The outstanding feats and successes of the track cycling team have been extensively covered and as the country continues to bask in their accomplishments, we talk with Cycling NZ CEO Simon Peterson to get his reflections on the success, what he believes contributed to that success and how the sport will take the successes and learnings into planning and preparation for Los Angeles 2028.
“Five medals on the track at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines National Velodrome in sprint and endurance events was a result of many factors, much hard work, including the hard work and commitment of the athletes, coaches and staff at Cycling NZ and the HPSNZ staff based at our HQ in Cambridge,” says Simon.
“While there were many highlights over the six days at the Velodrome, for me a key highlight happened before the team headed to Paris. A pre-Games survey conducted by HPSNZ with the track team showed we had provided the right environment for the support and care of our people, something we had worked hard on.
“During and after the Games we saw and heard time and again our team members show their genuine pleasure in their fellow cyclists’ successes.
“In addition the results have been a wonderful reflection on the way we prioritised our resources and I’d especially like to call out the work led by our HPD, Ryan Hollows, who ensured we lived our values and stayed on course to deliver our agreed priorities.”
Acknowledgement of the athletes, medallists and non-medallists, the reserve athletes and the wider high performance team is high on Simon’s current list of priorities.
“Each and every one of them conducted themselves in an impressive manner. They were professional, positive and unfailingly polite within the team and with their competitors.
“The support teams from HPSNZ and Cycling NZ have been amazing. Within a campaign there is never full agreement which can cause an edge and tensions. That is part of high performance sport but the important thing is how they were channelled constructively and positively.
“There is so often noise around a campaign. I believe our staff, coaches and athletes have done a wonderful job rising above the noise to stay focused on ‘the what’ and ‘the why’ which has meant they have been so impressive in ‘the how’.”
Looking towards Los Angeles is more than just focussing on a four-year cycle, says Simon.
“These Olympics showed that the four-year cycle is not the holy grail. This time it was three years and while we will support our elite athletes with their plans leading to 2028, we need to be attuned to the short term focus on World Cups and World Champs, the next of which is a mere two months away.
“We will ensure our development pathway is simple, clear and appropriately supported. We will provide our young athletes with clarity so they can own their own decisions. This is a process we have started for development athletes and, importantly, their parents. When looking forward there is a saying I often use – respect the past in order to be relevant for the future. This will be a key focus for me.”
Simon says that now is a time to celebrate. “High performance sport is tough so we will celebrate our achievements and acknowledge the commitments made across our entire organisation, by wonderful people who have worked collectively to achieve a supportive environment and who I am fortunate to work alongside each day.”
