When Luke John Roberts left the world of cycling in 2014 he could never have imagined that six years later he would fall back in love with the sport.
Roberts decided to enter the Jackal Dash, a 60km mountain bike challenge in Johannesburg on Saturday, and claimed an unexpected victory.
“I haven’t raced in six years so it was nice to see my name up on the board,” Roberts said.
The 26-year-old had been cycling since he was 10 and worked on making a name for himself in the mountain biking scene. He raced as a junior professional under BMC and RECM, becoming a two-time South African junior champion on the mountain bike.
Roberts also raced on the World Cup circuit for a few years and competed in the Youth Olympic Games.
After years of competing Roberts realised that the sport was causing him to miss out on other things happening around him.
“A few months before the race [Cape Argus MTB] I had gone away with my family for the first time without my bike.
“Without a training plan to follow I stayed up late, played cards and ate treats. These are all big no’s for a pro. It was in these moments I was learning things about my family I had never known before,” Roberts told In the Bunch.
“This was when I realised it [cycling] was no longer worth it. From all in to all out, I left the game.”
After resigning from BMC, Roberts was put in contact with their agents in Dubai where he ended up running the bike department for Adventure HQ.
“During this time I hated cycling.
“I even turned down an opportunity to drive in the BMC team car during the tour of Dubai. I never even watched the Tour de France for six years.”
In 2016 Roberts devoted himself to studying and recently graduated with a BCom Investment Management. He worked for a family marketing company for a while before moving to Gone Outdoors, “where the real magic started”.
“I began running and being active again. Running became my outlet for the inner athlete, but on a personal scale.
“Towards the second quarter of 2019 some friends invited me riding. I was nervous about getting back on the bike but did some small rides.
“Three months later I bought an old carbon road bike from a friend, who also financed it for me. Towards the end of the year another friend asked if I would ride Berg and Bush with him if he bought an entry. How could I turn that down?”
So after renting a bike from a friend to take part in the event, Roberts rekindled his love for mountain biking and decided it was time to buy a bike of his own.
“I sold my road bike and called up some old cycling mates who I thought might be selling their bikes at year end. Darren Lill came to the party and really helped me out with a good price on his old bike.
“It’s moving coming back to a sport that once gave me so much, took everything I knew away and is now providing me with more fulfilment than I could ever imagine.
“I still postulate that the best decision I ever made was starting cycling and the second best decision I ever made was stopping.”
Luke Roberts claims first place at the Jackal Dash in Johannesburg. Photo credit: Luke Roberts.
Coming back to cycling, Roberts decided he would do things in a way that was more in line with his core values and dreams.
“I don’t want to turn pro; I don’t want to give up everything again. I just want to enjoy riding my bike. For me cycling is a pursuit of what I find meaningful.
“It has been an eye-opening journey coming back to the sport for sure. There is so much I missed out on when I rode pro, which is kind of sad actually. But my perspective has changed completely.”
The Durban-born rider, who now lives in Dunkeld, says he has no plans to make a race calendar for himself and plans to keep the pressure off and only participate in races when he can.
“I race when I get the time, and chance, but anything can change. Project 2.0, what I call this second stint in cycling, is still very infantile so who knows what could materialise?
“I work most weekends so it’s a bit tricky to get time off. Having no real plans and no sponsor is perfect for where I am in my life right now.”
With a new game-plan in place Roberts has also designed a new training regimen where he says the true passion and experimentations of his “Project 2.0” come into effect.
“Having been out the game for so long I inevitably found myself in a gym or two around the world. I have noticed how that has translated into running efficiency and riding form now.
“The majority of my training is strength-focused, working on the posterior chain, glutes, shoulders. When you’re on the bike you need to be able to rip those handlebars off the stem.”
All in all, Roberts plans on enjoying his time on the mountain bike and spending time with his friends.
When it come to goals, Roberts says, “Coffee rides, beers with the buggers and harnessing the passion” are all he has in mind.
“Having no real plans and no sponsor is perfect for where I am in my life right now.
“Walking the line is difficult, mainly for all-in personalities like myself, but proper self-management is key to living a sustainable and passion-filled life.”
