The unassuming champion: Sid Taberlay's journey from bike courier to Olympic games
Sometimes the greatest success comes to those who keep their feet firmly on the ground. This is certainly true of 5 time Australian mountain bike champion, olympian and world championship medallist Sid Taberlay. We spoke with the man who was once the undisputed king of Australian mountain biking from his home south of Hobart, Tasmania. We cover the highs and lows of a tremendous career that began with an intense passion for turning pedals and riding cool trails in his neighbourhood and evolved into travelling the world and vying for Olympic selection. Not one to wave his achievements about for attention, the down to earth Tasmanian has some sage advice for those wanting to pursue the cycling life as he did for so many years. Tune in for a yarn with one of the greats of Australian mountain biking. Click below for a link to the podcast. Also available on itunes and buzzsprout.
Sid at the 2004 Olympic games in Athens.
“I was just a kid that had no idea about cycling. I just got into it because I enjoyed riding my bike!”
Sid grew up in a small village named Howden, south of Hobart in the island of Tasmania, Australia. Adjacent to his childhood home was a nature reserve (Peter Murrell reserve) which was littered with mountain bike and walking tracks. After school Sid with his mates would build jumps, ride trails and generally have a fun time outside. It was these mates who ended up being an integral part of his development as a cyclist. In the early days it was all about riding hard, technical trails and challenging oneself to ride obstacles that at first glance seemed unrideable.
Racing the UCI MTB XC world cups.
Racing soon became part of his cycling life as it was evident there was clearly a passion and a drive within Sid for the sport of mountain bike racing. In the late 90’s if you were a mountain biker you rode everything, no differentiation between disciplines.
“Back in the day, from a racing scene point of view, you did the XC on a Saturday morning and then Saturday afternoon you were pushing your bike back up the hill, to practice for the DH race on Sunday. Same bike! ”
Sid (bottom right) as part of the Tasmanian Institute of Sport cycling team which helped develop many champions.
Sid attributes a lot of his success to the community he had around him throughout his career. Of particular benefit was the Tasmanian Institute of Sport (TIS) cycling program which in the early 2000’s under the tutelage of Kevin Tabotta ushered numerous riders who would become professionals and world champions into their respective careers. From the TIS however it was not long until his results were earning him the eire of European based professional teams. Sid raced for the Specialized factory racing team and the Dolphin Trek professional teams on the world cup circuit through the mid 2000’s.
“Cycling is a community sport in a lot of respects. I was pretty fortunate that I had people around me that inspired me to keep lifting to the next level.”
Sid at the 2003 Australian championship in Mt Beauty, Victoria.
Sid became a regular performer at an international level, meaning selection for Olympic and Commonwealth Games was now a very real part of his cycling life. It was achievements or ‘carrots’ like this that kept Sid motivated and driven through a decade long professional career. Always identifying a goal and being willing to do what it takes to make it happen. Sid went on to represent Australia at the 2004 Olympic games in Athens and the 2006 Commonwealth games in Melbourne.
“I remember we had seven months of hand-washing our clothes because we didn’t have a washing machine”
The 2006 Commonwealth games in Melbourne.
After gaining these goals of national selection at the highest level, Sid’s career in the aftermath of the 06 Commonwealth games admitted by Sid was in need of some inspiration. A trip to the USA to following his wife Phillippa’s medical research career unfolded a new chapter in his career racing in the Americas. It was an impromptu visit to and subsequent win at a club race in California on little to no training led to a trip to a round of the world renown NORBA series. Here Sid beat riders who were considered unbeatable in the USA and cemented a further 5 years of his professional career racing on the MTB and road bike around the USA. It was during this time in the USA where Sid found some unusual training partners, namely an encounter with a grizzly bear on a training ride!
“Sometimes you actually race smarter when you are under prepared.”
Racing the famed Sea Otter MTB race in the USA
After 13 years racing the sport at an elite/ professional level Sid returned to Australia and still continued to compete in some events domestically. He admits that such a long time and long miles spent training on the bike the love did begin to wane and the sport began to feel like a chore. He is however still a big fan of the sport and supports his 2 kids should they also find a passion for cycling. He has some sage yet simple advice for anyone wanting to pursue such a career in the sport..
“If you really want it you will find a way to make it happen!”
Photo: Tim Bardsley Smith
Sid at his home in Tasmania.