Team go off road
By RACHELLE CHAPMAN
23nov06

THE North Queensland Cowboys have moved their intensive bike training off the streets and into the protected confines of Townsville's Velodrome for the first time.

Coaching staff say they had no choice if they wanted to protect the well-being of their star athletes.

Local cyclists have long complained about ignorant motorists who run them off the road, pelt fruit and other objects at them and open doors on them.

A local doctor is recovering after breaking ribs and a collar bone after a shocking incident involving unruly thugs who pushed him off his bike on University Drive just days ago.

Cowboys strength and conditioning coach Glen Murphy said the move to the Velodrome meant he wouldn't have to go to Cowboys coach Graham Murray to tell a similar story about one of his stars.

"It just takes the cars out of the equation," Murphy said.

"The boys can be as safe as anything (when cycling on the road) but we have no control over motorists."

Former Cowboys player Glenn Morrison suffered concussion and severe abrasions to his back, buttocks and legs after he was toppled from his training bike by a passing truck on November 15, 2001.

Morrison was sucked beneath the vehicle, before being hit by tyres and spat out 15m in front of then-teammates Josh Hannay and Peter Jones. He had been riding behind them.

But Murphy said no specific incident forced the decision to move to the Townsville Cycle Club Velodrome, although it made sense from a safety perspective.

But accidents involving cyclists and motorists do happen.

Regular road cyclist and local radiologist Dr Grant Withey was riding along University Drive towards Townsville Hospital early Saturday morning to do some work at the breast clinic.

Dr Withey said he heard a car slow down and veer alongside him when a man grabbed him through the opened window.

The brazen passenger grabbed him by the bike seat post and buttocks and pushed the bicycle back and forth before letting go, causing the doctor to slam into the roadway.

Dr Withey landed on the road into the path of oncoming traffic, his equipment strewn across the road and the bike damaged.

He suffered a broken collar bone, two broken ribs and grazing to his elbow, shoulder, thigh and knee.

His bike and clothing were damaged as a result of the impact.

Dr Withey said if he'd fallen under the wheel or there were other cars on the road he could have been killed.

The Townsville Cycle Club member said he usually enjoyed driving along that stretch of road. "That section of road has a beautiful shoulder, so (cyclists) are never in the way of traffic there," he said.

Dr Withey said police attended and a report was filed but with few details and no witnesses he held little hope the perpetrators would be found.

"There were two males in the car. I wouldn't have a clue what their ages were. I don't even know the colour of the car," he said.

Normally one to shy away from media attention, Dr Withey said he felt compelled to speak out for fear such an attack could happen to someone else with worse consequences.

"Townsville is not a cycle-friendly town – it's not the worst, but it's certainly not the best," he said.

"I feel embarrassed for Townsville that this happened."

Dr Withey described the incident as unprovoked road rage.

"They didn't get upset with anything I did, they made a deliberate attempt to get out of the lane for traffic and come towards me," he said.

"It was premeditated. I could have so easily have went under the wheel . . . I could have been killed."

Northern Region Traffic co-ordinator Inspector Brian Richardson said the incident involving Dr Withey could have resulted in dangerous driving charges for the perpetrators.

He said this was an isolated incident, but both motorists and cyclists needed to obey road rules and be mindful of each other.

Murphy said relocating to the Velodrome was also a training advantage in that he could put the players through pursuit trials which were not an option on the road.

He said an Australian coach recently visited to put the players through their paces at the Velodrome and had helped develop an improved training regime.