Why do I ride? I have ridden a bike for about 30 years so the answer to that question has changed. At first it was because my mates all rode bikes to get around as a teenager. Then it was to train for a triathlon. Riding a bike was fun. So then it was to train and race road races. This was it, racing a bike was great fun.

You could inflict pain onto your friends when you were fit or suffer like a dog if you weren’t. Even have a win here and there if you were lucky. You had to get up early to train in the dark before work, but we all did it so that was ok. Racing gave you that nervous excited feeling that was good and bad.

Balancing family, work and cycling sometimes meant that cycling took a back seat but [was] never forgotten. Recently I was stuck in this hospital bed diagnosed with cancer.Cancer took away my cycling for about six months. But it wasn’t going to win that battle. From that bed I remember looking out the window one Saturday morning — it was sunny but still early. I could see guys riding down St Kilda road heading off on their rides. I was gutted.

Now,a bit of cold, bit of rain, bit of wind, no drama — it’s better than being in that bed. So now I ride again. I suppose the real reason why I ride a bike is because, I LOVE IT and I CAN!” – Peter”