With the recent global upheaval related to the COVID-19 crisis decimating the sporting calendar, we reached out to one of our local Armidale professional riders Sam Munday to get an update on how these events have impacted himself and his team. Sam races for Team Novo Nordisk and is based in Girona Spain, which gives him a unique perspective on the unfolding drama.

As a local rider we wanted to reach out to you at this time to see how the current COVID-19 crisis was impacting yourself and your team. Before all this started, how was your 2020 season going?
Thanks for reaching out Andy. The Covid-19 crisis has definitely had a huge impact on the cycling world, and everyone’s daily life, regardless of where they are in the world during this time.

My 2020 season was going really well. I built up a really solid base since November and was happy with the progress I was seeing in my training data and general feelings overall. Since the end of last year, I’d been working with my new coach (Kristina) to make sure I go into the 2020 season with some solid foundations to make the preparation going into racing a smooth transition. After struggling with some underlying health issues last year, it was both mentally and physically motivating to feel healthy and strong, and able to string together back to back solid training weeks; something I unfortunately struggled to do last season due to these issues.

I kicked off my race season in Greece at the beginning of March, with the Rhodes International GP and Tour of Rhodes. It was an amazing experience to be racing in Greece! The race was successful for the team and we managed numerous top 5s and 10s throughout the week with my teammate Peter Kusztor finishing top 10 on GC in the tour. It was a tough first race, but my form was solid and I was happy with the performance I got in, especially since it was the first time I’ve raced in a while. It was also a big confidence booster going into the rest of the season and knowing the form is where it should be for this time of the year.

When did you first hear that there might be some disruption to your 2020 season plans?
The first indication that our season would be interrupted occurred during our team training camp in January, with the Tour of Hainan being cancelled. At the time, we knew the virus had impacted China significantly, so I think this wasn’t a huge surprise. However, the situation with Covid-19 was starting to unfold in Europe whilst we were in Greece. Unknown to us, it would be our last race for a while. Many of the Classics in Italy, Belgium and France were starting to get cancelled and once we returned from the race, everyday there were updates on races getting cancelled and potential lockdowns.

The team decided to temporarily suspend travel. This decision was not taken lightly and was based on input from our medical team, executive team, and title sponsor. We were eager and motivated to race, and it was a tough decision to pull back at that point in the season.

When did you make the decision to return to Australia, and how was the experience travelling back?
From the 15th of March, Spain announced it would go into full lockdown. This decision was enforced quite rapidly. On Saturday, things were as per usual. Shops were open, people were going about their daily activities, and despite most people displaying precautions around contracting and spreading the virus, nothing seemed too unusual.

On Sunday, I went out of a long ride throughout the small country roads of Catalunya with a teammate of mine, Joonas. The roads were quiet which was normal for a Sunday. However, the longer we rode they became considerably quieter. Along the way, we received a few messages from other friends in Girona who were told by police to go immediately home and that they were not allowed to continue riding outside. This seemed strange…but by the time we returned to Girona, it was like a ghost town. Everything was closed, no one was outside. I sensed things were going to be very different from tomorrow onwards. I was right.

The Spanish government had decided to go into full lockdown. This meant that only essential businesses such as supermarkets, medical centres and pharmacies could remain open and any outside activity was banned. This meant you could only leave your house to get groceries or walk your dog, and you had to maintain a strict 1.5m distance from others around you.

Initially, the lockdown was taken extremely well by the community in Girona with everyone showing complete respect to the rules. This was reassuring. After a few days of not knowing what to do and discussing my thoughts with my friends, family, teammates, and team staff, I decided it was best to go back to Australia whilst I could. The unknown of how long the lockdown would last made me feel a bit isolated, especially being so far from family. I booked a flight home and left Spain on the 20th of March.

Now you’re home in Australia, luckily we don’t currently have the same lockdown protocols of many other countries. What’s your current daily routine?
We are very lucky to have some freedom here in Australia at the moment in regards to the lockdown protocols. I’ve been in self isolation at the moment, so cannot make contact with other people outside of my household. My parents have kindly adapted to this and are working from home during this 14 day period. My daily routine is really quite similar to what it would usually be.

I’m still training on the bike and also getting back into some gym training. For the first week back in Australia, I’ve been doing just endurance rides and riding by “feel”. Nothing too intense. Most of this has been done on the indoor trainer. I have also been doing some home gym sessions everyday and yoga classes. I’ve really enjoyed including this in my routine again as it is usually hard to incorporate during the middle of the race season.

I’ve been keeping busy with other hobbies whilst I am not training. I love cooking, so have been experimenting in the kitchen, reading lots, learning Spanish, making jigsaw puzzles and enjoying the time at home.

A lot of us are now riding & racing online using Zwift and other platforms – how are you finding the indoor training experience?
I don’t mind the indoor training, however when having the possibility, I always prefer to ride outside! I love the outdoors in general, so I definitely miss this when I’m on the indoor trainer. However, it is great for doing quality training sessions and is good to mix things up. The online learning platforms are great and definitely make riding the trainer more enjoyable.

Any plans to join the club online Zwift rides/races?
Definitely! I will have to get on there and test it out.

How is this affecting teammate’s overseas?
I think everyone has been impacted by it in some way. Depending on the location, some guys can still ride outside, however others are in full lockdown. It is a complicated situation but everyone seems positive and we are all here to support one another. I believe that the team will come out of this much stronger than before!

I gather the team has been strongly supportive of all riders and staff – it must be great to have that level of support in these difficult times?
The team has been incredibly supportive and I cannot thank them enough for their support during these times. They have been frequently in contact and making sure we have everything we need. Our sponsors have also stuck by our side and are showing their commitment to us. In return, we are trying to be the best ambassadors for our team and sponsors by using social media to promote and give value to those who keep our team alive. On a positive note, this situation has displayed great unity amongst the cycling world and brought out the best in people. So I think this is something we can all reflect on and be proud about.

Finally, in these uncertain times what are your plans going forward from here?
Going forward I am still putting in some solid training and making sure I am ready for whenever racing resumes. It is challenging as this is unknown, however I will make sure to be ready and in the best shape I can be. After all, my passion is to ride my bike and I am grateful to still be able to do this. For now, it’s important to remain focussed, safe and healthy, whilst prioritising the things that are most important in life such as spending time with my family. If anything, this time will only make everyone stronger, so when the ‘normality’ and racing will resume, expect fireworks!

Thanks Sam, we really appreciate you taking time out for this interview, and good luck for the rest of the season!