STATS:

Hometown: Rotorua, New Zealand
DOB: July 22, 1987
Height: 191 cm
Weight: 82 kg

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
National Record Holder- Teams Pursuit and Scratch race

2008
1st- 2008 Stage 1, 3 Jours des Ans-Provence(France)- Nat div 1
1st-2008 Stage 2 La Cabri Tour(France)-Nat div 1
25th 2008 Halle-Inoogiem(Belgium)- UCI 1.1
2008 National champion-Madison and Scratch race
Olympic Bronze medalist Beijing 2008- Teams Pursuit
3x Silver medalist- Track Cycling World Cup Classics- Team Pursuit
4th 2008 World Track Cycling Championships-Team Pursuit

2007
2nd-2007 Stage 4 Tour Des Deux Serves(France)-Nat div 1
4th-2007 Stage 2,3 Tour Des Deux Serves(France)-Nat div 1
1st-2007 Stage 1 Tour of Wellington- UCI 2.2
4th 2007 World Track Cycling Championships-Team Pursuit

2006
2nd-2006 Stage 1 Tour of Wellington- UCI 2.2
1st-2006 Stage 8 Tour of Southland- UCI 2.2

2005
2005 Junior World Champion- Teams Pursuit
2005 Silver medalist Individual Pursuit Junior World Championships

ABOUT SAM…

How did you get started in bicycle racing?
I started out as a recreational mountain biker when I was younger. I would head out to the forest most weekends with my father. As I begun to get better, I started to compete as a mountain biker. I later became a double Junior National Champion and an Oceania Champion before switching to road and track cycling.

What is your favorite memory or experience on the bike?
My favorite memory on my bike is winning the Junior Oceania mountain bike champs in 2004 in my hometown. I had just returned from an injury and wasn’t sure my form would be up to it, but I lead from start to finish and won the title on my home track in front of all my family and friends. It was my first ever international race success.

What makes you most excited about riding for the Trek-LIVESTRONG team?
It would have to be the opportunity to be involved with a team that is the initiative of arguably the greatest cyclist in the world, Lance Armstrong and also to work under the guidance of another cycling great Axel Merckx. The knowledge that Axel has chosen to pass onto the team is something you could never put a price on and could very well be the start of great futures in cycling for everyone on the team. It’s an opportunity I am very excited about.

What accomplishment or career achievement are you most proud of?
Olympic Bronze medal and breaking 4 minutes three consecutive times in the Teams Pursuit at the 2008 Olympic Games.