Cycling: CEO gets on his bike after Scottish success

By TERRY MADDAFORD

After a month as chief executive of Basketball Scotland, Rodger Thompson was ready to toss the job in and return to New Zealand.

The job was vastly different than he had been led to believe in a video interview. The sport was on a fast track to bankruptcy.

But Thompson stuck it out. Three years on and with Scottish basketball in good shape - sponsorship 800 per cent, turnover 85 per cent higher - Thompson quit, satisfied with a job well done.

This week he took on a new role, as chief executive of BikeNZ.

The organisation, an amalgamation of Cycling New Zealand, BMX and mountain biking, along with masters, schools and trials cycling, the Cycling Advocates Network and the Bicycle Industry Association of New Zealand, brings all branches of the sport under one umbrella.

"With all the disciplines now as one, we will have a lot stronger voice when we talk with Sparc and sponsors," the 32-year-old Thompson said.

He was in the Otago Nuggets basketball squad in the early 90s, and first worked as sport development manager at Sport Taranaki. He then had another three years with Touch New Zealand.

Thompson says he had some knowledge of cycling after competing in triathlons, but does not pretend to be an expert.

"At this point it would not be fair for me to express any preference for one part of the sport over the other. Our focus has to be in getting all disciplines working together.

"Without doubt one thing we can look to do better is boost interest in cycle touring. We can work with tourism interests in promoting this. I saw it in Europe and it works very well."

Cycling was one of three disciplines nominated last year by Sparc (Sport and Recreation New Zealand) as a "revitalisation" sport.