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If you haven't heard of him before you soon will. After riding the last few seasons with Australia's Drapac Porsche Team, learning a lot about himself and life, Dean Windsor has recently gained an amazing opportunity to race with Rapha Condor Sharp. . . read on to find out more about the 'whole athlete'
For our readers who want to learn more about Dean, check out his ever growing website at www.deanwindsor.com
Dean 'training' in Spain. . . .
Cyclingnewsasia (CNA): Tell us about yourself without mentioning cycling?
Dean Windsor: Well the Dean Windsor story starts in central New South Wales at Bathurst, where there are more pubs per person than anywhere else in the world, famous for a hill which hundreds of thousand of people stand on, and drink beer every year while watching fast cars, and claims to be NSW's first inland settlement, and home of Me - 2003 Billy Cart Champion!
I grew up with my sister Meg and Brother Blair, and obviously being spoilt by Mum (Kerryn) and Dad (Mark). The Windsor house hold was home to Super Sport Sunday - a range of made up sporting events in our backyard which got more dangerous til it was finished with someone crying. That explains my childhood really, always out doors with friends and family.
I managed to get through school, then college, and now I'm a qualified primary school teacher. I do not get much of a chance to get in the classroom, but when I do I get carried away with stories so I find it hard to get through the set work. I really enjoy teaching. I have a lot of other hobbies involving travelling, history, cultures, food and movie/photo editing. Which are all good, as they all relate to one another and fit around my cycling. Any free time my girlfriend Dominique and I plan, or go on some sort of getaway. Our list is slowly getting ticked off, but we keep finding more interesting places we want to go. We are getting a website going with my cycling one that has personal travel tips and guides for the amateur tourist.
CNA: And a cycling background? When did you start and how did you make it this far?
Dean: Well my first ever memory is falling off a bike in my backyard, so riding was always there from the start. I enjoyed the local club racing when I turned 5yrs old, and had my first race away at 6. I loved hockey which was mums genes, and triathlons which were dads, but cycling was all I wanted to do.
I was lucky to make it this far because I had parents who willingly bought me equipment, took me all over Australia, and supported me in every way. Also I always had good training partners with my sister when I was younger, and now my brother who is my best mate, and really pushes me as he is getting super strong.
CNA: How did you get your first 'opportunity' in cycling? When did you think - 'I just might make it!'
Dean: It's hard to work out what 'making it' is, as far as achieving my goals, I made it whenever I can race hard and love the battle and competition of cycling. But as far as results, and race based goals; big steps were my first NSW state team, which then went to the Australian National Team. The next goal I set I just achieved in getting a European Pro contract (Rapha Condor Sharp). So I always had goals that I wanted to achieve from the first steps to where I am at now, and each step I have treated as a big opportunity.
CNA: Ok, lets get it out of the way, what made you leave Drapac Porsche?
Dean: I had plenty of goals I needed to achieve when I started with Drapac Porsche - both on the bike and off. College was a priority to me, which coincides with thier philosophy, and which I developed more respect for the longer I stayed with the team. The goal was to finish college, mature as a person, and win a European race within three years, and then I could move forward. I achieved those things last year, and it was time to move forward.
CNA: Tell us a little bit about your time with the team and what you thought the pro's and cons of their model was (by model we mean to produce 'whole athletes' by not completely focusing on cycling)?
Dean: My time with the team is hard to some up. The model is outstanding and I am a true believer in it, but it has taken me til now to fully understand its benefits. A few thing can sum it up, one day teaching 30 five year old students, to the next day racing your bike through Asia’s country side, to the next day having dinner with the King of East Java, to the next an art show in Brussels and finished up by having a celebratory drink with 10 of your best mates you made through the team. You cannot tell me Drapac did not give opportunities to develop, and it’s a proven model as every Drapac rider could quit riding tomorrow and still be happy, have friends, and other goals.
Oh the Con’s - you need to be a full time cyclist to ride all year in Europe.
CNA: Would you recommend the team and its structure to other riders?
Dean: For sure, young riders especially!
CNA: And the new team - why did you choose to move? What about the riders and team culture jumped out at you?
Dean: (it was the) Perfect time and perfect team, now being on training camp with the team the decision is reinforced as a good one. The team works well together, it is very professional, and I will learn lots from the management and riders.
Also everyone knows the Rapha kit rocks and the Condors as very sleek! While I'm at it Sharp have given us some products to try and they are super cool, so with sponsors like that it was a huge bonus!
CNA: Last year saw your results improve consistently, what have you been doing differently?
Dean: I moved last year to Canberra for some stronger training partners. I am the competitive type so I really used the other riders there to push me harder out training. There is no secrets to training that will make you go straight to ProTour but you need to find the perfect balance of quality versus quantity.
CNA: What are you targeting for yourself and your new team this season?
Dean: The team has set me goals for the Tour series in the UK; it's very important I am peaking at that time. For me I will race the Tour de Taiwan and other races I have been in before. I really want to go well in them to gauge my performance and hopefully my improvement!
CNA: Tell us about your experience racing around Asia? The good, the bad, the ugly?
Dean: I can reminisce about my Asian experiences for hours, maybe days. From the land where the mountains touch the skies in Korea, to the straights that go to the horizon in Chong Ming island, to scooter mayhem in Taiwan, to the worlds friendliest people in Java, to the land of rain and epic races Japan! What can be said, my hardest days have been there, my biggest achievements have been there, and the funniest stories have come from there! Every day there is something you experience that you can talk about weather it's good, bad, or ugly. (a good insight is in my tour diaries on my website)
On a serious note the racing has got more professional and harder every time I go back. There is no easy race, or easy win - the Asian racing is very, very professional!
CNA: What do you get up to when there is no training scheduled for the day?
This is hard because I enjoy so many other things, so normally I would be flat out for the day. Some things are always are the same, I will find time for a coffee, see friends and do some other exercise - most likely swimming. Also teaching, my website and travelling takes up most of my free time.
CNA: Any cycling heroes and why?
Dean: Jackie Durant – attacked even when he couldn’t. Ludo Direxson – didn’t care if he won of lost he liked to race hard. Jen’s Voigt – ever seen him not attack?
CNA: Whats the best piece of advice you received that helped your cycling careeer?
Dean: “Hav’a go” My Dad, “If in doubt, hit out” Rob Mclachlan (famous for smashing the Asian circuit), And my piece of advice:
“Success is the quality of the story you can tell at the pub afterwards” and “it doesn’t matter if you win or lose, just attack the hell out of them”
CNA: Finally, what is the most important thing to you when you are riding your bike?
Dean: It changes depending on place and situation:
- In England – A Rain Coat
- In Taiwan – A map
- In Bathurst – a pump to swing at magpies and dogs
- By yourself – a bike computer
- With Dominique – coffee money
- On training camp – good legs
CNA: And finally - your favourite beer?
Dean: My relationship with beer is that of a dog and a cat in the same household, they try to get along but really actually hate each other. So I have a rare beer but do not really enjoy it.
So I judge beer by the place and people, so the best beers I have had are 1. A Peroni with Michael Drapac overlooking the cliffs of Italy’s cinque terra, or 2. a Boags in on a beautiful spring day in Tassie with two good mates after a great race there. www.deanwindsor.com
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