GreenEDGE: A Different Take By Simon Cadzow

 “Here come the Australians in their canary yellow”

The Twelfth Man (edited for television)

“What is it that makes something official? Something becomes official when it is given credibility by an authority. GreenEDGE Cycling has been given authority by the UCI and in cycling; it doesn’t get bigger than that.”

Simon Cadzow (yes that’s the writer but I thought it sounded so cool I had to use it)

Today the 14th of January 2012, they were unveiled. I was there.

The men and women of GreenEDGE Cycling: the riders; the team managers/directors; the kit, and perhaps most important of all, a certain karaoke video clip.

Right now in Australia they are hot news. At the Santos 2012 Tour Down Under, the first event on the WorldTour Calendar, they begin their story; their official story, now on the international stage.

I like a good story.

Many things have been said about the development of this team. It has spent time in coming; Time well spent. Money invested; Money well spent. The toil of labour; People well invested.

It has been talked about, dreamed about and even in some cases, Mr S O’Grady, perhaps prayed about.

The cynics cry “Why even try?” “It cannot be done” “Waste of time” “will it ever happen?” but those with heart, soul, mind and most importantly strength of will, have known better. 

And now it’s official. 

It is easy to just sit and watch; Harder perhaps to reflect. To think of this moment as it will be when looked upon from some point in the future. When looking back.

Australia. For the first time ever. Has a team of its own on the international elite level circuit.

We as Australians are good at jumping on board successes. We share success amongst ourselves well, claim victories easily and distance ourselves from defeat whilst simultaneously managing to shed blame.

But with GreenEDGE we should jump on board; we should leap with both feet. They call to Australia to do so and with good reason. Not because they are hot news, but rather because of whom they are, what they stand for, where they have already trod and where they seek to tread. 

Every one of those involved are tried and tested and simply put, are people, who we as a nation can be proud of both as cyclists and as people.

 To quote Theodore: 

“It is not the critic who counts; nor the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; because there is no effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion, who spends himself in a worthy cause, who at best knows in the end the triumph of great achievement and who at worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly. So that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat”

GreenEDGE is about to spend itself in a most worthy cause and will dare greatly and WILL know the triumph of great achievement and their place will never be with cold and timid souls knowing neither victory nor defeat. 

It has begun. 

It is official. Get on board. www.greenedgecycling.com