CYCLING

Ambrose remembers Anzacs in Turkey

By Aaron S Lee

New Zealand neo-pro Scott Ambrose reflects on centenary of Gallipoli prior to the start of the Tour of Turkey.

ALANYA Turkey—Saturday was a day of commemoration as New Zealand and Australian nationals around the world paid their respects to those who served and died in the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) during the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign.

Amongst those paying homage was 20-year-old Auckland resident Scott Ambrose (Team Novo Nordisk), who was 1,100 kilometres southeast of Gallopli in the coastal resort town of Alanya prior to the start of the 51st Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey (2.HC) on Sunday.

For the Wellington-born Ambrose, who is the only Kiwi on a start list that features seven Aussies, including Jay McCarthy (Tinkoff-Saxo), Adam Hansen (Lotto-Soudal), Mark Renshaw (Etixx-QuickStep) and Orica-GreenEdge riders Caleb Ewan, Cameron Meyer, Damien Howson and Leigh Howard, Anzac Day hits close to home.

“I had great uncle that fought in the war, so I have a lot of respect for those brave men and women that serve our country,” Ambrose told NZ Bike Magazine on Saturday.

“About a week or two ago, I realised that I’d be in Turkey for the 100th anniversary of Gallipoli, and I instantly knew this week was going to be something very special to me.

“Flying into Istanbul and seeing the New Zealand Air Force planes in the airport and our flag so far away from home it kind of hit me just how big of a day it is.”

Earlier in the day, Prince Charles led a pre-dawn commemorative service at Gallopoli, the site of the catastrophic landings that claimed an estimated 150,000 lives during World War I.

While losses were heavy on both sides during the eight-month campaign to overthrow the Ottoman Empire, including 87,000 Ottoman Turkish soldiers, it’s estimated that of the 58,000 Allied troops lost, more than 11,400 troops were from Australia and New Zealand, who were fighting under their own flags for the first time.

“I had a chance this morning to share a little bit about Anzac Day with my teammates and they were all very interested in what I had to say," said Ambrose.

“The best way you describe the relationship between Kiwis and Aussies to outsiders is that we are like brothers, in that we fight but the next day we are best mates again.

“We both want to be better than each other, but at the end of the day we always have each others back.”

Ambrose, who captured his first pro career stage win and points classification in February at the Tour of Philippines, is hoping to incorporate some of the famous Anzac spirit during this week’s eight-day UCI Asia Tour stage race.

“I always go as hard as I can,” said Ambrose, a former rugby player and triathlete who was diagnosed with Type I diabetes in 2012 before joining Team Novo Nordisk – the world's first all-diabetes professional cycling team – last year. “It’s a quality all Kiwis and Aussies have.

“We do give it our all every single day and are willing to suffer and fight to do well, and I think the Anzacs personify that as they gave up a lot to serve and protect our countries.”

Aaron S. Lee is a cycling and triathlon columnist for Eurosport and a guest contributor to NZ Bike Magazine. Image credit: ©Team Novo Nordisk

We will be bringing you day by day updates of the 51st Presidential Cycling Tour of Turkey from Scott Ambrose.