A Tour De France rider.

A win on Stage 13 in front of millions of viewers worldwide.

A podium in both Milan San Remo and Tour of Flanders.

A possible selection to represent Australia alongside the likes of Cadel Evans.

Removed from the selection process for the Australian Worlds Team due to ongoing rehabilitation after extensive knee surgery.

Here is my interview with the one and only...

Before his dream was broken.

Heinrich Haussler Interview

Heinrich, with World Championship around the corner, how are you dealing with the lead-up and the possibility of representing Australia?

I’m feeling quite confident actually- Assuming everything goes to plan, I’d like to think I’m capable of a podium position. Without sounding like a big-mouth… Just quietly confident.

Your lead-up to World Championships has not been ideal. Take as through the past few months.

My preparation has been far from ideal! I’ve had ongoing problems with my knee, surgery, muscle rehabilitation. All of this has obviously affected my training. I’m focused on building up my strength, and have been doing quite a bit of specific exercise. But today I did a 5 hour ride, and I actually felt great. So I’m recovering well. I’m happy with how things are going…

You had to make a pretty big call, deciding whether to ride for Germany or Australia. Was this decision affected in any way by the respective governing cycling bodies?

Definitely not. It was a personal decision based purely on what I wanted. Based on what I felt was right… Every time I come to Australia to see my family, I feel at home. I feel Australian, and will represent Australia based on that. It was a fairly straightforward decision.

You left for Germany at the age of 14 years, to chase the dream you’re living today. What’s your take, on youngsters doing the same thing?

When I went overseas, it was very different to today. I mean, it was tough back then. There were very few races because of where I lived [in the country]. I’d get driven 100’s of kilometers for a short handicap race. There was no support within cycling back then.

Nowadays, youngsters have structured support, such as the A.I.S and other institutes throughout the country. I’d say going solo overseas is an unforgettable experience. But in the interests of their own success, I would still say young riders should utilize the support at hand.

Le Tour De France. Stage 13. Tell us more about the day that thrilled the Australian cycling world.

Well… It was amazing! It’s by far the biggest win of my career. On most other days, my job was to look after the leaders of the team. But this day was different. The team Directeur gave me free reign. “Heinrich, you’re free to go”. So I went.

The stage finish was near my hometown, so my family and friends were there to watch. I remember watching the Tour De France when I was a kid, and I’d dream of winning a stage. And here I was doing it! To be honest, it was emotionally overwhelming – especially with my parents watching.

To other young cyclists’ dreams – you’ve recently been involved in the Grafton to Inverell Junior Tour. What’s your aim in doing this?

As I said before, it was tough for me living so far away from any major races. And it’s the same for kids today, living in the same isolated circumstances as I did. It’s tough.

It’s also a huge expense, traveling to races, accommodation and also trying to afford a decent bike. So to try and help out, I figured we should take the racing to the country. This is an opportunity to give back to the sport of cycling, and to provide these youngsters with the same opportunity as those who live in the cities, closer to the racing scene.

Well you’ve definitely received a lot of positive feedback from the cycling fraternity; hats off to you. So Heinrich, where to from here?

World Championships I’d hope! Right now, I’m just happy to be riding my bike, and riding pain free! The Worlds course [in Geelong] suit me, so who knows… The next few months are unscripted. Anything is possible.