Tam Allenby is a keen cyclist and freelance writer based in Sydney. After dabbling in road racing in his early twenties, he's now more at home on an off-road gravel adventure, but still enjoys a hard bunch ride or brutal climb when the right circumstances arise.
Nickname?
Tim Tam.
Where were you born?
Inner city Sydney.
Road, MTB, Track, Gravel…?
Road, closely followed by gravel. I rarely MTB but love it when I do. Track is a mystery to me.
Favourite cycling holiday destination?
Chiang Mai, Thailand. The riding is amazing, the food is delicious, and the beers are about a dollar. Plus, nearby Doi Inthanon has got to be one of the world's hardest road climbs -- 40 kilometres at 5.8% (with the last 10km averaging in the double digits) is pure torture. Bucket list stuff.
What drew you to cycling in the first place?
I've always followed the TDF, and dabbled in MTB here and there as a kid, but it wasn't until the 2011 Tour (when Cadel won) that I really got into it. A snowboarding injury meant I was on the couch every night until the early hours that July, and I was inspired enough to give the road cycling thing a crack myself. How hard could it be??
Best team kit in the World Tour?
Bora-Hansgrohe for me, the white and teal combo this year looks clean.
Summer or Winter?
During summer I'd say winter and during winter I'd say summer. I'm picky.
Self-trained or coached?
Neither, these days I just ride to the cafe and back.
Cycling hero?
2012 Tom Boonen -- beast mode.
Favourite event (either as spectator or participant)?
Hard to go past the Tour Down Under.
Cappuccino or espresso?
Start the day with a Cappuccino, top up with an espresso (or two).
Vuelta, TDF or Giro?
TDF. I love the Giro, and the Vuelta can be exciting too, but the TDF is the big one. You can't beat the spectacle.