2011 Season roundup - Sam Lindsay

Sam Lindsay after his first win

Oct 7th, 11. He is only 19, but Sam Lindsay has just finished his second successful year as a Kiwi international.

This season, Lindsay raced for Team Vulco VCVV, a French Division 1 team. After a 2nd place in an U23 Elite Tour in June, and a few other Top 10 placings, Lindsay was thrilled to finally get a victory, two in fact, in the latter part of the season.

2011 International Season Round-Up

Best ride or result of the season?

Best experience (on or off the bike)?

Best experience on the bike this season was the 24 Hours at Le Mans race. It was a big deal for our team as we are sponsored by a car supplies chain of stores.

It was essentially the same as one of the big mountain bike races like the Day Nighter and the Moonride except it was around the legendary Le Mans raceway.

It was great as there were thousands of people racing and we managed to sneak away with the win for our sponsor.

Off the bike the highlights were definitely getting a chance to see some of Europe. Some of my family is Dutch and I managed to get to Holland twice to see some family and experience the culture. I also did a trip to the south of France and Paris.

Biggest lesson learnt this season?

The biggest learning curve was the step up in competition. This was due to the change in pace, the race tactics and dealing with a grueling 34 weeks of solid racing.

I was lucky in that I have exceptionally good teammates. I learnt a lot from my teammate who is also the Lativan elite national champion. He has been racing in France for a little bit longer than me and gave me a lot of advice on firstly racing, but also what I should be doing off the bike.

Did you achieve your goals for the international season?

I feel I exceeded my goals.

The season was a big step up from my old team Morteau. I was racing Coupe de France races and 2.2 UCI races in France. This is tough competition at this level with many pro teams. I felt I was competitive across the whole season and to manage a win while still only 19 (2nd year U23) was a good feeling.

When are you back in NZ, (if you're not already) and where will you be based?

I got back to NZ on Monday. I'm staying at home in Auckland [Lindsay's Dad is his coach] for the first three months then I am back racing around the country in January. I head back to Europe in February.

What's the thing you like most about coming back to NZ after a season of racing?

Catching up with friends, hitting the beaches, road tripping. It is also good to just be home and spend some time chilling out and not doing a lot. I will just be doing a lot of solid training and maybe a little work for my NZ sponsors Avantiplus Botany.

What's the first major Kiwi food addiction you have to quell upon landing?

The plan is to go to Titirangi Bakery and get a caramel slice. This was the regular Sunday stop and nothing else comes close.

What are your goals for the NZ summer season of racing?

My goals are to do some big miles most of the time. Racing in Europe for a full season takes its toll on the body so I need to recover a fair bit.

I am down to do Tour of Southland. I will then do Tour de Vineyards, Elite Nationals then hopefully the new Tour of Manawatu.

I love racing in NZ and even though I won't be in top form, it's a good chance to get some extra miles under the belt and catch up with old friends.

Have you any news you can share about the 2012 international season?

For 2012 I am returning back to Team Vulco. These guys were amazing this year and I really gelled with the team. The managers and the support staff far exceeded my expectations and I feel they will continue to help me develop next year.

All 2011 international season roundups - Chris Macic, Patrick Bevin, Jeremy Yates, Hamish Elley-Brown, Josh Atkins, Joe Cooper, Michael Vink, Shane Archbold, Louis Wright, Myron Simpson, Sam Lindsay, George Bennett, Kieran Hambrook, Brett Tivers, Emma Crum, Shem Rodger, Daniel Barry, Mark Langlands, James McCoy, Glen Chadwick, Kate Chilcott, Louis Crosby, Scott Lyttle, Courteney Lowe ...

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