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THERE HAS BEEN A LOT OF PRESS ON AUSTRALIA’S
NIKI GUDEX IN THE PAST FEW YEARS AND IT IS FAIR TO SAY SOME
OF IT HAS FOCUSED ON HER GOOD LOOKS. ALTHOUGH NIKI IS AWARE
OF THE FACT THAT BEING A MODEL HAS CREATED A LOT OF INTEREST
IN HER, NIKI WOULD MUCH RATHER BE KNOWN AS A MOUNTAIN BIKER
FIRST. I MET NIKI IN SANTA MONICA, CA AND TOOK THE TIME TO
FIND OUT WHERE SHE HAS COME FROM, HOW SHE GOT STARTED IN THIS
INDUSTRY, WHAT DRIVES HER SUCCESS AND WHAT EXACTLY “PUSHKA”
IS.
While Niki is an Australian citizen and
her accent has that certain Australian way about it, asking
Niki where she is from is not necessarily a simple question.
While her family is originally from New
Zealand, Niki Gudex was actually born in England. She became
an Australian citizen in 2001 after living there for most
of her life (about 15 years). She went to University in Sydney,
studying graphic design, but her first ever years of school
were actually in America (she began school in Rochester, upstate
NY).
Niki began riding at a relatively late age of 20 after a terrible
snowboard injury where she broke her back while practicing
back flips in Sweden.
Cycling seemed to be a practical way to
get back into shape, plus it seemed like a whole bunch of
fun to her. With nothing but a two day old bike and not a
soul that she could call to find out about the sport, she
rang up the bicycling federation, who told her that there
was a race on that weekend. Unsure of how to find trails and
people to ride with any other way, she took up the adventure.
Armed with a new bike and no real riding experience, she took
a train out to the middle of nowhere and entered the race.
Thus begins the story of a successful mountain bike career
on the road back from injury.
Did you start
riding first or modelling?
Well, I started modelling first. I started riding relatively
late which wasn’t really a conscious choice, it was just
how it turned out. I had never heard about mountain biking
until I was 20. I used to think that I had a disadvantage
against some of my competitors. But I actually believe that
having done so many different sports when I was growing up,
most of them involving balance, actually gives me a wider
range of experience to draw on. So now I just need to be patient
and work on building up my strength to complement that.
How did you get
your start in modelling?
I started out when I was 16 and did that for a few years while
I was at school. When I graduated from school I travelled
to Sweden and went to snowboard school intending to stay there
for a few years. In the far north of Sweden, modelling was
certainly not something that I pursued. It was all snowboarding
and skateboarding and taking in the Swedish culture. Although,
when I found myself back in Australia after only 12 months
I got back into it. It was a good way to earn some extra money
and it was actually something that I had missed.
So how did you
start riding?
One day towards the end of the snow season when the snow wasn’t
very good, I ended up taking a bike for a ride. I decided
to take a short cut through the bush on the way back instead
of the road and it was actually pretty fun. It ended up being
a real ordeal. I was alone, the pedal broke and I was partially
lost for a few hours, but it was a great experience. I went
into a bike shop to get a replacement pedal and the guy working
there asked if I raced bikes. That was the first I had heard
of mountain biking and within a week I spent the money I had
been saving for a snowboard trip on a nice hardtail.
You just went to your first race with no training or preparation?
How did you do?
I didn’t know anyone that rode bikes, nor did I know
where any trails were, so I decided that going to a bike race
would be the best way to find both. It is actually very comical
when I look back on it. I was definitely a bit naïve.
It was a really hot day (over 40 degrees Celcius) and with
my limited experience I didn’t know that you carried
water and food with you. So dressed in skate shoes, cargo
shorts and a t-shirt with no food or water bottle, I started
my first XC race. I actually think I started hallucinating
half way through because it was so hot. That was my second
time out on a mountain bike on the dirt. I gave everything
I had, it hurt but it was fun.
From there I went to a National DH round
that was on that next weekend. I had spent so many years around
the snow, so at first the crazy idea of going back to the
same mountain in the summer actually sounded like a really
fun thing to do once someone explained the idea of taking
the chairlift to the top of the mountain. This time I raced
DH and I ended up winning the beginner class. I was then was
convinced by some friendly riders to go to the National Championships
that were on that next weekend. I came third in Sport women
which actually made me the fastest girl in Hardtail class.
The organizers had selected the parts that most suited each
person that won. I had been using SPD pedals with normal skate
shoes, so I won some flat pedals and some different tires.
I think it is the little things like that where people help
each other out that makes mountain biking such a great sport.
6 years later I still remember getting those pedals and the
difference they made!
