Greg Thomas lives in Gwynneville.
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He and his wife, Tracy, have two kids - Poppy and Louis.
Greg, a former Tech Tahs rugby first-grader, works in the mines.
When he realised a work-free week coincided with the UCI 2022 Road World Championships in Wollongong, he volunteered at the event.
But that wasn't all. He threw himself - and his family - into all things event and bike-related.
But even that wasn't enough.
Now he's enlisted friends family and even strangers to share his passion - at The Clubhouse on Australia Alley.
Now, in his own words ...
I have to be honest, I've never been much of a bike person.
This week it's fair to say I'm the self-appointed unofficial ambassador of UCI Wollongong 2022. How did I reach such lofty heights in cycling fanaticism in such a short time? Read on.
It all started with my neighbours and the 'Dutch Corner', where the UCI track turns from Gipps Rd onto Braeside Ave.
They adorned the barricades in front of their house in all things orange, they dressed in orange, rang their cow bells and cheered on the Dutch riders.
Firstly I thought that it was unfair that our beloved Aussies weren't getting the same treatment, but more importantly - this looked like it was going to be fun!
Australia Alley, home of the Gipps Rd Clubhouse, is now the beating heart of the Australian team's fan base. It's the drop-in centre for friends, family and passers-by who are keen to get into the spirit of the world championships.
A quick trip to Spotlight and the louvres of our house are now covered with the rainbow colours synonymous with Wollongong 2022.
The bitumen of Australia Alley is covered with Australiana chalk artwork (we've also thrown a flag in for the Ukrainian riders, too, because we all love Ukraine).
I'm fairly certain our collective group is a large reason Trek is selling out of cow bells every day. As riders fly past they are welcomed in and sent off again to the symphony of cow bells and the thunderous roar of The Clubhouse crowd.
With a short delay on the TV streaming the Stan Sport coverage, we have spotted our toes on the TV numerous times - sometimes a torso and have even been lucky enough to see some of our cheering faces. The audible cheers or sighs from the numerous kids is the indicator as to whether we've made the TV or not.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity for our family and our town. We live on a busy street that is usually too busy with traffic to use. With road closures we made the decision to bunker down, rip in and enjoy the moment.
Australia Alley and The Gipps Rd Clubhouse is for our community and our neighbours - an opportunity that we normally wouldn't get.
The kids have an appreciation and excitement for bike riding that they wouldn't have otherwise had, they ride on the road in front of our house once the races are done and the roads are still closed.
Long after this race is gone, I look forward to being a self-appointed bike-riding family.
GREG THOMAS, Gwynneville
