Lachlan Morton went for a ride. It was no ordinary ride. And he is no ordinary bike rider. He did a lap of Australia in record-breaking time: 14,210km in 30 days nine hours and 59 minutes.
He is a freak of an athlete, a pro cyclist in every sense of the word.
He is also an ambassador for the wonderful act of bike riding, and has been all his life.
Blessed with a supportive family and plenty of creative flair, Lachy and his brother Angus became pro cyclists. They raced. They enjoyed success, enough to satisfy their healthy competitive streaks. But then they started to rethink how they rode their bikes, and why.
You've likely heard the story of Lachy's lap of Australia in 2024. You probably followed his dot. You may have contributed to his fund-raising efforts and / or cheered him from the roadside.
He raised over AUD$140,000 for the Indigenous Literacy Foundation. (See below for how you can still donate.)
This was much more than just another ride!
Lachy admits that he got tired towards the end of The Big Ride, but also says it was worth the effort ... for the sake of a unique experience alone, but there's a feature-length film (1h45min) that explains all that in intimate and stunning detail. Look out for The Great Southern Country film, it's coming soon to YouTube.
This is my first proper, formal interview with Lachy since he finished his loop of a large and fascinating country. We discuss the effort of the ride, the aftermath, and the state of cycling in Australia at the start of 2025.
See the chapters below to fast-track to a particular topic, or watch the full interview and get some insights from a fascinating bike rider who never ceases to amaze.
– Rob
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#Cycling #Interview
Lachlan Morton, EF Pro Cycling
Interview by Rob Arnold
Recorded at Chauvel Cinema, Paddington, NSW (30 January 2025).
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www.ridemedia.com.au
#TalkingCycling
Cycling documentary / interview
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Chapters:
00:00 Introduction
00:38 Getting the conversation started
01:50 “Wear and tear” impact on the body
03:14 Before vs After
04:11 Importance of sleeping routine
07:37 “Mentally it was strange to finish”
09:20 “There are routes I’d like to do again”
10:40 “You could do it quicker…”
11:55 Cycling as therapy
13:15 Comparison with traditional pro cycling
14:40 The competitive urge remains
15:42 Advice for other bike riders?
Any questions? Please leave a comment.
Note: Again, pardon the audio quality. Yep, the cars on the street below interrupted the flow a little...sorry about that. – Rob
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Related links:
Riding into Sydney with Lachlan (by RIDE Media): https://youtu.be/YAXPB5a3URA?si=xTdPlil9MRMD8ajp
Indigenous Literacy Foundation (ILF) donation page: https://fundraising.ilf.org.au/lachlanmortongreatsoutherncountry
EF Pro Cycling ride report: https://efprocycling.com/culture/great-southern-country/
EF Pro Cycling, Lachlan Morton profile: https://efprocycling.com/our-team/lachlan-morton/
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Music:
There Comes A Time / Adrian Walther / SKNZSXMNPLQ48DWZ