Flying High | Cyclingnews

It's all a learning experience... (Image credit: Shane Goss)

An interview with Rory Sutherland, June 19, 2004

For someone who doesn't even consider himself to be a professional per se, 22 year-old Rory Sutherland has the look, demeanour, and attitude of a seasoned pro. In his fourth year with Rabobank's Division III feeder team, the 186cm (6'1") tall rider from Australia's capital city of Canberra is enjoying his best year ever, and if all goes well, he should be accompanying his home-town buddy Matt Hayman in the major leagues by the start of next year.

RS: This is the first year I've actually done it... I guess there's a few reasons for it. Every year I wouldn't have minded doing it before the Tour starts, because all the national championships are on and my racing program is pretty diminished. Also, when you've been racing since February, you've got to have a break some time, and I guess the team now has enough confidence in me to let me make these decisions myself.

RS: Yeah, pretty good, actually... surprisingly. I've gone through the [period of good] form, and when you come out the other side of your major peak at the start of the season, you take a bit of a dip down the other side. And I guess that's the point when your head decides to say you're mentally tired; I don't think it's so much to do with the body as it is with the mind... if your head goes, your whole body's gone.

To tell you the truth, I've never really been in the Institute [of Sport]. I basically went from being a junior to the ACT Academy of Sport with Warren McDonald [now the Australian national team women's manager-Ed.], and that's where I really got started - he's been one of the biggest guys behind me the whole way. I think the first time when I realised it [turning professional] was going to be possible was the first time with the Under 19 National Team with Kevin Tabotta, and there you open your mind up to the possibilities of what may happen.

RS: Yeah, I think it was. Apparently, they [Rabobank] were interested before then because I had some good results in Italy as well with the National Team. If you had a good time with the [Under 19] National Team overseas, there was always the option of going back the next year with the Under 23 National Team, but the preference for myself was to go to up north, where it's probably a little flatter and a different kind of racing...

So I talked to Matt Hayman about that - Warren McDonald helped us out a lot as well - and he spoke to his director who's now my director, basically dropping a name and saying, 'This kid's interested in coming across - why don't you have a look?'. Then at the Junior World's - being the only junior race that is televised as well - I had a pretty eventful road race and the time trial must have been that last little bit.

I don't think anyone can really prepare you for how big a difference it's going to be, to live in a different country with people you don't know, not knowing anyone... You start a race knowing where the climbs are, but not what they're like or what's around the next corner. One of my first races was one of the first times I ever rode across cobbles - it's these kind of small things where experience really helps you. So my first year was pretty terrible I guess [laughs]... I'd say I was pretty lucky to go back the next year!

RS: I actually moved this year. My first year, I was put with one of the rider's families from the team who lived near Antwerp and one of the soigneurs also lived close by, so in terms of me not having a car, it was probably easier for me to get to the races. Belgium was really the best place for me to live too, because we spent most of the year racing in Belgium - even though they're a whole lot of races in Holland, we didn't end up doing that many. A lot of Dutch guys now live here, too.