I’m living 100 per cent for cycling

Manama : After a year of battling with a knee injury that refused to go away, Bahrain-Merida’s Heinrich Haussler has a new perspective on his career. 

The 33-year-old Australian is not yet ready to give up the sport he’s been doing for so long and says he’s all in for 2018.

I’ve been a pro 13 years and there have been a lot of years where you’re not so serious and you let things go a little bit. I see things differently now and I’m absolutely living for the sport 100 per cent,” Haussler said.

“I’m not that old but it has been the worst year of my life. More mentally than anything else. It’s not just about not being able to race but not being able to ride your bike.

“After experiencing what I have this year, I’d like to ride until I’m 41. You miss it and it’s not just racing with the team, it’s going out and riding your bike down by the river or going for a coffee ride.”

Haussler arrived at the Bahrain-Merida team training camp earlier this month a little bit ill - an occupational hazard when you have two small children - but it’s a massive improvement on where he was 12 months ago. “This time last year I couldn’t ride a bike,” he explained.

Despite his knee problems, Haussler had hopes that he could be back in time for his favourite part of the season, the Classics.