Old Pro's

I really love “old pro” stories. By “old pro” I am talking about the Australian version, not the trendy European.

In Australia you had the League of Professional Wheelmen, which were a group of what would now be called semi-professionals who made a few bucks from their chosen sport. They would race in the track carnivals and road races around the place and you could make a decent coin if you had your wits about you.

The common denominator was that if you were part of this crew you were a hard arse. Almost always working class and with a high proportion coming from small country towns like Bendigo, Ballarat and Shepperton.

My starting cycling coincided with the demise of this bred. In my way of seeing it this has been cycling’s loss. Genuine hard men have been replaced by an altogether softer breed. Besides old pro’s were always good for a laugh even if they were not trying to achieve one.

I remember riding in a group once and a local “Old Pro” was holding court on various theories about training, mental toughness and tactics. We got on to the subject of weight and “form”. “Old Pro” had strong views on this and made a comment which stopped the conversation in its tracks.

He stated in a voice devoid of one once of humor that:

“You will know when you are in absolute peak condition because you will be able to fart without lifting your arse off the seat.”

So next time you hear someone going all gushy about cycling being like “chess on wheels”, remember that back in the days when the old pro’s ruled, it was an altogether more simple sport.