Within about six months I had decided to upgrade. I spent
everything I had on a proper DH bike.
What made you
transition from downhill to XC?
In 2000 when the Sydney Olympics were on, it was not far from
where I live. It was so amazing to see all of the World’s
best mountain bikers racing. I still remember the pass that
Paola made on Marga that caused the crash and gave Paola the
lead, it happened right in front of us. But at the time I
never even considered that I would be racing cross country.
Two years later, in about 2002 I started to consider trying
cross country and then slowly began the changeover. I never
really planned to transition; I planned to do both. But the
more that I do XC the more I realize it’s not realistic
to try and do both. I found that I could do alright doing
both, but if I want to achieve my objectives and become competitive
at the highest level in XC, I really do have to focus. I honestly
don’t know how people in the past like John Tomac were
successful at both. You give everything when you do an XC
race and it makes it tough to race downhill the next day.
What North American
events have you been in thus far?
This Park City NORBA race will be the first of the season
for me this year. The Australian National Championships conflicted
with the dates of the 1st NORBA round. I had so wanted to
win the Nationals so that I could race in the green and gold,
but after a 2 hour battle with Emma Colson I missed out by
half a minute…
What races this year will we see
you in?
I will be racing the middle 4 races of the NORBA series this
year and the Mt. Ste. Anne World Cup and the Angel Fire World
Cup. From there I am going to Germany in August and I’ll
possibly race some European events such as a SwissPower Cup
leading up to the World Championships in Italy. I am actually
really disappointed to be missing the NORBA finals in Mt Snow
because I love the track there so much, so much sweet single
track, but it is the weekend before World’s so I think
it is a bit too tight to squeeze it in.
What differences do you see between
the Australian and NORBA’s and World Cup racing circuits?
All three are completely different, but I enjoy them all for
what they are. In Australia we still have a strong field,
so the competition is good but it is a much more relaxed environment.
The courses are more technical than many of the NORBA courses
with much more single track. We also have many other elements
such as logs that you have to hop over. If you can’t
log hop, you would lose a lot of time in an Australian race.
The NORBA series is much bigger, with bigger
teams and much more support from the product manufacturers.
The field is much stronger and the courses are generally at
altitude which can be a bit of a shock to the system when
the highest point in Australia is only about 6000’.
But the World Cups are what I absolutely
love. The courses are challenging, the competition is fierce
and you truly know that you are competing at the highest level
when you are at a World Cup. It is the World Cup that I would
most love to do well at.
Would you say
there is a big talent difference?
Definitely. The World Cup attracts the fastest riders, riders
that are strong, have great skills and race hard. Without
taking anything away from the individual riders that make
up the other events, as there are great riders at all of them,
all things considered it would be fair to say that the Australian
competition would rank 3rd in this list and the NORBA competition
somewhere in the middle.
Give me a brief
description of home life. Being on the road so much I assume
you are rarely home.Tell me what that is like for you.
When I am home, mostly I spend a lot of my time training;
I train pretty hard because I’m trying to build up strength
and endurance which is going to take a few seasons for me
to get to where I want to be. So I train and I rest, I train
and I rest, and I answer email and I do work stuff. I spend
time with my friends and my cat, I love my cat! I love my
friends too!
What’s your
cat's name?
Pushka.
Pushka?
Pushka is a Burmese and I am pretty sure he thinks he’s
a dog. He loves to go for rides in the car. If you open the
car door you have to be careful or he will jump in and make
himself comfortable on the passenger seat. He just loves to
go on an adventure, if you open a back pack he will jump in.
You can pick up the back pack and go for a walk, a small ride,
what ever. He doesn’t jump out, he just loves an adventure.
I like to think that he gets that from me….. I miss him
when I’m gone. Often when I head out for training he
will follow me up the drive, then sit and see me off.
How would you
market Niki Gudex to the sponsors out there?
I am not sure how to answer that question. What I have tried
to do is pursue those areas of my life that I enjoy, and I
do believe that at times they can feed off and complement
each other. As far as marketing to sponsors, I do try to understand
what a sponsor’s objectives are and I do attempt to help
those that support me to meet their own objectives in every
way that I can. But above all I want to be a successful cyclist.
I am focused on improving as a rider and to continue making
incremental improvements. But I also want to have fun along
the way.
I think that sponsors like to know that
you are going to be around for the longer term before they
invest in someone. If I can continue to improve, the long
term picture should be more stable. So it is clear what my
focus needs to be and I believe that I am on track.
What percentage
of your time do you spend modelling versus racing?
I do a lot more racing than modelling. I’m a bike rider
for sure.
