Chadwick's ride to hell and back | Cycling and Mountain Biking

Aaron Kelly | 2nd December 2008

KICKING BACK: Road cycling star Glen Chadwick is back home doing the “Tour of Rocky” before he tackles the world in 2009 with his new American-based team – Team Rock Racing.

JUST eight months ago, Glen Chadwick was afraid to close his eyes and go to sleep for fear of never waking up.

What started with headaches and fever for the champion Rockhampton road cyclist resulted in his liver, spleen and gall bladder shutting down.

After a series of tests in Belgium, doctors initially told Chadwick he had contracted hepatitis or malaria before he was finally diagnosed with Epstein-Barr virus.

But with the love and support of his “rock”, wife, Belle, and two-year-old daughter, Jade, Chadwick was back on his bike after just six weeks and on the road to his most successful and satisfying season as a professional cyclist.

“Cycling can be a funny world,” Chadwick recalled yesterday.

“You can be on top of it one week and at the bottom of it the next with one foot in the grave.”

Chadwick, 32, is back home enjoying life with family and friends before embarking on his next challenge with his new American-based outfit Team Rock Racing in 2009.

Despite a frightening start to the season off the bike, Chadwick won the Tour of Arkansas and Vuelta Mexico stage races in 2008 while earning king of the mountain jersey classifications at the Tour de Beauce and Tour of Utah for Team Type 1.

The native New Zealander also donned the Silver Fern at the Beijing Olympics and the world road championships in Italy.

In all, Chadwick spent 263 hours - more than 10 days - on aeroplanes en route to 15 different countries.

Chadwick said the chance to compete in Beijing alongside his sister-in-law, fellow Rockhampton cyclist and Australian track cycling star Anna Meares, who herself conquered her injury demons, was a special moment.

“We both had time off the bike and both clawed our way back and ended up at the Games,” he said.

While representing New Zealand in Beijing was one of his 2008 highlights, the renowned climber said his victory in Mexico in September was also extra special.

“I'd done the Tour of Ireland beforehand and got sick again,” said Chadwick, who held onto the leader's jersey in Mexico from stage two.

“So I don't know if it was the highlight of the year but it definitely was the surprise of the year,” he laughed.

Chadwick, who has “Made in New Zealand” tattooed on his back, said representing his country had given him a new lease of life.

Chadwick's next major goals for the “Kiwis” are the Commonwealth Games in Delhi in two years time and the London 2012 Olympics before riding into retirement.

After a few weeks break, Chadwick is back clocking up the kilometres around the streets of Rockhampton in preparations for the New Zealand road nationals in January in the lead-up to Team Rock Racing's first training camp in California at the end of February.

“I've been doing some bunch rides - it's a good way to catch up with a lot of people,” he said.

Chadwick will also use next weekend's CQ University Cup on Wheels on the track at Kenrick Tucker Velodrome as a training springboard for more success on the road next season.

“It'll be fun and good racing fun,” said Chadwick, who last competed in the Cup six years ago.

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