The Cyclist Psyche ? Neil van der Ploeg From Search2Retain p/b health.com.au

New for the?2013 National Road Series?is our Cyclists Psyche survey. A standard interview about a riders form and target races will get you a standard answer. Only here will you find out what type of dinosaur a rider is, and what they will do to someone who scratches their bike! To celebrate his Stage 5 Tour of Toowoomba victory we meet?Neil Van Der Ploeg?of?Search2Retain p/b health.com.au Cycling, if he didn’t race and win bike races, he would start a??Dresses for Dudes? revolution. Seriously. Name: Neil van der Ploeg Team: Search2retain p/b health.com.au Riding Role: Sprint, climb, attack, chase, lead out, tag, strategise, follow orders; whatever is required! Age: 25 Weight: 77kg when things get serious! How would people describe you as a cyclist? On the road, probably as an all rounder, lover of wet conditions and technical descents! How would someone who likes you describe you as a person? I just asked my housemate (I assume he likes me) and he said: ?outgoing, excitable, interesting and self amusing?. (Self amusing? Does that mean I can keep myself amused perhaps?) How would someone who doesn?t like you describe you? Hopeless, weird, creepy and annoying space cadet, steer clear he will probably steal your thongs! What are the 3 things more important to you than anything else? The ability to grow a thick beard, feeling that beard between your fingers and having the dazzling power to cut it off at ANY MOMENT! You end up replacing Tom Hanks in ?Castaway? on an Island for 4 years. What are the 3 things you take with you and why? Well, if I was stuck for 4 years I should probably try and get some skills! I would take a guitar with some long wearing strings, some sort of book full of languages and how they work, to help me learn some new languages. I like the idea of reading books but never get around to it, this would be my chance, so I?d probably take a fully loaded ebook. You can have dinner with anyone you want. Who would it be? Well, I can often creep people out when I first meet them so I should pick someone who I already know. I?m also into backgammon at the moment, so I?d probably sneak a board in and go with a friend Ash, he is my backgammoning nemesis! He plays like ?iceman? from Topgun; calculated, consistent but boring. I play a loose, risky and crowd pleasing game. It?s a great clash of styles! Someone scratches your newly arrived race bike. Do you: a)????? Kill them b)????? Kill them in an extremely creative way c)????? Plan to kill them in an extremely creative way after getting close to them, researching their weaknesses and then striking when they least expect it d)????? Tell them not to stress, it?s only a bike: the sponsors are paying for it (but then kill them anyway, as per ?c?) On a training ride do you: a)????? Load up on coffee before you go b)????? Load up on coffee before you go and during the ride c)????? Load up on coffee before you go, during the ride and stop for more at the end at your favourite coffee haunt d)????? WADA is following my caffeine levels closely so I can?t answer that question until after the findings are returned You?re a dinosaur. Are you: a)????? A Monstrous Quadrosaurous b)????? A Skinnius Soclimbus c)????? An Allroundus d)????? A Helpus Everyonelseus The phone rings at 6am. Do you : a)????? Answer it immediately with a chirpy uplifting welcoming response b)????? Answer it after it rings for a full minute with a chirpy uplifting welcoming response c)????? Let the answering machine take the call for you d)????? Answer it immediately so you can find out exactly who wants to ring you at this un-godly hour and then plan their ultimate demise What?s more important to you: a)????? Finishing household chores b)????? Getting others to finish the household chores for you c)????? Getting others to finish their household chores and then your household chores d)????? Resting What are you most opinionated about and why? The gender inequality that exists in our very sexist society: Why is it that on a stinking hot day, we men, must wear shorts while women can enjoy the cool draft that only skirts and dresses can allow? Or when we go out dancing and plan to spin around, why is it that we can?t enjoy the simple pleasure of a twirl ourselves? Sure, it?s great to watch but we can?t join in? That?s absolute torture. We are confined to our bedrooms for such twirling fun. We men have a bad habit of bottling issues like this up, and some of us need to make a stand! If you had the power to change one thing in the cycling world, what would it be? Cycling fashion trends like wearing your knicks really low. If you get a completely ignorant, unstylish, tasteless person to put on a pair of bike shorts for the first time, THAT is how they would wear them! I know this, because I first wore them JUST LIKE THAT! It looks like you have a super saggy chamy! Not a good look. This is far worse for cycling than any other single issue. Who do you admire most and why? Olympic Mountain Biker Daniel McConnell. Sure, he?s super talented, dedicated and a two time Olympian, but it?s his knick height that I really respect! He can see straight past the silly trends and is as solid as a rock; he?s kept his tan lines high and mighty from when I first met him till the present day. He is an inspiration. Who do you ?have difficulties with and why? Anyone who insists on the long knicks, and that dresses/skirts are only for women. What do you want people to know about you? As the man who liberated cycling from saggy chamy?s, and men from the shackles of shorts! If you weren?t a cyclist what would you want to be? I suppose I?d split my time between growing a beard and really pushing the ?Dresses for Dudes? revolution. I?m not sold on the name, that?s just a concept I thought up then, but if I weren?t a cyclist I?d think of something really catchy and spearhead the campaign! Keep up to date! Follow?Neil on Twitter @neilvdp?and Search2Retain p/b health.com.au on their?website,?Facebook?&?Twitter?throughout the 2013 season.