Peter Latham – road pro-cyclist

Apr 27th, 10.  Peter Latham shares insights into life as a pro-cyclist.  He’s just arrived back in the US for his second season as a pro-cyclist, his sixth as a Kiwi international roadie.

Peter Latham - pro cyclist © Casey B. Gibson

Is the life of a pro-cyclist really the dream job or does it end up just like any other job when "Mondays" can often be dreaded and "Fridays" awaited with anticipation?

Latham shared a coffee chat with RoadCycling.co.nz in Wellington a couple of days before he was due to fly to the USA for his second year as a pro-cyclist.

“There are parts I don’t enjoy, being away from home for long periods of time, living out of a suitcase, staying in crappy hotels, it’s not really glamorous at all.”

“You have to work bloody hard, but it’s a privilege to be able to do it for a job and I know that I’m lucky to be able to do it.”

Despite having had nearly 200 days on the road last year, Latham is more than happy to be returning to his US based team for a second season.

“I’m really happy with where I’m at at the moment.  I did four years in Europe and went to America last year for the first time and just really enjoyed the year with Bissell Pro Cycling.”

At Bissell, Latham gets to ride some big races, Tour of California, Tour of Missouri, Philadephia Classic and all the NRC races, but it’s the people rather than the racing which is the main appeal to the 26 year old from Te Awamutu.

“Having great people is important to me, having great teammates, being around other Kiwis – Manager Glen Mitchell and teammate Jeremy Vennell – all the boys in Bissell are a great group of guys and we just enjoy racing with each other.  I’m happy to be going back there again.”

Latham and his partner Sally are returning to live in Santa Rosa, an hour and a half north of San Francisco.  Mitchell and Vennell also have their home base there but the rest of the team is spread across the US.   The team is only together for the beginning of the year training session, and then when racing.

One of the key benefits of having a US home base is the ability for the couple to have a group of friends – Latham said this was hard in France with the language and culture differences.

Sally can’t get paid employment in the US due to the country’s strict visa regulations so last year she did volunteer work.  Working with the American Lung Association and acting as an organiser for fun-rides gave her a good chance to meet her own friends - very important considering the number of days a pro-cyclist’s partner is on their own.

Generally, Sally can’t travel to events with the team except for a few races which are more relaxed where wives and girlfriends are allowed.

Proudly wearing the NZ Criterium Champion jersey © Casey B. Gibson

Being on your own is something Latham said you have to learn to cope with being a pro-cyclist. 

Whether on the bike, on a plane, or in a hotel room, Latham says he spends a “probably unhealthy” amount of time alone.

The US racing calendar starts on the West Coast and follows the warmer weather to the East Coast as the season progresses.  Unfortunately this means the distance to travel to events increases.

“The life of a cyclist is about living out of a suitcase half the time. We just fly to the races, meet up with the guys, do the race and then go home.”

It can take longer to get to the races than it does to race them, multiple days of travel for one day races isn’t uncommon, but Latham believes he’s still home more when racing in the US compared to Europe.

“That’s important to me now.  Especially with the track when I’m away for huge blocks of time in one hit  - trying to mix the two and trying to spend time at home is a battle.  There are so many parts to becoming a professional bike rider.  That’s why it’s so hard to do.”

Latham is very conscious of being a “pro”-cyclist and the many responsibilities that brings.  He spends time visiting his sponsors, supporting local rides as well as keeping his training in check in order to perform during races.  He made sure RoadCycling.co.nz had the most up to date team photos of him with the new kit representing all the current sponsors.

Being able to make a living out of cycling is both an honour and a commitment to Latham who talked about the old days and having to pool money with friends to buy petrol to travel to local races back in NZ.

“At the end of the day you have to make money, as you get older you have more responsibilities.  You have to pay the bills.”

“That’s why I guess you see so many Kiwis who have to eventually give up as they haven’t been able to get to that next level where they’re able to ride their bikes for a living.”

“Getting to that level isn’t just about being strong, there are so many strong Kiwis, it’s about doing everything right, living the life of a bike rider is something you have to learn.”

Latham considers himself lucky in that regard.

“I was lucky, first of all to be part of the track programme, you get so many opportunities being part of that, with funded travel, the chance to get on the start line in Europe, and then I rode for very good amateur teams in France where I was really well looked after.  I lived with a French family for two years, so I learnt to speak French, and all the different ways of being a bike rider.”

"I enjoy what I do. I love riding my bike.  I’m lucky to be able to ride my bike for a living"Like any job, there are always days when he doesn’t want to be “working,”. The day I met Latham he’d been out on a three hour ride in Wellington’s notoriously strong headwinds.  Struggling along at 12km/h Latham couldn’t say he was enjoying himself, but those times are the minority.

“I enjoy what I do. I love riding my bike.  I’m lucky to be able to ride my bike for a living.”

What Latham doesn’t enjoy is the constant packing and unpacking of bags and houses. Consider the time and cost of packing up an international flat at the end of each season and then re-establishing a flat back “home” in NZ for the summer.  The cost of having two lives in two countries is significant.

Being a bike rider isn’t a ticket to lifetime wealth and Latham expects to have to move to another career when he finishes cycling.

He has a Certificate of Freelance Journalism and is currently studying for a Bachelor of Business Studies, in finance and real estate valuation, under the Prime Minister's sport scholarship scheme.

“When I finish cycling I’ll have to get a job and I know that, I know I’m not going to be able to just hang it up like a golfer or a tennis player, but while I can ride my bike for the next few years anyway, I will.”

“Whatever job you have, you’re probably going to have days you don’t enjoy it. But I certainly hope I find a job where I do enjoy what I do most of the time, and I definitely enjoy riding my bike.”

At 26 years old Latham is relatively young for a road cyclist and he isn’t retiring any time soon.

“I’ll make the most of being able to see some great parts of the world, have some really cool experiences, plus being able to go to the Olympics, Commonwealth Games and World Championships.”

Being a pro-cyclist isn't an easy job, but to people with the determination, professionalism and passion of Peter Latham, it is the dream job.

Part I: Peter Latham - Track cyclist

Discuss this and other articles at www.facebook.com/roadcycling