Patrick Lane has signed to Synergy Baku Cycling Project. Lets Learn more about him.

Hi Pat

Thanks for answering some questions for your Fans.

To allow the readers to get to know you more, some quick questions;

Nickname?  Patty

Home club? Carnegie Caulfield Cycling club

Favourite local rides? Hell ride

Inspirations and role models? Simon Gerrans.

A genuine Role Model

First Bike? Kids BMX with road handle bars (Only bike I could get small enough)

Other sports you played? Just cycling

How did you get into cycling?  When I was about 6 I was riding down the bike path with my dad, we went past the local velodrome and watched the guys going around for a while. It all started from there!

 Congratulations with you’re signing with the Synergy Baku Cycling Project 

Thanks

 You have raced with Jayco-Skins and Jayco-AIS do you think this has provided you a great base to step-up to Pro-Conti and how will this help with getting into the Pro-tour?

There are not to many countries with a U23 team set up like Australia have, The AIS really does give young Australians a bit of a advantage over other countries and I think its easy to not realise that until you leave the team. Its easy to see with the number of guys that go from that program to the world tour that they are doing something right!

What races do you think you will be heading to while racing for Synergy?

We have a team camp in Spain starting early December, I'll probably get a better idea of what my race program will look like after meeting with the directors there. At the moment I'm training for the national championships & hopefully after that I'll do the Tour of Wellington, Sun Tour & Tour Langkawi.  They are all races that I have done before and should be a good way to kick start 2014 with the team!

Do you know where you will be based during the season?

Still not 100% sure at this stage but I would  assume I'll head to Europe around March.

It must good to know that you are joining the team with some great riders like Will Walker and Luke Davison

I actually haven’t had a lot to do with Luke so far but am looking forward to getting to know him more.

With Will its kind of a funny one, I can remember watching him when I was in U11. He was riding around lapping the Pros at the bay crits and not long after that he was racing with them. His definitely one guy I admired a lot and became good mates with as I got a bit older. We both came along similar paths in some ways with Dave Sanders being a huge supporter of us both and spending many hours at his Motor pacing & training camps. Its important to have some older guys on the team who have been around the block a few times & can pass on any advice so I think it will be great to have them on board.

Do you expect to race in some far flung places?

Hopefully, Its always nice to see some new places along the way!

Certainly globalisation of cycling is the future progression of our sport but did you expect to be racing for a team based in Azerbaijan?

When I was growing up I only ever thought of riding for a Italian, French or Belgium team. Cycling is changing and now you see more countries competing and I think that will continue to happen as the sport grows!

Baku is the capital of Azerbaijan which for probably most Australians unknown. Be honest have you ever hear of Azerbaijan before? 

Until the start of last year I wouldn't have had any idea about Azerbaijan or cycling there, I think that is one of the great things about this team. They really are taking Azerbaijan to the cycling world! 

Where do you see yourself in 5 years time?

Hopefully travelling around the world racing my bike, So no big change there!

Is there any people you would like to thank for getting where you are now?

Its always hard to name people, I've been pretty lucky with the amount of support I’ve been given along the way and it really has made a difference. Two big ones would be Dave Sanders and Simon Gerrans.

David Sanders- Denizen of Cycling in Victoria & Aussie

Davo was the first person to really help me with my cycling and he spent a incredible amount of time developing me as a rider. He has more passion for cycling then any body out there and I was very lucky he gave me so much of his time!

Simon Gerrans from Orica-GreenEDGE has been a huge help for me in the last 2 years, I remember when we first started to have a bit to do with each other I was to nervous to put a sentence together. Now his one of my best mates & always does anything he can to help out.

Others would be my parents (Margaret & Greg), John and Julie Lowe and Mooksy and Kel at O2 racing.

Follow Pat on Twitter @patlane1