Under the Auld Pump: Warrnambool cyclist Luke Aggett is preparing for his next big ride

Wife: Harriet. Child: Daniel.

Parents: Garry and Julianna. Sibling: Rachelle.

Education: Jamieson Street Primary School Warrnambool before attending Brauer College Warrnambool.

Sporting highlight: Riding in five Melbourne to Warrnambool Cycling Classics..

What were the years you rode in those five Melbourne to Warrnambool Cycling Classics?

They were in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, and the last one was in 2011.

My best performance was to finish 30th in 2008. I was eight minutes behind the winner, which I felt was not a bad result.

I had a crash in 2007 - not far from the start, which was really disappointing, but it made me keen to take part in the 2008 event.

Take me through riding in a Melbourne to Warrnambool Cycling Classic. What are your memories of your first ride in the classic in 2006?

I had been training for 18 months. I was working for the Moyne Shire at that time, and I was lucky a good mate of mine, who was a very good cyclist, David Tozer, was working with me at the shire.

We both lived in Warrnambool but would ride our bikes to work in Port Fairy - four days a week.

It was a great way of putting a good grounding into your legs, riding 60kms a day to work and back, but I was doing over 450km a week in the lead up months to ride in my first Melbourne to Warrnambool in 2006.

It's a massive commitment to say you're going to ride in the Melbourne to Warrnambool.

My crew in 2006 consisted of my dad Garry and my late uncle Peter Krenz.

It was a wonderful experience to ride in my first Melbourne to Warrnambool but to have them around me made it even more special.

I'm trying to think, but I reckon the 2006 Melbourne to Warrnambool started at the Werribee Golf Club.

I got to about 230kms in the race in 2006, and I really started to struggle fitness-wise, but in 2008 and 2009, I was a lot fitter.

One of the highlights of those five Melbourne to Warrnambool rides is you receive a medal if you finish within two hours of the winner. I've got five medals, which is special.

Was your diet a big thing when you rode in the Melbourne to Warrnambool in 2006?

No. It was not as big as it is today.

In my opinion, cyclists really only started to think about their diets in 2015.

Cyclists found they had to stay healthy, eat right and don't drink too much grog.

There's no way you could have a big night on the grog on a Saturday and then turn up for training on a Sunday and ride 100kms.

The training is not about the kilometres you put in; it's about the time you spend on the bike.

The reason I make that comment has to do with weather conditions.

It can be really windy some days and that has a big impact on how your training is going.

Why did you stop riding in the Melbourne to Warrnambool races after your fifth one in 2011?

Probably the easiest answer to that question is work and family took over the decision-making.

As I said previously, it's a huge commitment to ride in the Melbourne to Warrnambool.

Have you got ambitions to ride in the Melbourne to Warrnambool ever again, or are those dreams in the past?

Good question. It's been in the back of my mind, but I'm focussing on riding in The Big Ride for a Big Life, which is on February 3.

The bike ride starts at Warrnambool's Civic Green and covers 285km before ending up at Docklands in Melbourne.

I think there are close to 100 cyclists who will start at staggered times taking part in the fundraising ride.

The Big Ride is a great way to support Big Life.

Cyclists fundraise a minimum of $500 each with the overall aim of $100,000.

Every dollar goes to delivering Big Life in local schools.

The ride started off with 25 riders back in 2020, and that grew to 50 in 2021, and it looks like 100 will take part in 2022.

The ride requires resilience, perseverance and sacrifice - all qualities that help with living a Big Life, that is strengthening the mind.

It's for a very worthwhile cause.

Big Life was formed in response to the ever-increasing wave of mental health issues presenting amongst school students and now works at eight fantastic schools - Warrnambool College, Brauer College, Woodford Primary School, Grasmere Primary School, Koroit and District Primary School, Woolsthorpe Primary School, Merrivale and Warrnambool West Primary Schools.

How did your career start in cycling?

I would have been 16 years old back in 2003 when I took part in the Great Victorian Bike Ride.

I had been playing junior footy with South Rovers but was never going to make it on the footy field.

The bike ride started out over at Portland and worked its way up to the Grampians before going into Central Victoria.

I just loved being outside riding the bike.

I went back and played a bit more footy with South Rovers and then I joined up with the Port Fairy Cycling Club when I was 17 years old and my interest in the sport continued to grow to where it is today.

Luke, away from the cycling, a few months ago, you took up the job as sponsorship and marketing manager at the Warrnambool Racing Club. How is the job going?

I'm loving the job.

We came back home to Warrnambool in September after working in Melbourne for a couple of years.

I had been working in sports wagering and I really love the industry.

Let's say there are no two days the same at the race club.

We've got a great team, who are working hard behind the scenes trying to make sure when people come to the races or attend social functions at the racecourse; they have a great experience.

We're already planning for the 2022 Warrnambool May Carnival and it's going to be a massive event.