” Cycling is also more social than going to the gym.

“You can ride with your kids, your partner or with friends,” Speidel argues. “A lot of professional people . . . use it for networking. “All the things they used to do on the golf course are now done on the bike.” Australian Customs figures show bike sales have outstripped car sales for the past five years. About 1.2 million bikes were sold in Australia in 2006 – up from 775,000 in 2001.

The Cycling Promotion Fund believes this is in part due to the fact people want to reduce their individual carbon emissions. Cycling advocates say even more people would commute by bike if there was better infrastructure, including more on-road bike lanes and off-road bike paths. Bicycle NSW chief executive Alex Unwin says it’s a case of “build it and they will come”. He says there’s a “hell of a lot more” people riding in Victoria because there is a more extensive cycleway network there. “They’re probably somewhere between five and 10 years ahead of us,” Unwin says. “The infrastructure in Victoria has been built and it’s working.”

According to a VicRoads study, bike commuting jumped between 30 and 40 per cent in the 12 months to January this year on a number of popular routes leading to Melbourne’s city centre. The roads corporation set up permanent counters to monitor bike traffic in the morning peak between 7am and 9am. Unwin says Sydney is moving in the right direction - slowly. He cites the M7 cycleway, the Anzac Parade off-road bike path and the Anzac Bridge bike lane. “There’s still missing pieces,” he said.

“But because the paths have started to be built in the last five years commuting in Sydney is up about 50 per cent.” Participation in organised recreational rides is also skyrocketing. Australian cycling fans haven’t let the problems plaguing the elite level affect their enthusiasm because they know the sport is serious about fixing its image, Cycling Australia’s boss says. “If you’re going to declare a war on doping in sport you’re going to get collateral damage,” Fredericks said. “There is going to be a fallout.

“There is going to be some pain along the way.” But, he says, cycling must continue to “hold its nerve” in the face of any media and public backlash. “We are unearthing the cheats,” Fredericks said. “With every athlete caught the sport is one athlete cleaner.” He argues Australian cyclists have come to the fore since the infamous Festina affair in 1998 - which uncovered the endemic drug culture in Europe - and Operation Puerto last year - which resulted in a number of riders being banned from the pro peleton. And with South Australia’s Tour Down Under likely to win ProTour status in the next few years, and an Australian professional team on the cards, Fredericks says things can only get better.