In between her preparation for the DBR Canberra Junior and Women’s Tour in Canberra 8-10th July, Team Suzuki rider Rebecca Wiasak took the time to talk to me about how she was forced to go cold turkey on running, adjusting to life as a cyclist and shows us what you can achieve with a bit of hard work and determination.Firstly, congratulations on recently receiving a scholarship with the ACT Academy of Sport. Based on the fantastic results you have achieved this year thus far, it was only a matter of time! How would you describe this first half of your season?The past 12 months have been a whirlwind. When I first approached my coach John Forrest about joining his squad he banned me from running. I had been involved in the sport since Little Athletics and more recently competed as a triathlete so that was a pretty big ask – especially as I was also managing a running shop! I think he had a few other young female athletes who had attempted the talent transfer but were not prepared to hang up the running shoes. I have been 100% committed to this from the start and have been guided by my coach and ACTAS head cycling coach Glenn Doney through the process. I knew that if I produced the results then the rewards would come. It has been nice to be recognised and now be ‘on the radar’.
Based on these strong performances, you were also selected to participate in a gruelling 10-day selection camp for the Women’s Jayco Development team here in Canberra. The camp was designed to test the mental and physical strength of the riders and prepare them for what life is like on the road in Europe. What were your experiences of the camp? Did it deter you at all or simply make you hungrier to explore the European racing scene?The camp was interesting. I have no idea how I survived it – but I am so grateful that I did. I was very unprepared for the camp. We had some idea about what to expect and knew that the AIS had liaised with the Australian Defence Force in designing our challenges. The camp was loosely modelled off the SAS Special Forces selection course with the constant threat of being sent home if we failed a challenge. I felt like I was on a reality television show – something like The Biggest Loser meets Survivor – except we didn’t have the opportunity to vote other cyclists out. I found the experience very draining, as our every move was being assessed and judged. Maybe there was an element of Search For A Supermodel in there too! We had a daily debrief which I found very confrontational and probably just as challenging as the actual training sessions, which were epic. I guess the plane ticket to Europe was very motivating. It was disappointing not to get selected for the Jayco Academy but the camp gave me the chance to meet the National Head Coach Martin Barras who reassured me I had everything required – I just wasn’t ready. He gave me a few little technical things to work on and hopefully this time next year I will be racing with the squad overseas.
Beck is cementing her name as one of Australia's up and coming cyclists at the 2011 Loop Canberra TourYou describe yourself as a runner-turned-triathlete-turned-cyclist and have even dabbled in basketball in Europe. What was the driving force behind the change in sports, given that you experienced quite a lot of success in each?It seems like the running, triathlon, cycling thing has been a natural progression. I am very young in cycling years but I think a lot of my strength on the bike comes from a big base as a junior track runner doing lots of short, explosive efforts and lots of lactic tolerance work. It also helps that my physiology means I build muscle quite easily. I find it empowering that I chose cycling – it didn’t choose me. So many people fall into certain sports because they are injured or someone convinces them to switch. I loved triathlon but I was training twice a day without the prospect of turning pro. You spend so much time, energy and money on a sport and I couldn’t justify continuing triathlon when all I was going to be was a top Australian age-group competitor.
Do you think you have finally found your chosen sport? Or do you see yourself switching sports again, even as a personal challenge?I think I have finally found a sport I am good at! Everyone tells me that I will go back – especially to triathlon. Though I have never had the urge to do a marathon or ironman so there is no plan to make a comeback. Hopefully I will tick off all the goals in cycling and then be happy to move onto other life goals like having a family.
You have proven yourself to be a pretty handy bike rider, most recently winning the time trial at the 2011 Loop Canberra Tour where you also placed a very impressive 2nd overall, what are your goals and ambitions in cycling?I have always wanted to go to the Olympics but in my previous sports it was never a realistic goal. Having already ridden myself into the top-10 time trialists in the country I can now see that the Olympics is something for me to work towards. It seems ridiculous to say that is my goal given I am so new to the sport but if I continue to improve and train consistently there is no reason I couldn’t be among the top time trial riders in Australia and get selected for World Championships, the Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games.
