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Five years: Tales from the roadside

As we look back at the first five years of Team Sky we caught up with famed ‘super fan’ Rusty Morris to get his thoughts on the story so far.

As we look back at the first five years of Team Sky we caught up with famed ‘super fan’ Rusty Morris to get his thoughts on the story so far.

Along with his wife Kay, the retired UK couple have racked up the kilometres to support the team since its inception in 2010. 

From the cobbled classics to Mont Ventoux, the pair have been there and represent the passionate fanbase the team have been lucky to accumulate.

As he gets set for another season on the road, we talked to Rusty about what supporting the team has meant to him and his best memories from the roadside.

What were your first thoughts when you heard about Team Sky?

My initial thoughts were that it was great we had a British team which looked like it had the financial backing to make it stick.

We’ve had a few British teams in the past but they’ve not quite made it. But with a name like Sky it was obvious to me that it was going to get off the ground. They already had the credentials from on the track and the sponsorship of Team GB. It was a step up from that and it was a great feeling for me.

We’d been supporting the British riders on the continent for quite a few years. In 2009 I did a banner in support of David Millar, Mark Cavendish and Bradley Wiggins and they were all on different teams. It was great to have something to focus on and start to support. Our Belgian friends all had a team to pin their allegiance to and that’s what happened for us with Sky. It was great.

Rusty catches up with Chris Froome in 2013 at the world championships
Image: Rusty catches up with Chris Froome in 2013 at the world championships

What was the first Team Sky race you attended?

That would have been Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in 2010. We’ve done that every year the team has and we managed to see (Juan Antonio) Flecha win that year. It was great to be there for the team’s first classic win.

What do you enjoy most about going to races and supporting Team Sky?

I get great pleasure out of meeting the riders and seeing them before the one-day races. For example we’ll be parked up on the Haaghoek at Het Nieuwsblad and the teams come by a couple of days before. We get people shouting for us, even former riders. Last year Simon Gerrans was there with GreenEdge. We were having lunch and we heard someone shouting ‘Rusty, Rusty’. I went out and it was Simon and Mat Hayman. It’s lovely to see that. When we were parked up at Paris-Roubaix last year we went out on the scooter to get some shopping. When we got back there was a big crowd around the camper. I was thinking ‘oh god what’s happened here’ but when we got there, in the middle of the crowd was Flecha. He’d come to see if we were home.

Remind us what the registration plate is for your camper…

We’ve got a Sky registration plate now. It’s RK06 SKY. The RK is for Rusty and Kay!

Image: Bradley Wiggins poses with Rusty

What are some of the moments that stick out during your time supporting the team?

Bradley has been good to us over the years.

At Pau we were outside the team hotel like everyone else in 2012 during the Tour. The guys were getting ready to go for a spin on the rest day. I’d asked Bradley to sign a couple of bits I had and a yellow jersey I’d bought at a stall. We had a laugh and then he went on the bus to put his shoes on. The next minute he comes over with the yellow jersey in his hand. He gave it to me and said ‘here you are, it’s one I wore’. He’d signed it ‘To Rusty, thanks for all your support, Bradley Wiggins’.

We were there in Copenhagen when he was second at the world time trial. I had a big flag at the podium on two poles with his name on it. Then when he was being ushered away to do the press conference he actually broke away from everyone, turned round gave me a big hug and said ‘thanks mate’. Those little touches are really nice.

Flecha is another who has been amazing over the years. When I first introduced myself to Dave Brailsford at Amstel Gold in 2010 I had a big flag with his face on it. He walked around the back of the bus and came back with a long-sleeved jersey. He said ‘here you are you’re the first one to own a Sky jersey in Europe because you can’t buy these yet.’ That was something special.

At 68 you’ve come back from a serious back injury and seem to be cycling more than ever.

Last year I stepped up the cycling. I treated myself to a Dogma last September and I’ve finally got a riding position which is more like a racer. So I’m really chuffed with that. I’m just happy to have it all back after it was taken away 10 years ago.

This year I’m doing quite a few sportives. One I’m doing I emailed to [Sports Director] Dario (Cioni) and he said I’m crazy. It starts at 3am at the foot of Mont Ventoux in Bedoin. We ride Ventoux, then four other cols before finishing up with Alpe-d’Huez in the evening. It’s 265km and 7,600 metres of climbing. I’m going big! I’m hoping to do Liege with the Rapha guys. Rapha have been really generous to us over the years. They’ve kitted us out.

Come rain or shine Rusty is out there on the roadside with his banners
Image: Come rain or shine Rusty is out there on the roadside with his banners

It takes a lot of dedication to attend all these races.

What we do sometimes is a bit above and beyond. It’s hard work at times. Getting set up, putting all the banners up and banging in the pegs. Sometimes we look at each other and say ‘we’re crazy’ but we do enjoy it

We’ve got so many friends in Belgium and the social side has made it even more enjoyable. We do the cobbled classics with one group and the Ardennes with another. The Dauphine with another and then we all meet up for the Tour de France and the worlds.

Hopefully at 68 we’ll be able to continue but with the way I’m riding I don’t feel like it. We'll be out there again this year cheering on the guys!

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