Fan who lent Tyler Farrar his bike to finish Tour Down Under given set of pro kit by team
New Zealander Anthony Tooman receives a full set of riding kit from Team Dimension Data after lending Tyler Farrar his bike and shoes


A roadside spectator who lent Tyler Farrar his bike and shoes so that the American sprinter could finish Tour Down Under stage three after a crash has been presented with a full set of riding kit by Team Dimension Data.
New Zealander Anthony Tooman had travelled to Australia to watch the opening WorldTour race of the 2016 season, when he witnessed Farrar struggling to get his bike to work after a crash.
>>> Fan gives Tyler Farrar shoes and bike after crash to save his Tour Down Under
Farrar attempted finish the stage on his damaged Cervelo team bike but found that it had a mechanical problem. With the road congested, