Cultural differences and personal reinvention

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Barloworld's David George and Tiaan Kannemeyer(Image credit: Mark Sharon)

An interview with David George, February 10, 2005

Despite being just 28 years of age, David George is one of the most experienced South African racing cyclists. Back in 1997 he finished third in the under 23 world championship time trial and then repeated the podium position the following season in the Commonwealth Games TT. Third place in the 2002 Tour de Langkawi was followed by the first of three consecutive wins in the Giro Del Capo, South Africa's premier stage race. The former US Postal Service rider was also the national road race champion in 2003 and the time trial winner one year later.

That national crown, his third Giro Del Capo win and sixth in the Tour de Langkawi would seem to mark out last season as a good one, but George says he was disappointed with his year. "I think you have good years and bad years," he says. "For me personally it was a disappointing year, for various reasons. Physically... I fell off twice at the start of the year and never gave my body enough time to recover from it. I spent the whole year nursing a back injury and being frustrated that I wasn't getting the results that I wanted to get. But hopefully we have solved the problem."

That frustration boiled over into a falling out with the Team Barloworld management last year and the news that he would not be riding with the team in 2005. However, things were smoothed over and he is now back firmly in the fold; indeed, if his relaxed, satisfied demeanour at the recent training camp is anything to go by, he seems to be in good spirits and looking forward to the year ahead. He sees 2005 as an opportunity to step up the level of his performances and to learn from the established European professionals now riding as part of the Team Barloworld-Valsir squad.

David George: Well, we just flew over from South Africa. I have been doing normal pre-season training back home but this year has been a bit different for us, because we have a bigger programme in Europe this year. So obviously we are limited to the number of races that we will be doing back home. In the past we had to start with a reasonable programme back home, but we are not doing that this year as we are more committed to a European programme.

DG: Yes, between last year and the year before was big, but this difference this year is bigger again. I think it has always been John's [Robertson, team manager-Ed] objective to take a team to the Tour de France. I suppose it is the race that most of the English-speaking countries recognise as being the race to ride. That has always been the objective; it is a pretty big objective to have, but as long as you are committed to achieving that, then that is fine.

DG: At this stage of the season, I think I have held back a bit compared to other years. Previously, I have been raring to go for Malaysia (Tour de Langkawi)... it has always been my initial goal for the year, but this year I will be taking it a little bit slower. I will perhaps be trying to get used to the cold weather a little bit sooner. Previously, we'd spend the full pre-season in South Africa and then go straight to Malaysia. We'd then head back to South Africa and come here in March. Your body is really at its peak, but then you have to get used to riding in the cold, which is pretty hard.

DG: I think the interest in cycling in South Africa is phenomenal, it gets bigger and bigger every year. But the biggest thing for the country is a race like the Tour de France. I think once Barloworld as a sponsor and South Africa as a country get to know what we do in races here in Europe, the more we will be able to participate in events away from South Africa. It should enable us to do some more traditional races.

DG: You know, I think you have good years and bad years. For me personally, it was a disappointing year, for various reasons. Physically... I fell off twice at the start of the year and never gave my body enough time to recover from it. I spent the whole year nursing a back injury and being frustrated that I wasn't getting the results that I wanted to get. But hopefully we have solved the problem.

DG: There is always a big challenge in any team, particularly because the cross cultures are bigger. The difference between a Frenchman and an Italian and a Spaniard... there are differences but they all have a similar culture. But there is a bigger difference when you look at someone from Europe and someone from South Africa or Australia. So it is challenging. Possibly the biggest challenge for us as South Africans coming over to Europe is that culture gap. But now having a group of us with a structure that respects who we are is going to give us an opportunity to shine and also to show more tolerance for the (European) culture and to understand it better.

DG: I just think understanding the difference and managing the culture difference rather than just writing someone off. Being tolerant to being different in culture and different in approach. Understanding why we approach something differently and have a different mentality to someone who has a different perspective on life. Because we all have different cultures... even in South Africa, just amongst us we have got English, we have got Afrikaans, we have got multicultural. So I guess just an understanding of each other's culture and a willingness to understand someone else's culture is the challenge.

DG: Yeah, I think it is. And obviously being in a group of guys that something in common helps. When we go home you have got guys who are mates. We are a very close group, the South Africans, and so when you go home you have someone to chat to. Each guy's wife or girlfriend is around too, and so it is a little bit easier than being isolated, travelling around Europe on your own. Anyway, it is part of the job and we only do that for a few years.

DG: It is surprisingly good. There is a huge following for cycling and an even bigger following for the Tour de France. South African cycling culture is quite unique because a lot of it is based around our fun ride system, events like the Argus Cycling Tour. It (South African cycling) caters for a real broad spectrum - everybody from eight to much, much older can compete in their own age category, at the same race as the pros. So it is quite a unique cycling culture.

DG: I think it is difficult to set out goals right now because we don't know the full programme, but from a personal point of view I want to reinvent myself. I want to get back to basics as a bike rider, to the things I was good at when I turned pro. Obviously, I will support the big riders who have come to the team and try to learn from them. I will play a strong supporting role and hopefully get the opportunity to shine at what I am good at.