Cycling Southland innovates during crisis
Cycling Southland is showcasing the way innovation can create opportunities in a crisis.
Racing and taking part in bunch rides are amongst the great joys of cycling, but with both of those off the agenda in the current environment, the sport has been able to utilise the virtual world to stay in the saddle.
Cycling has always been a technologically driven sport.
While that can make cycling an expensive pursuit, it has also seen innovations including online cycling platforms like Zwift which allow riders to train and race alongside cyclists from all over the world over the internet.
Instead of meeting at a café before heading off for a four-hour bunch ride, Southland cyclists can train from their garage or lounge, connected by the web.
“For most other sports, you are outdoors whether you want to be or not and you require a bunch of people together,” Cycling Southland marketing and communications co-ordinator Eugene Bonthuys said.
“With the way cycling has developed, particularly in northern Europe, where it can be completely frozen for a couple of months of the year, it’s gone from simple indoor trainers, to being being able to ride in virtual worlds, and to be able to ride in virtual worlds with multiple other people.”
Bonthuys recently took part in an online Zwift ride, along with 4500 other cyclists, alongside Spanish superstar Alejandro Valverde on a virtual version of the same course Valverde won the 2018 world road championship.
Locally, cyclists have flocked to Zwift to retain the camaraderie that is a big part of the sport.
In fact, demand began to overtake the number of riders allowed in certain events, so Cycling Southland partnered with Cycling Otago to offer graded events twice a week.
“You have these amazing opportunities that are being created, but the key thing for us is not to be able to ride with people around the world, but with people you’d ride with on a regular basis, because that’s what people are really missing,” Bonthuys said.
“It’s been huge. People have dabbled in the past, but now that it’s the only thing going we are seeing really big numbers. With any luck it will peter out and die once we get back to business as usual, but for now it is a great thing to be able to offer riders, to keep them active and motivated.”
Southlander and World Tour professional Tom Scully has even taken part in local rides while still based in Europe.
While the technology required to use Zwift has become more affordable, it’s not for everyone, especially junior members.
Cycling Southland has worked hard to ensure it’s providing members with engaging content, including online exercise programmes, on its website and Facebook page.
The centre has also provided strong messaging about the importance of modifying behaviour and obeying the rules about staying close to home.
“For cycling, it’s important,” Bonthuys said.
“We really rely on the community when we are out there on the roads to help keep us safe. It’s exceptionally important for us to have a good relationship with everybody out there. Part of that is to ensure that our members know what they should and should not be doing.
“We are also fortunate that we have a couple of regular members who are part of the police force and that means that they can be a strong voice in terms of helping get the right message across.”
Cycling Southland development officer Glen Thomson has seen the large numbers of families out biking, walking and scootering during the lockdown, and is excited about what that might mean for the future.
“It’s a phenomenon, and it’s so good to see,” Thomson said.
“Hopefully, adults are getting that same feeling of joy they had when they were kids on a bike. Hopefully when things kick off again, kids will see the bike as a great way to get out of their parents’ hair and ride to practise or school. It’s a key way to have that independence, especially when parents understand where they will be riding and how they will be riding, because they have been riding with them.”
Cycling Southland and Sport Southland have worked together to better understand what junior members like and don’t like about their sport and Thomson has been a driver for change based on that information.
It’s one of the reasons the centre will be well placed to innovate as sport negotiates a new environment post-pandemic.
“The stuff we got from the junior members was gold. You realise as an old guy, I was right off the mark with what I thought they wanted and I’m really pleased I’ve found that out. It’s still not perfect, but the kids know that we are working for them and listening to them, so that’s cool.”
Both Bonthuys and Thomson recognise the unique opportunities that cycling has been presented with in the current crisis, but feel for those codes who have other challenges.
“We don’t want to see other sports hurting because of this,” Bonthuys said.
“There are many sports that don’t have these opportunities and it’s a tough environment out there for them. For us, this was about ensuring that our members can keep connected, fit and active, and remain passionate about cycling.”
