Reza: I'm no cycling role model

Europcar riders Kevin Reza and Yukiya Arashiro at the start of Stage Two at the Tour Down Under. Source: Sarah Reed / News Limited

KEVIN Reza forms an integral part of the cycling evolution but he doesn't want to be labelled a role model for black cyclists.

Reza, 25, is at his first Santos Tour Down Under with French team Europcar.

The French team has multicultural team tentacles in Australia, including Japan national champion Yukiya Arashiro and Germany's Bjorn Thurau.

Reza is Parisienne-born to Guadalupe-born parents and is the fourth black cyclist from the team to ride at the Tour Down Under alongside past TDU participants Ronny Martias, Yohann Gene and Eritrean Nathael Berhane.

Berhane last week claimed the Tour of Gabon and also won the Tour of Turkey.

Reza and his colleagues, however, are bucking the trend of the UCI WorldTour peloton, which is perhaps long overdue given the other popular world-accepted sport, soccer, has had a huge influx of black players at the top for more than two decades.

Reza said there is no racism among his colleagues in the peloton but agrees that there should be more black cyclists.

"No I am not a role model for cycling,'' Reza said.

Kevin Reza leads out Thomas Dekker during the second stage of the ride from Prospect to Stirling. Source: News Limited

"But there is no racism for me in the peloton.

"But obviously people in Guadalupe are supporting me but, really, I don't see myself as a role model knowing that young riders can make me as an example or take inspiration from me."

Nonetheless, Reza was planning to be French cyclist Thomas Voeckler's lieutenant at the Tour Down Under but those plans disappeared within hours of the team's arrival in Adelaide last week.

DIEGO ULISSI CLAIMS STAGE 2 WIN IN THE TOUR DOWN UNDER

Voeckler broke his collarbone in a training run near Glenelg when he collided with a stationery car before he was set to headline his maiden Tour Down Under.

The accident put an end to Reza's dream of helping Voeckler onto the podium in Adelaide.

The Reza and Voeckler partnership has been prominent in many key bike races throughout 2013.

"It's obviously disappointing that Thomas cannot be here,'' Reza said.

"But we'll always try to our best and, as we saw with Thurau and Arashiro, we're still have a chance to shine and prove we are not here for no reason."

A map of the 2014 course of the Tour Down Under in and around Adelaide. Source: Supplied

But Reza says he loves South Australia's WorldTour race.

"The organisation is brilliant,'' Reza said.

"I went to my first Tour de France last year and this has the same organisation this is a world class race.

"The roads are good and they're safe."

Reza said he took up cycling as a four-year-old and hasn't looked back since his father and brother introduced him to the bike.

This year Reza has targeted a stage or race win and to be a part of his second Tour de France.

"I joined a local cycling club when I was younger, and now I'm part of the elite and I'm very proud of that,'' Reza said.

"I'm not a leader. I have been a professional for three years and this year I really want to win something."

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Reza: I'm no cycling role model

Dengan url

http://sportifoclube.blogspot.com/2014/01/reza-im-no-cycling-role-model.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Reza: I'm no cycling role model

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Reza: I'm no cycling role model

sebagai sumbernya