Roulston turns focus to road
Hayden Roulston revived his stalled professional career with two breakout Olympic medals on the track this summer in Beijing, but for 2009, the Kiwi will return his focus to the road.
Roulston will put his track ambitions on hold as he joins Cervélo on a one-year contract for 2009 that will mark his return to the elite levels of the European peloton for the first time since a chaotic 2005 season.
“No track for next year,” Roulston told the New Zealand Herald. “The world champs from 2010, the Commonwealth Games and then the 2012 Olympics – that’ll be the swansong, hopefully.”
Roulston, 27, saw his once-promising road career derailed in 2005 with an unsuccessful run at Discovery Channel that saw him get into an embarrassing bar brawl and then be diagnosed with a life-threatening heart condition.
“My life has definitely turned the corner in terms of hardships,” he continued. “I don't think any more bad things are going to happen in my life. I think I’ve been dealt everything negative that's going to happen in my life. Some of it through my own doing and some of it through others doing, but I think I’ve come through all of it and become a better person. I’ve been able to take a lot of positives out of all the negatives. I’m one of the lucky ones.”
Just what is Roulston talking about?
According to the Herald, Roulston survived a brush with the law following an incident in a bar in June 2005, then he was diagnosed with a potentially fatal heart condition followed by losing his life’s saving in a collapsed financial company.
Hailed as the most promising New Zealand rider ever, Roulston turned pro with Cofidis, riding two seasons with the French outfit from 2002-04 before joining U.S. Postal Service in 2005. After a winless 2005 campaign, Roulston joined Health Net in 2006, but was diagnosed arrhythmia, which pushed his heart rate dangerously high every time he rode.
Rather than undergoing surgery, Roulston instead found a reiki healer to help him overcome the condition.
Back to full health in 2007, Roulston used his track pursuiting skills to salvage his professional career. Strong performances in 2007 followed up by fourth at the 2008 world track championships in Manchester positioned him as one of the medal favorites for Beijing.
After mining silver in the individual pursuit and bronze in the team pursuit in Beijing, Roulston has refocused on the road. Earlier this month, he won the Tour of Southland for the third time in a row.
The Olympic success helped open the door for his return to Europe and a one-year contract with start-up Cervélo, a team Roulston says is perfect for his comeback.
He’ll get the chance to meet his new teammates in a brief meeting next month in Switzerland before the team’s main pre-season camp in January.
Roulston says the 2009 Tour route, with the opening-day 15km time trial and the stage four team time trial, is ideal for his skills and is aiming at nothing less than a stage victory.
“Because of my pursuiting skills, the time trial is a strength they want to tap into; a team can pick up a yellow jersey in a prologue time trial which is great publicity,” he said. “But I've got some pretty high goals. I want to be a contender. I know I’ve got the engine, I just don’t know my limits at the moment but I’m targeting a stage win in the Tour de France. It’s not a matter whether I’m good enough, but whether my characteristics are required by the team. Some people might say they are unrealistic goals but I really believe I’m capable.”
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