Interview: Mike Turtur, Director of the Tour Down Under

1. Greetings Mike the TDU 2011 is almost upon us, what’s foremost in your mind right now?

“First and foremost, and this is the same with every race is safety and that’s for everyone: spectators, riders, officials; everyone associated with the race. Our number one priority is always safety. If we have a safe race, no-one gets hurt then we’re happy. Last year there were a few accidents and that’s not nice but that’s part of racing. We as organizers try and create the best environment we can and look after everyone. If we can get through unscathed we’re very happy.”

“That said it’s looking very good. We’re very happy with the courses. The design of the race will produce good racing and that’s the name of the game.”

2. You have stated before that the TDU is about 5 years ahead of it’s time, is that still the case this year?

“With regard to the 5 years business that was the Armstrong business. When Armstrong competed here for the first time in 2009, and the massive increase we got from that with the exposure in the media, the increase of about 100% of every aspect of the race, really catapulted us ahead to 5 years of where we would have been. That’s the impact of him. That’s what the 5 years was about. The level that we got with him we were hoping to achieve in 5 years time, we got it early.”

“The idea now is to consolidate and find out now where we are in the real world, the way numbers are looking; we’re looking pretty good.”

3. What are you seeking to achieve this year as opposed to other years?

“The course changes with the extra lap around Stirling and the hilltop finish at Old Willunga bring the objective of creating a race of uncertainty right up to the very end. The sprinters still have their opportunities, the terrain is not completely out of their reach especially around Adelaide but it opens up for the all-rounder to do something.”

“Looking at the 14 year history of the race this year is probably the best quality field we’ve ever had. Given that with the sprinters and the past winners we have a terrific blend.”

4. The TDU is a race that is about the cyclists and about the public who watch, this much is clear and always has been; the sponsors of course find their place in there also. How does the race director juggle all these priorities?

“That’s what it’s all about isn’t it. I’ve always promoted races on one premise: you put on races that bike riders want to ride. I did that through all the years on the track, I put riders in events that they enjoyed rather than put them in the old Australian tradition of handicapping we put riders in events that they were world champions in and allowed them to show their colours. That brings out the performance and the spectators really appreciate and enjoy it. So a well designed course, stages that are a good distance for this time of year that produces good hard racing. Get that right and everything else falls into place.”

“We’ve also tried to create greater interaction between the riders and the public. The Tour Village is THE example of that. The public can come into the domain of the mechanics and get up and close, watch them working on the bikes. That’s been a massive success for us. “

“The other thing is in the logistics of the race. We put the riders at the start 1 hour before the race begins; no big buses travelling to and from starts and finishes. There’s a lot of interaction, the spectators can see the riders up close. This makes the race something that’s not normal in Europe.”

5. Can you give us some insight into the team of people and processes that make the TDU what it is?

“The uniqueness about the race is that it’s coming from a very small group of full time people. It’s owned by the South Australian Government, which is unique anywhere in the world, it’s run by Events SA which is a division of the Tourism department here and they have staff that work of marketing, operations, promotion, etc that work on many events throughout the year so when the Tour is on they work on that, when it finishes they move on to the next event. This works incredibly well. My own company Bike Sport Australia is contracted to provide all the cycling specific areas of the race and our relationship with Events SA is very strong and we work very well.”

“We have great relationships with local councils, the Police it all works together.”

“To put things in context, this event pulls hours over and above the call of duty from a lot of people all in different areas, but they want to be involved, they want to do it. People get satisfaction from being a part of it.”

6. Aside from coming to the event or just watching it on TV what is the best way the Australian public can support the TDU?

“The internet, not that I know how it works, that’s a bit beyond me but our website has streaming and updates and if people can’t get to the race or see it on TV then traffic to the site is the best way. We monitor it closely and it carries weight with understanding the impact the race is having.”

Mike Turtur Pop Quiz – Ok, I’m going to give you one or more words and I’d like you to go free for all with your first response…

8. WORLDTOUR

“Very, very, very important for the race and to cycling in general”

9. Mike Turtur Bikeway in Marion, Adelaide SA

“I’m greatly honored and something nice to be there when I’m long gone”

10. Port Adelaide Cycling Club

“Proud of the past and looking forward to the future”

Insight into Mike

11. This year marks 30 years since the Brisbane Games - 2 gold medals, 1 bronze; your career on the track spans 2 Olympics – one where you couldn’t ride – one a gold medal - and 3 Commonwealth Games. What stays in your head as being the best moment?

“Los Angeles was big but for me the Brisbane Games individual pursuit. It remains in my mind as something really special to me as a pivotal moment in terms of my own career.”

12. When I was a kid I lived in Valley View and had my bike serviced in a little shop down the road at Clovercrest; Mike Turtur Cycles. How did things start?

“That’s great! That’s 22 years ago now. That little shop started with my young brother Greg who had lost his job. I’d always wanted a bike shop and so we opened it and now 22 years later he’s down there at Main North Road, Medindie and the same principles that started things off remain. Both my brothers, Chris and Greg are there now and they provide that service that’s hard to find these days. Service you definitely can’t get off the internet, they actually look after customers.”

13. You spend a decade coaching and managing; what was the best part? The hardest part?

“I enjoyed the early days coaching juniors at SASI, that was fun and also managing the team in Norway at the worlds in ’94 where we won the teams pursuit in world record time with O’Grady, Aitken, and the guys, was great. I’ll never forget that. It was a great series for us and I won’t forget that in a hurry.”

“The hardest part was making the choice to change career. Things got to the point where coaching state level and ambitions to go higher with the national team and Charlie Walsh meant being locked up for the next 10 years were on the table. So I made a choice to go into event management and organizing which turned out to be the best decision I ever made.” 

14. In all this time who have been the people who have had most impact on your life, personal or professional?

“Charlie Walsh, if it wasn’t for him nothing would ever have happened it is simple as that; And also Mike Doonan from the professional point of view. Mike was a footy coach and also involved at the sports institute and he had a huge impact on me.”

15. Put cycling in the picture, what’s most important to Mike Turtur?

“For the sport, it depends: if I’m coming from a UCI point of view, the globalization of the sport and the doping issue. I think we’re getting on top of it. We were in trouble there for a while but there is a cultural shift happening.” 

Do you think those 2 things come hand in hand?

“Yeah definitely, the opening up of Asia, Canada and Australia and other new areas screaming out for development have propelled the sport into a new spotlight. The sport is truly international, we’ll never forget the beginnings of Europe but it’s becoming stronger.

16. Now take cycling out of the picture, what’s most important to Mike Turtur?

“Family; I have a great family situation of looking after each other and that is the main thing in life. Without that everything else dosen’t really mean too much.”

17. Plans for the future?

Well, I want to keep developing the Tour, keep the numbers up and stay actively involved in the sport for as long as I can. Its 30 years since Brisbane as you said but I remember it like yesterday. The reaction of the crowd was the loudest I’ve ever heard in a Velodrome.