Nick Gates Is Headed For A New Beginning
[20.12 08:24] Australian Nick Gates is a new face on Saxo Bank-SunGard. As a former professional cyclist, he has gained experience in all three Grand Tours and has been in the Aussie line-up for the world championships a number of times.
Where do you live?
“In Australia I live in Queensland Gold Coast. But after coming to Saxo Bank-SunGard, we decided to move to the south of France to be close to the European races. I'm moving there with my wife and our four children.”
What are your thoughts on the Saxo Bank-SunGard teambuilding on Fuerteventura?
“I think the teambuilding camp was a great idea to integrate everybody from day 1. Doing activities such as wind surfing, kite surfing and clowning is not the normal approach a pro cycling team would take but what this approach did was to bring us all together as a team. We have already practiced the most important part of getting ready for the season – teamwork.”
What potential do you see within the new group of cyclists and staff?
“The potential within the team is massive. It's great to see some of the best cyclists in the world mixing with neo pros lending a helping hand making them feel very welcome.
The same can be said about the sports directors. Being a new guy on the team, I was amazed to see how open and helpful people were and the rest of the staff was equally as helpful.
So there is no shortage of potential within the team. I think our biggest potential is that we are all very committed to the cause of remaining the greatest team in the world.”
What are you looking forward to in the upcoming season?
“2011 for me will be a very exciting journey. My family and I are about to start fresh again in Europe which we are all looking forward to. As a sports director I'm looking forward to being part of the cycling world again. For me, the most exciting thing is the opportunity to be part
of this team and after our team building camp, I cannot wait for the season to get underway.”
How is Saxo Bank-SunGard different from other teams?
“Saxo Bank-SunGard has always had a certain stigma attached to it. As a rider I was always interested in what these guys were doing. And now after joining the team I can already start to understand why the team has a set of values. The communication and the respect between every single member of the team is amazing. I can only speak from my experience with previous teams I have been part of but personally I have never seen anything like this. Let's just say that I am like a 20-year-old neo pro who can't wait for the new season to get started,” concluded the enthusiastic new Saxo Bank-SunGard sports director, Nick Gates. |
