WORLD CHAMPIONS: The trophy was handed out by Jonas Tveit from Motitech.
- Ahh. The last day was very hectic since Harbison was so far ahead. We had to go all-in, and it was quite chaotic, but it was worth it, smiles Cathrine Eliassen, the driving force and cycling motivator at Hverdagsrehabilitering Hvaler in Norway.
After an impressive 2nd place finish in their debut last year, both the staff and cyclists promised themselves they would become world champions this year. And they kept their promise - though victory wasn’t secured until the competition's final hours. A total of 75 cyclists contributed to clinching the world championship title for the team “Old but Gold.”
Australia on their minds
The first thing the cyclists thought about in the morning, and the last thing they thought about before bed, was the Harbison Moss Vale care home in Australia.
The two teams had been locked in an intense battle to become world champions in the team competition of this year’s Road Worlds for Seniors. Since the Australian team was 10 hours ahead of Norway, the mornings were especially tense.
- The first thing I did after getting up was check the results from Australia and see how far they had cycled. If they had cycled a lot, the cyclists in Hvaler could tell right away by my mood when I arrived at work - even though I tried to stay cheerful, Cathrine explains.
Particularly on the last day, extra effort was needed to close the gap Harbison had created during their final hours of competition.
- I never expected the seniors to have such a strong competitive instinct, not to mention the results they achieved. They have so much in them that just needs to come out, says Cathrine.
Cycling has become hugely popular
Three years ago, Eliassen started a cycling group at the center. This year, a total of 75 cyclists participated in the program.
- I think it’s something about the atmosphere here. When someone comes in, they don’t always have to be at their best. There’s a lot of room for everyone. Here, they’ve gotten to know others, made new friendships, and broken out of loneliness. And it’s so enjoyable to cycle to films from around the world. That really gets the conversation going.
Fittingly, the world champions celebrated with sandwiches, cake, coffee, and the national anthem. The mayor of Hvaler, a steadfast supporter of the group since last year, was also present to award the medals.
MOTIVATOR: Cathrine Eliassen (left) has a big part of the triumph.