The Noosa Classic is thrilled to have passionate rider, family man and all-round good guy Cameron Nicholls on board as one of our official ambassadors. His journey from overweight novice living in London to creator of online bike marketplace Bikechaser.com and YouTube sensation has been a fascinating one. We sat down with Cameron to find out more about his cycling life and his thoughts ahead of the second Noosa Classic later this year.
NC: So, Cameron, great to see you! So first of all, tell us, what’s your cycling story and why did you fall in love with riding?
CN: Well, in 2007 I got back from living in the UK, and I was pretty overweight. So I got into triathlon to lose some weight, and it worked, but I didn’t love the running and swimming. I stuck with it until one day a mate invited me on a group ride. I was totally out of my depth and got dropped in no time, but I couldn’t get enough of it. From this point on I knew the cycling life was the one for me. Check out my cycling life in under three minutes here.
NC: What does an average week on the bike look like for you?
CN: 3-4 rides a week generally. Typically between 40-100km depending on the time I have available. Some sessions are cruisy, others involve hill repeats or sprint efforts to keep the fitness sharp enough for criterium racing. Also, rides are always book-ended by a good coffee!
NC: Best ever moment on your bike?
CN: Without a doubt it was reaching the southern tip of New Zealand in 2017 after riding the entire length of the country in the middle of a nasty winter. It was an incredible experience, but a hard one. Check out the full story here.
NC: What for you makes Noosa such a great place to visit?
CN: Pretty simple really – epic weather, great food and some of the best beaches in the world. What more could you ask for?
NC: What will make the Noosa Classic such a great course to ride?
CN: Small towns, quality roads, beautiful green and leafy scenery. Plus there’s always the motivation that comes from the supportive and cheering people that line the course all the way round.
NS: What would be your three key pieces of advice to any new Gran Fondo riders who are thinking of making the Noosa Classic their first?
CN: 1. Make sure you train properly. Try and fit in 2-4 rides per week, progressively building your strength by increasing your distance slowly each week. 2. Don’t go too hard in the first part of the ride itself. Pacing is key, and there’s no worse feeling that knowing you’ve got more than half your ride left and very little in the tank. 3. Bars over gels. You want sustained energy throughout the ride, so go for a good quality bar that’s made for this kind of event.
NC: What advice would you give to an intermediate rider who’s thinking about making the step up from the Challenge Classic (120k) to the Maxi Classic (160k)?
CN: Make sure you train your base fitness by heading out on some long rides. You want to get in at least a couple of 100-150 km training rides in before the Maxi.
NC: Finally, let’s finish with some quick fire questions. Climbs or descents? CN: Climbs.
NC: Evans or Jonker? CN: Evans.
NC: Cold morning or hot arvo ride? CN: Cold morning.
NC: Pizza or schnitzel? CN: Pizza.
Check out more from Cam on his YouTube channel, website and on Bikechaser.com.
