Great scenes: Moore is held aloft by the Stamullen gang after his 2005 Ras stage win
He may have been gone from the Irish cycling scene for a number of years, but 2005 FBD Ras stage winner Bill Moore is about to make something of a return; on your TV screens all the way from New Zealand.
The former Stamullen rider has been living in the Rotorua area on New Zealand’s north island in recent years where he has returned to his dairy farming roots.
RTE ONE’s ‘Ear to the Ground’ TV series recently went out to New Zealand to do a special programme on Irish people working in the agricultural sector there. Moore is featured at length on the programme which airs tomorrow evening, Tuesday, at 7pm.
“My dad is a farmer and I was an agri rep for four years,” he told stickybottle from his New Zealand home.
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“I used to milk the cows before I went to races and when I came home when I was younger. But then I got into selling, and farming took a back seat. But I'm dairy farming 550 cows here now.”
Moore has been in New Zealand for almost three years and is planning to branch into buying livestock next year. He has been involved in contract work in recent times.
He lives in New Zealand with his South African wife Anke, whom he met a number of years ago when racing in South Africa.
She is a former world champion at Xterra; triathlon involving off road cycling and trail running. Moore has been busy in recent years, not only working but also keeping fit with running and triathlon since leaving his road cycling days behind him.
“I got injured last year and have just returned to the MTB. I’m starting running again soon and doing Xterra in April and the Rotorua Marathon.”
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He says his experience of life in New Zealand so far has far exceeded his wildest expectations.
“I’ll be here for the foreseeable future.”
A very strong rider in his racing days, Moore pulled off a fantastic and very memorable win in the 2005 FBD Ras on the final stage in the Phoenix Park. He got the jump on the peloton on the last corner and had the strength to hold them off all the way to the line. He captured a great win that really flew the flag for all of the county rider ‘Men of the Ras’.
Anyway folks – don’t take our word for it, check him out tomorrow; RTE ONE 7pm ‘Ear to the Ground’.
The programme was shot by a New Zealand TV crew on behalf of RTE. Some Irish staff from RTE, including presenter Darragh McCullough, flew out to be part of the filming and production process.
Moore with some of the unusual vegetation in New Zealand
In the bag; that winning feeling in the Phoenix Park, FBD Ras 2005
