Phil Liggett to commentate Family Ride

THE voice of Australian cycling is joining in the fun of the GeelongPort Family Ride as part of this year’s Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.

An icon of the sport globally, Phil Liggett is beloved for his decades of cycling commentary at the Tour de France, the Olympics and the Australian UCI WorldTour events, and will be in the commentary box on Friday, January 26 to call what he sees as participants complete laps of the enclosed 1.3km circuit.

Speaking from Adelaide last week, just ahead of the start of the Tour Down Under, Liggett said he was looking forward to returning to Geelong.

“Geelong is a great place; I just love Geelong as a city. It was the first city in the Southern Hemisphere to have the World Championships, back in 2010.

“It also puts the area on the map – all the pictures that I’m commentating on are being sent around the world.

“The Family Ride is a brilliant introduction not just for the youngsters who can’t wait to get on their bikes but to the parents, who should be doing the exercise with those kids.

“And there’s no pressure on them – it’s not a race, they’re not going to win anything except for a round of applause, maybe a mention on the microphone from me.

“I often see often see more nervous mums and dads than kids who can’t wait to get riding.

“It’s an occasion, and that’s what cycling is when it’s like this now. If you’re going to involve people who are non-cyclists, basically, you’ve got to give them more to see than a cycling race.

“Just keep on taking the laps, and I’ll keep on talking about you!”

Liggett took up cycling later in life, originally as a way to get to and from his favourite fishing spot, but credits it with keeping him fit since then.

“People drop dead when I tell them I’m 80, because I look about 60, and I put it down to cycling – the fresh air, the fresh weather, and the great friendships you find within the pastime and the sport,” he said.

Liggett famously recognised Evans’ cycling talent in 1998 when Evans was still a mountain bike racer, declaring at the time the Barwon Heads resident should get on a road bike as soon as possible as he could win the Tour de France – a feat he achieved in 2011.

“Cadel is the most modest person you’ll ever meet, but boy, he was a talented bike rider, and I was so happy when he won the Tour, and I was so privileged to call him,” Liggett said.

The first 500 children registered for the Family Ride get a free GeelongPort Family Ride T-shirt.

While the ride starts at 6pm, organisers suggests families should arrive from 5pm onwards to receive their T-shirts and to be ready to go.

For more information on the GeelongPort Family Ride or to register, head to cadelevansgreatoceanroadrace.com.au/family-ride/overview