When the starter’s gun goes this Sunday night to set the international field on their way in the Bendigo International Madison, it will continue a tradition for the McCaig family.
Alan McCaig who ran the first Madison in this city on December 11, 1970 under the banner of the Bendigo Lions Club has held a lifetime interest in the sport.
Two years later the Apex Lions carnival began its long association with the event and some outstanding cyclists have graced our city for the great race.
Our newsmaker has seen many great races at the Tom Flood Sports Centre in his long association with the sport and by 1974 the first of the international riders came out to take on Australia’s best.
For Alan there has been no better performance on the track than who he witnessed  in 1981.
“Danny Clark was at the peak of his career and he suffered a fall at the southern end of the track and the referee at the time Tassie Johnson actually penalised Danny Clark two laps,” Alan said.
“That decision set up an amazing race as Clark chased the field down not once but twice.
“We always knew a cyclist of his calibre could do something special and he did on that night.
“It is the only time I have ever seen the big crowd rise united to give a standing ovation to the race winner – it was just something so special,’’ Alan said.
Alan, 68, has lived all his life in this city, his dad was a miner and mum a housewife.
The eldest of nine children, Alan lived in Myers Street before the family moved to McIvor Road and in 1956 they moved out to Eaglehawk.
His early school days were spent at Gravel Hill Primary and then the Bendigo Junior Technical College before attending the School of Mines.
Alan McCaig has always been interested in plumbing and his first job was with the firm of J.G. Gerrand.
Then he set up his own business working from home back in 1961.
“I went in to business about the time of the credit squeeze,” he said.
“I had no burning desire to be my own boss  but it certainly gave me an opportunity.
“I was barely 22 years of age at the time.
“As the business grew I moved to Garsed Street and then in 1979 set up business in Lyttleton Terrace where we stayed for 27 years.
“More recently I set up new premises at Strickland Road in East Bendigo,’’ Alan said.
Our newsmaker has no thoughts of retirement and he stills calls in to work on most days and he loves the continued growth of Bendigo.
But our newsmaker is quick to point out that there are many challenges ahead for us all and none more important than water.
“Without water we are going to be severely curtailed with development,” Alan said.
“We live in one of the fastest growing cities in the country and when you only have to look at how much Kangaroo Flat has developed in recent times.
“Ten years ago you could not give land away in that area and yet now it is absolutely booming.
"Generally I think Bendigo will keep on growing but water is going to be a huge problem,’’ Alan said.
At this busy time of the year Alan is combining his business interests with his sporting passion and he makes time for both.
He would dearly love to see the Madison continue to grow each year and he is thrilled at the recent announcement from the council and the state government that spectator facilities at the Tom Flood Sports Centre will be upgraded in the very new future.
The Bendigo Madison is now well known all around the world and each year teams from across the globe make their way here to contest the big race.
On Sunday night there will be riders on the track from Argentina, the Netherlands, Canada and the USA .
But in the recent Olympic Games the Bendigo International Madison has been very much an Australian affair.
This weekend that tradition is set to continue.