Does either one
concern or conflict injury-wise? If you were to ever not race
anymore would you fall back on the model career? Does one
take away from the other?
I guess they could potentially take away from each other?
But life is complicated and dangerous anyway. If you think
about things too much you might end up wrapped in cotton wool
safe in the comfort of home, but where is the fun in that?
Pursuing a cycling career at the same time as a modelling
career was not part of a long term plan. It is simply how
things have evolved and I have been lucky that they have not
conflicted with each other. If there comes a time where I
have to choose, I will choose cycling.
If I was to no longer race, I think that
I would become more involved in a creative pursuit of some
kind. Whether modelling would complement that I have no idea,
but no, I would not become a full time model. Modelling in
isolation to me doesn’t sound as fun and to be honest,
I am not tall enough for it to completely pay the bills.
You’d show
up to a photo shoot with a huge shiner?
(Laughs) I’ve actually been pretty lucky, I really actually
don’t like crashing at all if I can help it. (laughs)
Gee, you’re
one of the few!
(laughs) I see people crashing all the time and I think they
must like it. Because you can see someone crash and sometimes
you think they could have actually saved it.
I think Josh
Bender does…
That guy is insane! He’s crazy!
I rode horses as well for 6 years when I was young and there
were times when I was whipped on the horse and I thought,
I don’t have to fall off. I knew that I could try to
stay on. On my bike I’ll do anything to stay on and it
happens quite often people where people will say “wow,
that was a good save.” I think “well yeah, I didn’t
want to fall off you know!” After I broke my back I realized
I can’t really afford to go down. I’m not any more
susceptible to bigger injury now, but I am much more aware.
I want to go as fast as I can and injuries just set you back.
Where do you
see yourself in five years?
Racing my bike!
Top of the World
Cup podium?
Hopefully! That’s definitely where I’d like to be.
One word answer:
What does it feel like being named one of the World’s
100 Sexiest Women by FHM four years running?
Funny.
List your sponsors…
Oakley, SRM, Intense Cycles, Roeckl gloves, Ritchey
NIKI QUIZ - Is
it really Australian?
Outback Steakhouse?
Yeah, it is Australian.
Foster’s
Beer?
I don’t drink it, I drink vodka (if anything).
Steve Irwin (the
Crocodile Hunter)?
Isn’t he American? (laughs) Just kidding. Yeah, he’s
cool; he’s actually done some good stuff in Australia.
New Zealand?
I love New Zealand! My parents are from New Zealand.
Is Australia
an island or a continent?
Well, an island sounds more romantic. (Pausing) Yeah, An island
sounds more fun, more like a holiday so, yeah, I live on a
holiday island. Hmmmm, wouldn’t that be nice!
Favorite Australian
musician?
Too many… music festivals in Australia are always really
good. But I do always like to see girls who are independent,
like Amiel.
Favorite music
type?
Alternative / Punk generally. But that depends where I am.
Rennie or Hill?
Awww, that’s not fair!
Lowe or Rownie?
Oh, Lowe’s an up and coming guy and Rownie is a great
guy too so, same as Rennie vs. Hill. You can’t ask me
Aussie vs. Aussie! As long as they’re on bikes they’re
all good.
Beach or the
Outback?
(no hesitation) Beach!
Elle MacPherson
or Rachel Hunter?
Angelina Jolie (Ed. Note…SCHWING!!!)
Have you ever
seen a platypus? Do they really exist?
Yes, of course!
Mexican food
versus Asian food?
I love Japanese and I love Mexican.
If I wanted to
visit Australia, where is one place I HAVE to go?
Sydney.
Give me a closing
quote…
Have fun on your bike, that’s what it all comes down
to.
Thanks to my sponsors, my family, my boyfriend, and everyone
else who makes it possible to ride.
Throughout our conversation, Niki
had many stories to tell. This one had to take the cake of
all that I have ever heard.
One thing about traveling and training is that it can be hard
to find suitable places to train. One day I had a particularly
long road ride to do and so I found a road similar to the
roads I train on at home, unlimited miles with no cross traffic
or traffic lights so I was good to go. After about 30 minutes
I heard a car siren coming up along side me, it was actually
a police car and he asked me what I was doing. Well, back
in Australia you can train on basically any road out there
as long as you are out of the way, on the side in the shoulder.
So I was unsure why he had stopped me. Luckily he heard my
Aussie accent and realized that I honestly didn’t know
I shouldn’t be training there. He sort of chuckled and
told me that those roads were only for motor driven cars and
definitely not bicycles. So I no longer train on the interstates
in the US.
Profile: Mike McFayden.
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