From sponsoring Australian races to supporting a wide range of cycling initiatives across Australia, and sustaining Australia’s only WorldTour team, Gerry Ryan has helped build the pathways that underpin the sport.
Grace reflects on how those contributions directly shaped her own career. She also points to a broader impact, where that backing has extended well beyond individual riders, helping to strengthen the overall system and Australia’s presence in the sport globally.
His departure, however, raises a deeper question. When so much of a system is built on the backing of a single figure, what happens when that support is withdrawn? And is the sport ready to stand on its own?
