BIOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION / Bradley McGee Upfront

Bradley John McGee. Born Sydney on 24.02.76. Spent his childhood chasing elder brothers Andrew, Craig and Rod into many different sports and activities from soccer to water-skiing, hiking, cross-country running and eventually to cycling at the age of 10.

In his early years Brad was known as the ‘runt’ of the litter. With his talented brothers leading the charge he simply watched, noted and learned before finally hitting a growth spurt at the age of 16. Now it would become time for the little ‘runt’ to show his ability.

Completing his NSW Higher School Certificate in November1993, 1 month after taking a gold and bronze at the Junior World Cycling Championships, Brad did not take up the customary 1 week party on the Gold Coast, to ‘complete’ his high school years. Instead Brad was on a plane, the day following his last exam, bound for the Australian Institute of Sport Track Cycling unit in Adelaide aged 17 years 9months.

This was to be the true beginning of his ‘elite’ cycling life. Three days into this newfound life Brad was to complete a 240km training ride in the Adelaide Hills – over 100km further than he had ever completed in his life! Life was to become a sink or swim affair under coach Walsh’s regime.

Inside the A.I.S, Brad soon displayed incredible adaptation to the increased workload and also produced incredible physiological results, namely with Oxygen Delivery to the working muscles and lactate tolerance, from the battery of testing completed.

Surviving these early days Brad was to accumulate a swag of successes during the following 4 years.

Highlights of this success include:

Another two World Junior Championship Gold Medals - 1994

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