Cyc: Life after gold now rosy for Aitken

AAP General News (Australia)
08-31-2001
Cyc: Life after gold now rosy for Aitken

By Laine Clark

BRISBANE, Aug 31 AAP - Life after Olympic gold couldn't have been easier for Australian
cyclist Brett Aitken - well, that was the game plan.

Instead of soaking up last year's Madison gold medal success with partner Scott McGrory,
Aitken laid low for two months as he tried to deal with his new high profile and raised
expectations.

"I was at a stage when I wasn't enjoying it. I had two months off at the beginning
of the year because I couldn't live up to the expectations of not only others but myself,"

he said.

"I just thought it would be easier to pull out. I weeded my way back in, racing at
club level where there wasn't any pressure on me to perform - no one there could have
cared less whether I finished first or last."

A rejuvenated Aitken today said he was more than ready to get back on the saddle when
the sold out, two-day Goodwill Games cycling program starts at the Chandler Velodrome
here tomorrow.

"I know now there is nothing I can't set out to achieve," he said.

"I'm enjoying competing at a local club level more, this is the first time I have not
gone overseas to compete in 12 years."

Aitken - who also took Olympic silver in Barcelona and Atlanta bronze in teams pursuit
- may be back, but his now famous Olympic bike is not.

Dubbed the "superbike", the lightweight vehicle specially designed in Aitken's home
town Adelaide was also used by South African and Kiwi teams to seal medals and helped
Dutch rider Leontien Zijlaard break a world record.

"I haven't used the bike since the Olympics. It's on a wall on show still somewhere," he said.

"I thought about bringing it out but I'll stick with my old trusty bike I've had for
about seven to eight years, it's got a few nicks on it but it's still in good shape."

Aitken played down his chances at the Goodwill Games, which will return him to a track
program in the middle of the national road series.

"I haven't been on a track bike since April. I don't have huge expectations considering
my preparation - this is like going from a marathon to a 400 metre sprint for me."

Another draw card, three time world champion and Olympic 200 metres gold medallist
Marty Nothstein of the US, said he understood Aitken's post-Olympics letdown.

"After the Sydney Games I asked myself `is there anything else to achieve', I had won
a world title and an Olympic title and wondered whether it was time to spend more time
with my family," he said.

"But if anything the passion has grown more since Sydney, I can't wait to race."

And he wasn't fooled by Aitken's low key approach today.

"I rate Brett as one of the best pack style riders in the world - he's downplaying
it here but he'll be a marked man out there on the weekend."

The cycling program boasts 72 of the world's best track cyclists and includes sprint,
scratch race, points race, Kierin, Madison and elimination events in the men, and sprint,
scratch race, points race and elimination events for women.

AAP lc/sp

KEYWORD: GOOD CYC AITKEN (WITH PIX)

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