Neo Cycling is made up of a group of passionate cyclists and supporters who are keen to develop cycling skills, in particular in young riders.
Our club was founded in 2015 by coaches, mechanics, commissaires and ride leaders with a combined total of over 100 years of experience in developing novices into competent riders.
Gay Watson
Co-Founder & Former Head Coach
Gay is an accomplished rider and accredited coach, having spent many thousands of kilometres on a bike, herself, as well as sharing her coaching skills with a huge number of athletes. Gay has a deep understanding of junior development and what it takes to develop and prepare riders physically and mentally for racing, at all levels. She has worked in many aspects of the sport and has written several research articles on junior cycling, focused on ‘age related effects’ and ‘burnout in junior sport’. Gay is passionate about increasing participation in cycling, especially with young girls. Gay is also a dog lover (Bernese Mountain Dog) and knows her way around a pair crotchet hooks.
Accreditation
Sport and Exercise Scientist specialising in Coaching and Sports Performance.
AusCycling Accredited Cycle Coach Road and Track, Austcycle.
Cycling Commissaire.
New Zealand Sport Psychology Association.
First Aid.
Education
Post Graduate Sport and Exercise with Distinction: Research, Coaching and Sports Psychology.
NZ Institute of Management Diploma,Project Management, Event Management.
Strength and Conditioning.
Experience
20 plus years of Junior Development and Coaching specialising in Cycling program development, Event Delivery and Coach Development.
Competed in NZ Masters Games in Road and MTB.
Medals in both NZ Masters and South Pacific Masters Individual Time Trial.
Women’s Master A grade Road Race.
Event Manager for Bicycle NSW for two years, including development of Gear up Girl, delivery of NSW Big Ride and Spring Cycle.
Achievements
2010 Club Person of the Year Auburn Council.
2013 Club Sports Person of the Year – Finalist, Auburn Sports Awards.
2013 Team of the Year-Junior Girls Race Team Auburn Sports Awards.
Articles on Age Related Effects in Male Youth Cycling, Burnout in Junior Sport, Age Related Effects: What this means for Coaches in Junior Sport.
9 years employment in Australian Sports Commission,Sports Participation.
Stelio Pappas
Co-Founder & Events Organiser
Stel (and the whole Pappas family) is an enormous contributor to the club and leads the organisation of all of our events and is often seen riding the motorbike for motor-pacing on Thursday nights. Stel is a former rower and competitive cyclist, on road and track. He is the father of three girls in the club and is passionate about all things cycling. Stel can also talk a leg of a chair, so don’t get him started… unless you’ve got a while.
Accreditation
Bicycle NSW Master Ride Leader.
AusCycling Commissaire.
Advanced First Aid.
Experience
Bike Commuting to work since 1998.
Leading ride groups with a focus on novice rider development since 1999.
Spring Cycle since 2002.
Road and Track Racing since 2007.
Working with juniors since 2008.
AusCycling Commissaire since 2013.
Event Director 2013, Junior NSW Metropolitan Track Championships.
Event Director 2014, Junior NSW Metropolitan Track Championships.
Event Director 2014, Junior Tour of Sydney.
Event Director 2016 to now, NSW InterSchool Cycling Road Schools Cup.
Event Director 2016 to now, NSW InterSchool Cycling Road Student Championships.
Event Director 2016/2017 to now, NSW InterSchool Cycling Track Schools Cup.
Event Director 2017 to now, NSW InterSchool Cycling Track Student Championships.
Achievements
2012 RAW Track Division 4 Points Series Champion.
2013 RAW Track Hillbrick Challenge Italian Pursuit Team – Runners Up (rider)
2013 Club Sports Person of the Year – Finalist, Auburn Sports Awards.
2014 Club Sports Person of the Year – Finalist, Auburn Sports Awards.
2014 RAW Track Hillbrick Challenge Italian Pursuit Team – Runners Up (organiser)
2017 RAW Track Club Challenge – Top Three (organiser)
2018 RAW Track Club Challenge Italian Pursuit Team – Runners Up (organiser)
2019 RAW Track Club Challenge Italian Pursuit Team – Runners Up (organiser)
Ian Watson
Co-Founder & Club Mechanic
What Ian doesn’t know about bikes isn’t worth knowing! We’re incredibly lucky to have Ian on hand to keep the club’s fleet of bikes in such great condition and make thousands of adjustments each year to our kids’ bikes, as they grow. Ian loves riding bikes and has done it all, from road, to track, to mountain bike. With Gay, Ian runs Kids on Bikes and has helped thousands of kids and adults to learn to ride a bike. He’s always up for a chat and laugh and ever willing to generously share his incredible knowledge of the sport.
Accreditation
Cycle Coach Level 1 NZ
AusCycling Coaching Accreditation Road and Track, Austcycle Coach.
First Aid.
Experience
15 years Junior Development.
Bike Building and Cycle Mechanics.
Schools Cycling Sports Coordinator NZ.
20 years riding MTB, Road and Track.
Operations Manager for Bicycle NSW including planning and delivery of Big Ride and Spring Cycle.
Achievements
2011 Club Sports Person of the Year – Finalist, Auburn Sports Awards.
Experience
Over 20 years.