In 11 years as a pro cyclist, the Tasmanian established himself as one of the sport’s top sprinters.

A world championship medallist on both track and road, he enjoyed 17 major wins, highlighted by the one-day classic Milan-San Remo in 2011 along with stage victories in the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a Espana, Paris-Nice, Tour Down Under, Tour of California and Philadelphia International.

But having tasted success on four continents in a globe-trotting career that featured half a dozen different teams, nine Grand Tours, 15 classics, the 2006 Commonwealth Games and 2012 Olympics, Goss is loving life back where he grew up on the West Tamar.

“It’s a slower pace and I’m quite happy with that,” he said.

“After a decade on the road it’s nice to come back and settle back into a normal life.

“The Tassie winter is not too bad when you don’t have to ride every day. You can just turn the temperature up a bit at home.”

“It’s nice to have plenty of space for the kids and not living in an apartment which I did for so long.”

Asked what he had been up to since retiring in 2016, the 31-year-old father-of-two replied: “Not much, working with a few bike companies and living a normal life. And I’ve just got back from dropping my daughter at school.”

It was to be one of the many friends he made in his pro career that dictated the next direction in Goss’s life.

Stuart O’Grady had a front-row view of the race which announced the teenage Goss to the Australian cycling community.

Already an established Olympic track champion, the South Australian thought victory was his when he entered the final straight of the 2004 Launceston Classic. 

“I was pretty sure I was going to win until a little bloke came flying underneath me,” O’Grady told The Examiner in 2016. 

“Outsmarted by a bloody teenager. I would not have even been in the same photo!

“He was only a kid and I thought ‘God who is this little bloke?’ But I helped him get his first contract and have been part of the journey until the last few years.”

O’Grady, whose career was destined to include a record 17 consecutive rides in the Tour de France, helped Goss join Team CSC in 2007 and the compatriots have remained close friends ever since.

“I was chatting to Stuey on the phone a month or so before this year’s Giro d’Italia and he was telling me about these pro rides he does and I offered to help out,” Goss explained.

“I wanted to get back into it and he said they could do with my help. I went along and really enjoyed it.

“Afterwards I said if they wanted me to do more I was happy to get involved and they messaged back and I think I’ll do a lot more with them.”

Organised by Melbourne-based Mummu Cycling, the tours enable cycling fans to experience big races in the company of former competitors.

“We’re there to take people on rides around the course and get to tell them stories about our experiences.

“You get to have a few more pizzas and beers than we were allowed when we were competing and it’s a lot more relaxing. It’s a very different way to see it and you really get to enjoy the spectacle more. I loved it and really want to do more.

“At the Tour de France there are only a handful of officially licensed tour companies and people get to ride the course, go to the podium area and have access to the village depart.

“It’s great access and because we’ve got good relations with the team directors we get to chat to them and the riders and try and make it a really unique experience.

“They do the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, the classics – all the big races – and then also these pro weekends where they get current or ex pros to lead rides in their own backyard.”

Mummu Cycling is offering three such tours with O’Grady and his brother Darren leading one around their native Adelaide in December, Michael Hepburn introducing the delights of Girona in Spain on November 16-18 and Goss leading the way across Northern Tasmania from November 9-11.

Information on the company’s website states: “Our hosts will be sharing first-hand knowledge and guidance on technique, racing experience, training and nutrition advice, as well as assisting with any personal cycling goals throughout the weekend.”

Goss said he couldn’t wait to get the ball rolling.

“We get to showcase where we train and what we do,” he said.

“I can talk about the fish shop ride, the Scottsdale loop and combine that with showing off Tasmania’s great wine, food and produce.

“It’s all about having an enjoyable ride and then enjoying a good meal.

“Having one here in Tasmania will be really cool. We’ve got incredible restaurants and rides and it is being tied in with the Launceston Criterium so we can watch that after the ride and have a nice meal at Josef Chromy’s. It’s a pretty good package.”

Basing himself in Monaco, Goss enjoyed his best years alongside the likes of Mark Cavendish at HTC-Columbia from 2010-11 before joining fledgling Australian team GreenEDGE from 2012-14 followed by year-long stints at MTN-Qhubeka and ONE Pro Cycling.

His career came full circle in 2016 when he retired in the race that launched his career – the Launceston Classic – alongside the Sulzberger brothers, Bernie and Wes, who all began riding together as Flowery Gully neighbours a generation earlier.

Now settled in Riverside with wife Sarah, daughter Zuri, four and a half, and nine-month-old son Ari, the former Exeter High School student said he had no desire to return to competitive cycling but was relishing the opportunity to stay involved in the sport.

“​The extra weight made it a bit harder on some of the mountains but it’s a lot slower pace and good motivation to get training again.

“I don’t want to go back to cycling. I enjoyed it while I did it but now I can enjoy watching.”

More details of Goss’s ride can be found at: www.mummucycling.com

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