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Mark Renshaw

Great news for the Bathurst Cycling Community with local star Mark Renshaw named in the Credit Agricole team for the 2008 Tour de France. An Athens Olympian and Commonwealth Games Gold medallist, Mark Renshaw has been desperate to get a ride in the World greatest cycling event for a number of years.

After brilliant performances on the track in 1999 & 2000 winning 3 Junior world Championships, including the 1km Time Trial, the Bathurst youngster was selected to carry out the Olympic flag at the 2000 Sydney Olympic. Gold medals would follow in the next few years at the Goodwill Games, Commonwealth Games, and World Cups; the Bathurst star was a part of the World Champion and World Record Breaking Team Pursuit team in 2002, and the Australian Olympic team in 2004.

Yet the Champion cyclist for as long as he could remember had a burning desire to ride the Tour de France, built around many years of following the grand tour and analysing every kilometre of every stage on those cold winter training rides in Bathurst. Joining the Brad McGee FDJ/NSWIS development initiative and he started working on training those powerful track legs to a tough hard set of pins that would see him succeed in the professional road peloton in Europe. After a year with Dijon in 2003 he signed a protour contract with FDJ in 2004 at the young age of 21, where he would spend 2 years before switching to rival French protour team Credit Agricole.

2007 looked to be the year that Mark Renshaws Tour de France Dreams would be fulfilled however a mystery illness after some brilliant pre season form (with wins in the Jayco Bay Classic & TDU Classic) seen Mark again watching the tour on TV. The year taught him that you need more than fast legs to get a start in the Tour de France: you need connections, a determined mindset, good health and a whole lot of luck.

You could then excuse Mark for doubting weather it would ever happen when sickness again struck in 2008 after the Tour of California. Yet he remained focused and his form returned in the Tour de Catalogne and 4 day Dunkerque, convincing his Credit Agricole team bosses that 2008 would be year that the boy from Bathurst would achieve his career goal of riding the Tour de France.

Of course, the story and mammoth task has only just began, with 21 stages and over 3000kms infront of him. Mentally Renshaw has one of the toughest jobs in the tour, with he and William Bonnet committed to helping team Captain Thor Hushovd win sprint stages and maybe a green sprint jersey. Some how convincing themselves at the end of each stage that the hundreds of kilometres haven’

t deaden their legs, and they can summons the power that will be essential to complete their role in the Credit Agricole machine. Their performances at the Tour more important that ever due the recent tightening sponsorship, adding more and more pressure to the team.

However even with the pressure and the sheer physical task ahead; the classy Aussie Sprinter from the country city of Bathurst, NSW Australia, will be pinching himself when he lines up on the start line at Brest, with a lift time of childhood dreams built up inside.