Ben Kersten, DS of the Subaru NSWIS team and Assistant Cycling Coach under Brad McGee at the Institute proper, had a chat with me from the Dunc Gray velodrome before leading riders in training.
“I pretty much lived at this velodrome as a sprinter when I was racing, I’ve possibly spent too much time in here, so it’s been really enjoyable to be out on the road with the team. It’s an all-encompassing role, it’s not like a european Sports Director who just does the race tactics; it’s business stuff, it’s management, it’s sponsorship, everything involved in the team, I’m the only one who works on it. It’s pretty hectic, but it’s very diverse.”
“I pretty much lived at this velodrome as a sprinter when I was racing, I’ve possibly spent too much time in here, so it’s been really enjoyable to be out on the road with the team. It’s an all-encompassing role, it’s not like a european Sports Director who just does the race tactics; it’s business stuff, it’s management, it’s sponsorship, everything involved in the team, I’m the only one who works on it. It’s pretty hectic, but it’s very diverse.”
The team had some good results at the Great South Coast Tour, with Jackson Law finish high up the results sheet on a number of stages, with his best position a 3rd in Stage 8. However, it wasn’t a stellar National Capital Tour for the Subaru NSWIS team, a lot of riders were missing with the track endurance riders at a camp and unable to attend, other riders were at Junior Worlds and they had a few injuries, so only three riders started the race.
“In the big crash we lost Nathan Bradshaw with a broken wrist, and for me the Tour was a bit upsetting. In the long term we are ticking the boxes, getting the young guys more exposure and in the peleton. It was a hard lesson learnt (in the NCT), you never know quite what you are going to get, the Tour before we were doing quite well and we went in there with some big goals. Crashes, injuries and illness tore it all apart. You’ve always got to be aware of how easily it can fall apart and be aware of how quickly things can change.”
On his riders and how he sees their development, Kersten said, “At this point we’re not looking at results as part of their development and progression, were looking at them as people, the steps they’re taking to be better athletes and what we can offer them in terms of physiology, psychology, strength and conditioning, and all these basic essentials. They are evolving as riders, we’re getting riders on the podium, and getting riders overseas (Aiden Toovey rode the Olympics test event in Rio), so to go from u/19s to being invited to senior teams shows how far they’ve come.”
Kersten has a lot of confidence in his young charges, and was forthright in naming them future household names in the sport. “For the road riders, the goal is the Pro Tour, as a career and eventually that leading into riding for Australia. Australian reps get selected from Pro Tour teams, so you’ve got to get them in a condition and a way of living that’s consistent with years of living as a pro. You can’t do well in one race and become a pro, you have to do it for ten years, and that comes from learning good habits early. To us, we want to make them professionals, that’s the goal. For the track riders, it’s about riding for Australia and the Olympics. We give them an opportunity on the road to get their endurance up, but their focus is on the track.”
Ben Kersten was a decorated track cyclist, winning over 30 national titles in the sprint events, but is wary of relying overmuch on that experience. “Someone said before, you’re pretty irrelevant after 4 years, that’s true, you can’t compare what you did then with now. But still, you know the amount of workload you need to put in to win those medals. You can see it, if people aren’t working at that level, then that’s got to change. I know times have changed but effort and commitment doesn’t ever change. Cycling evolves all the time, so you can never be ‘back in my day’ with the riders, but you can realise straight away when they’re not putting in the effort.”
The next question was about the emotional response of watching riders he has trained, and whether it is a similar feeling to what he experienced in his personal success. “I think it is, you get really emotional quite quickly with wins and losses with all the riders, dealing with 15 riders at a time. I guess nothing compares to training all year for a one minute race and winning or losing it, and the emotions that you have. But, I was quite surprised at the National Track Titles, every few minutes one of the riders you’ve worked with is doing the race they’ve prepared for all year, sometimes the biggest race of their life and you’re getting your heartstrings pulled. It’s maybe not the biggest highs and the biggest lows, but there are a lot more of them. I’ve been in the job 2 and a half years now and I’m learning to manage it a bit better, but I used to get caught up in it all, especially at National titles.”
Ben Kersten came through the NSWIS program as a youngster, and has moved smoothly into coaching at that level. A bit of his light-hearted side came through as he reflected upon his time at the Institute, something those that are well-acquainted with him, say he’s known for. “I’ve spent 20 years at NSWIS as an athlete and a coach, I’m built into the walls a little bit.”
“In the big crash we lost Nathan Bradshaw with a broken wrist, and for me the Tour was a bit upsetting. In the long term we are ticking the boxes, getting the young guys more exposure and in the peleton. It was a hard lesson learnt (in the NCT), you never know quite what you are going to get, the Tour before we were doing quite well and we went in there with some big goals. Crashes, injuries and illness tore it all apart. You’ve always got to be aware of how easily it can fall apart and be aware of how quickly things can change.”
On his riders and how he sees their development, Kersten said, “At this point we’re not looking at results as part of their development and progression, were looking at them as people, the steps they’re taking to be better athletes and what we can offer them in terms of physiology, psychology, strength and conditioning, and all these basic essentials. They are evolving as riders, we’re getting riders on the podium, and getting riders overseas (Aiden Toovey rode the Olympics test event in Rio), so to go from u/19s to being invited to senior teams shows how far they’ve come.”
Kersten has a lot of confidence in his young charges, and was forthright in naming them future household names in the sport. “For the road riders, the goal is the Pro Tour, as a career and eventually that leading into riding for Australia. Australian reps get selected from Pro Tour teams, so you’ve got to get them in a condition and a way of living that’s consistent with years of living as a pro. You can’t do well in one race and become a pro, you have to do it for ten years, and that comes from learning good habits early. To us, we want to make them professionals, that’s the goal. For the track riders, it’s about riding for Australia and the Olympics. We give them an opportunity on the road to get their endurance up, but their focus is on the track.”
Ben Kersten was a decorated track cyclist, winning over 30 national titles in the sprint events, but is wary of relying overmuch on that experience. “Someone said before, you’re pretty irrelevant after 4 years, that’s true, you can’t compare what you did then with now. But still, you know the amount of workload you need to put in to win those medals. You can see it, if people aren’t working at that level, then that’s got to change. I know times have changed but effort and commitment doesn’t ever change. Cycling evolves all the time, so you can never be ‘back in my day’ with the riders, but you can realise straight away when they’re not putting in the effort.”
The next question was about the emotional response of watching riders he has trained, and whether it is a similar feeling to what he experienced in his personal success. “I think it is, you get really emotional quite quickly with wins and losses with all the riders, dealing with 15 riders at a time. I guess nothing compares to training all year for a one minute race and winning or losing it, and the emotions that you have. But, I was quite surprised at the National Track Titles, every few minutes one of the riders you’ve worked with is doing the race they’ve prepared for all year, sometimes the biggest race of their life and you’re getting your heartstrings pulled. It’s maybe not the biggest highs and the biggest lows, but there are a lot more of them. I’ve been in the job 2 and a half years now and I’m learning to manage it a bit better, but I used to get caught up in it all, especially at National titles.”
Ben Kersten came through the NSWIS program as a youngster, and has moved smoothly into coaching at that level. A bit of his light-hearted side came through as he reflected upon his time at the Institute, something those that are well-acquainted with him, say he’s known for. “I’ve spent 20 years at NSWIS as an athlete and a coach, I’m built into the walls a little bit.”