Jun 27, 2010
Dean Windsor rides for the British UCI Continental cycling team, Rapha Condor Sharp having previously been with the Australian Continental team Drapac Porsche since turning professional in 2006. Dean was the Australian junior Madison champion in 2004 and was a stage winner at the Jayco Bay Cycling Classic in 2007.
602nds had the opportunity to catch up with Australian cyclist and all round good guy Dean Windsor.
602nds: You joined the Rapha Condor Sharp team at the beginning of the 2010 season. How has the experience been so far?
Dean: Rapha Condor Sharp is so much more than a bike team. It is a complete experience! You get the taste of the continental cycling team and the races, the travelling the wins and losses but when you hit the road with RCS it’s a showcase of experiences. This team has the most amazing support all over the world. You step off the plane and are welcomed by members of the Rapha Club who are itching to provide the most memorable experience of their home town/country and will do anything to make our stay as enjoyable as possible. We were taken for rides through central park in New York City and followed by fans as we rode the most ridiculous race through the dirt roads of north east America. Then a morning courier style ride through Osksa Japan followed by a mass start 11km mount Fuji race. We get the wide range of races and your guaranteed with this team you will meet some unique people involved with the Rapha Condor Sharp Club and will enjoy the whole trip.
602nds: The team at 602nds are big fans of the Rapha range of clothing. Do you have a favourite piece from the collection?
Dean: Tough question, but how could you go past the grand tour gloves. My most used piece of clothing is the stowaway jacket, no matter how sunny it is in England when you leave the house a rain jacket is an essential item out training.
602nds: What is your long term goal for your cycling career?
Dean: The goals change every year depending on the team but ultimately I would like to keep riding full time as long as I can and try move through the ranks getting new and enjoyable experiences every year. It’s such a complex sport and so very interesting to be involved with so I will be grabbing every opportunity that presents itself.
602nds: What has been your proudest moment in cycling?
Dean: Wow, I have raced bikes for 18years so to pin point one moment is tough, but reflecting on some of the good bad and ugly times I remember 2009 bay crits riding in the same team as my brother. I had the support of my brother in the team but also mum and dad had travelled down to look after us. It was very enjoyable to take on Australia’s best and I stepped on the podium every day. When you really enjoy being away the results come a lot easier.
602nds: Do you have a personal favourite mountain climb?
Dean: You’re not a man til you have climbed the kitzbul Horn in Austria!
602nds: What advice can you offer the weekend racing cyclist when it comes to nutrition and fitness?
Dean: There are no secrets to training that will make you go straight to Pro Tour but 2 easy things to concentrate on, to improve you performance that won’t take too much time or effort on top of your training routine.
1. You need to find your own individual balance of quality versus quantity with your training.
2. Most people overlook how important recovery is. Training is ineffective if you don’t look after yourself afterwards. This means rest, stretching, replacing fluid, ensuring you’re having at least 1-2grams of protein per kg of your weight a day, even a sports massage or hot cold baths after the massive ride you do every now and again.
602nds: How did the nickname “The Duke” originate?
Dean: It’s to do with the royal family. I attempted to convince the boys that my UK ‘home’ was a massive castle in the outskirts of London with my Aunt Elizabeth. So I got the “Duke of Windsor” then shortened to the Duke. I am pretty happy with the nick name as in my last team I was the Bogan from Bathurst.
602nds: If your IPod was stuck on one song then what would it be?
Dean: Probably a Gun’s and Roses or Metallica song just because the one song would probably go for half the day.
602nds: If you had $500 to spend on something cycling related, what would it be?
Dean: I have very expensive taste when it comes to bike gear, so I would struggle to stay under $500 when its clothing or bike equipment (plus I would be very bias to my sponsored products which all rock!), I would go a Heart Rate Monitor. The polar RS800x has all the functions I would be after and you can really take your training to a new level with the measurements it takes… It can really tell you how bad you’re going!
602nds: Being a kid from Bathurst, are you at Ford or Holden man?
Dean: Every October I proudly stand on the mountain under a massive red flag yelling how much I dislike Ford. Funny enough true V8 fans are not about supporting their favourite car, its all about the joy of Hating the other car. So yep I really hate those fords.
602nds: How do you relax when back home in Australia?
Dean: I am a serial tourist/traveller so relaxing would involve a weekend trip away with my girlfriend, friends or family. Or in Bathurst it would be a easy ride followed by a long coffee shop stop, then a good old BBQ under the long hot summer sun with a bit of swimming thrown in. I don’t think I have been home sick til I started answering this question!
Take an opportunity to look at Dean’s website www.deanwindsor.com which has consistent updates and reports.
Team Rapha Condor Sharp can be followed via Twitter or their website.
Images courtesy of Shuhei Takenouchi @ 2010 Tour of Japan
