[DreamState] I'd never been one to take the limelight, well let me repharase that i'd never been one that could take the limelight in all activities growig up no matter educational or recreational i was always that kid.

You know the one you'd pick 6th on your football team as he'd do a good job and not mess up, or that boy sat in maths not talking just getting on without ever finishing before my classmates.

I used to think that was all life had for me mediorocrity. That cruel place in life were people never applaud you they never see your hard work and they never give you a chance to do something great.

Basically I was on the Edge.

I Slipped through the cracks.

I can't let that happen to these guys. [/Dreamstate]

"Liam they want you this is there last chance"

"I know but it's...."

"I know the moneys ti.."

"It's non existant Alex"

"Surely there's a way"

"Maybe but the time is limited it's already november"

"Can you do it?"

[Dream State]

I say I was mediocore at everything that isn't 100% true i had one gift in life that one thing that made me different to everybody else. An ability help others.

I could set goals , I could motivate and I could get results.

My brothers A-Levels are a testement to that his 3 A's in Maths, Science and
History helped him to go to Durham University.

It was the proudest moment of my life!

I gave my brother the gift of an education!

The chance of a lifetime!

I have to give it to him surely

[/DreamState]

"I think it can be done but He needs to have a core of riders now"

"Excellent we will see what he says"

"Who are we meeting anyway Alex?"

"You'll See!"

Alex has always been like this since we were younger.

Alexender Rhodes straight A student always, and for the last 12 years owner of a small sports agency in Franco-Belge area, he's always fancied himself as an overseas entrepreneur, well that's what he calls himself anyway, though to me he's just Alex my agent, my best friend and at the moment my only chance, with all this going on you may be wondering where i fit in to all, sports agent sounds like i've done well for "Mr Mediocore" as i called myself. Well you don't know half of it, this may take a while....

Part 3 - Working My Way Up

My talent in life and my favourite sport, sounds like a perfect combination and it was, it is, ....well it can be.

The date is 1999 it's the Lincoln GP and my Team Yorkshire line up to start I have 1 Captains Johnathon Tanner at 31 he was getting on for age but had come over to my programe to recapture some form and we'd worked wonders,

My training schedule developed over many years of pouring through books, working with riders was working, I was shell-shocked as i watched John's power increase over the months through our specific power meter this will my greatest tool.

John won the Lincoln GP and won the British Championship he would do the same the year after.

As I celebrated with John I was congratulated by a member of British Cycling I thought this could be my big break the Olympic track team more money, more equipment and more prestige, a shame he only wanted to ask me if the Bar was free.

"It's not, this is Yorkshire not your poxy southern banquet."

These words probably ended any chance I had of ever becoming British Cycling as I was speaking to Dave Brailsford the new head of British Track Cycling.

I had to go hunting if I wanted this, and to my surprise something came up. In the most unusual place a place a never really thought i'd ever go Uzbekistan.

It's 2003, it's Hamilton Canada, it's the UCI World Under 23 Championships and my team the Uzbeckistan National Team has qualified 5 riders the most ever in my reign as DS.

It's lead by my star man 22 year old Sergey Lagutin he has taken to my training system like a duck to water and in only his 2nd year is Number 3 in the world U23 rankings and this was now his big chance.

With Hamilton being hilly with a hilly sprint finish we knew Sergey had a chance but it came down to tactics to get him to the end in the front as he would have no support. We came up with a plan.

Konstantain Volik would be in the break meaning no chasing for our riders each lap of the 12 one of our remaining riders would then sprint Sergey onto the back of the Belgium team before the climb and he would sit there and not attack once. It wasn't full proof but it was all we had.

LAP 5

7 laps to go Volik is caught last there are 29 riders left in the front and Sergey has just Volik left...

----Radio----

"I'm on my own boss"

"Kons has just come back Sergey"

"He's gone staright out the back though"

"DAMN, right whatever you do stay on Thomas Dekker, Don't Let him move"

"What if he attacks"

"Follow"

---Radio---

Lap 12


---Neutural Radio---

Attack 1 (Thomas Dekker) and 56 (Sergey Lagutin)

He's had it he can't hold Dekker it's been the same all season, we've lost...

I sit in silence on my own as team mechinic as well as DS and drive over the top to see Kons and another one of our boys Jumping up and Down on the side of the road, I wind the window down.


"BOSSS He's on his own there's only 10 left he's going to win!!!!!!!"

"Get in the car!!!!!"

We scream down into the convoy passing dropped riders till there is just 4 cars left!!

Then over the radio

----Neutral Radio----

Group Back Together 10 up front


----Neutral Radio----

"there's 2km to go no way he can recover"

"He can you haven't seen his test scores he can do this"

"Are you sure boss?"

I Was.

Needless to say the bigger nations came calling for my services if I could do that with Uzbekistan what could i do with Switzerland?

"It's just round the corner Liam"

"LIAM!!!, Are you ok? wake up!"

"Alex... i'm just apprehensive, are you sure this guy can find us a sponsor?"

"I'm sure Liam"

"But...B.."

"Liam I know what happened with Tissot, I know it was a lot but you need to keep pushing through"

Tissot my saviour, my chance well you'd think, it was all blown apart.


After Hamilton i recieved an offer I couldn't refuse Switerzerland Director Sportif starting in 2004.

What a time we had I picked out 4 riders to help to start with that should feel my way in Fabian Cancellara, Fabian Jeker, Steve Zampieri and Michael Albasini

Cancellara or Spartacus as his nickname would become grew enormously so much so he lead the tour in his first year with me was 10th in the Olympics and 8th at the World TT his success and the others mean that by the time of the world I had 18 riders taking advice from me that lead to 4 riders in the 2nd group at the world a big improvement.

In 2005 Cance was 3rd the World TT and we had 10th,12th and 14th in the RR

In 2006 Cance won the World TT Martin Elmiger was 14th in the World RR

2007 was the same Cance won Martin was 10th and Bert Zberg 16th

We kept improving and flying the Swiss were becoming better then the bombshell was dropped,

Worlds 2009 in Mendrisio

Spartacus had to win the double no questions asked!

To start the 2008 season we put him on a specific training programme complete this for Beijing we'll see how he goes and it went well so well he won the the TT.

But come the RR he was nervous not even for this race he was looking a year ahead.

"Liam i'm going to win both in Switzerland right?!"

"Cance I can't be for sure there is so many variables"

"You will do it Cance, We'll make sure of it, Liam knows what he's doing he will bring you there and he will win us gold. Ain't that right Liam?" said Albasini

I just nodded

Those words would ring round my ears for the rest of Beijing did these men really have this much confidence in me could they really pin all their hopes and someone who's greatest sporting accomplishment is 6th in a local Road Race League, I couldn't concentrate i barely spoke all week, I should of Cance miss timed his sprint because we didn't look at the finish, I'd watched Nicole Cooke's win days before I knew were he should go from I should of spoken. At least Spartacus seemed happy or he seemed happy I say in hindsight.

Spartacus was 1st(TT) and 3rd(RR)

Here we come Mendrisio.