What has been your most memorable sporting moment, in any sport?In January this year I raced in the Rendition Homes-Santos Cup criterium in Adelaide, which was the curtain raiser for the Tour Down Under. The crowd was insane. I finished 13th in the bunch sprint which is nothing spectacular but the experience of racing on the same circuit as the men with the accompanying media and spectators was awesome.
Although cycling is perceived largely as an individual sport, strong performances are largely a result of a combined effort on behalf of a team. You are riding on behalf of arguably one of the strongest Australian domestic women’s teams in Team Suzuki, what has it been like riding with such a strong team of girls? What do you perceive your role in the team to be?I am relatively new to Team Suzuki. I was invited to be a guest rider for the first two National Road Series events this year and I guess I did enough to prove to them that I deserved a permanent spot for the rest of the domestic season. I am very grateful for their support. The team operates so professionally and lots of staff work voluntarily behind the scenes so we can do what we love. Our team manager had a dilemma at the last Tour because we didn’t have a standout GC rider. I guess that’s a great position to be in when you have such a strong team of talented women that any one of us could be riding for GC. I am relatively new to the concept of racing for a team. I usually race the Tours for a good TT result and then do what I am told for the road stages – which often involves getting myself over the hills and working hard for someone else.
Team Suzuki Somehow in between achieving outstanding results on the sporting field, rumour has it that you have also managed to complete a Bachelor of Sports Media at the University of Canberra, topping a few of your units in the process. How did you manage to balance the demands of study yet still find time to do the training required to be competitive at the elite level? What advice would you have to anyone else trying to do the same?That’s no rumour – I have the framed degree on my wall to prove it! I actually won the Wide World of Sports (Channel Nine) award for the top graduating student in my class. I wouldn’t say that I was elite during those years. I competed as a track runner at the national level but my focus was definitely on my uni studies. You obviously have to love what you are doing. There are so many sacrifices, especially with all the peripheral distractions of a uni student, but it is rewarding to actually complete something.
A lot of people would argue that they’d rather be spending hours out training than studying the books, what additional benefits do you think having a University degree give you?I feel like I have done things in reverse – got the education first and then focused on sport. Most young kids are living only for now and I worry that they won’t have anything to fall back on should they not get signed to the professional peloton. I guess it is different for female cyclists because you can enter the sport late and still be racing internationally for a professional team whereas if the men haven’t been picked-up by the time they’re out of under-23s then it is unlikely to happen for them. Most employers require you to have a degree, even if the job is not in your specific area of qualification. In my experience that piece of paper generally enables you to earn more money, which means you can work fewer hours to survive and sustain the semi-pro cycling lifestyle.
When not on the bike, how do you spend your time?Earning money keeps me pretty busy. I am currently in a transition period having only last week left my job at The Runners Shop after four years as Store Manager. I am also a freelance journalist and have a night job rewriting media releases for an online publication. This week I will start a part-time role in the public service, which will hopefully give me a bit more time to train and focus on recovery. I also love blogging – writing them and reading them. And I love looking at photos so spend a lot of time perusing the various cycling websites for race reviews and results.
What is your favourite ride in Canberra?Any ride that involves a brew stop after! We are so lucky to have such great roads and group rides and talented people to train with. I have only done it a few times but the Velo Ride on Sunday morning is fast becoming one of my favourites. They do a great hot chocolate and the best banana bread, which you need to fuel you for extras of Cotter-Uriarra with the boys after.
What do you believe is the ultimate coffee shop : ride ratio? I know that chamois time is training time but sometimes you just want to get the ride done, have your brew and get home. It does depend largely on the company and the conditions. When I was a triathlete there was a compulsory coffee shop stop but now that things are a bit more serious in cycling, we often do our motorpace or TT session without the hot chocolate to motivate you.
A question that intrigues most people – what exactly do girls talk about on bunch rides?Well we don’t debate politics or current world events…
What can we expect to see from Beck for the remainder of the season?Hopefully I can stay healthy and injury free so I can have a crack at the NRS series. I am in second overall and there are a few races that will really suit me later in the season. It would be nice to actually win a race! Though a lot of my focus will be towards the National Time Trial Championships in January next year.
Best of luck for the up and coming DBR Canberra Junior and Women’s Tour – we will no doubt be seeing your name at the top of the results list!
