Making the big move over from Australia to kick-start his cycling career in Europe, Pat had a solid first season with the Development program in 2022 where he gained valuable experience; riding a variety of stage races and one-day events – including his first races in Belgium which he says have “him hooked” for how chaotic, fast, and fun they are.
An active kid, Pat spent a lot of his time as a youngster playing a variety of sports, trying his hand (and feet) at athletics, basketball, triathlons. His first love was Australian Rules Football however, his dad took up cycling after some injuries from other sports and when he was ten, Pat and his brother went out for some rides with him, and he slowly caught the bug; competing in more and more races.
Stereotypically like most Aussies, one of Pat’s self-determined attributes is that he sees himself as a laid-back guy, which he thinks can be useful at a race and for those around him.
“Of course, on the bike you’re fully focused but to then during the evenings, some people can be stressed, so I think to be able to have a laugh and a joke around the dinner table helps a lot and creates a nice vibe which is also crucial for on bike success.”
Alongside that, he cites himself as “determined” and a “thrill-seeker”, which he thinks helps him to achieve as much as he possibly can and always stick his hand up for any opportunity that comes his way. One such opportunity was at Heistse Pijl where Pat was the team’s finisher that day: “it was a cool experience to be mixing it with so many of these guys you’ve watched for years.”
Of course, with the big move it took some while for Pat to settle in, but he learned a lot about life and feels like he has grown and matured as a person already – spending some enjoyable times with the rest of the team who are living at the Aqua-Step Keep Challenging Center in Sittard, the Netherlands. There he often enjoys sharpens his barista skills or if you’re (un)lucky enough, then you might hear him belting out Don McLean’s American Pie – which he knows all the lyrics to.
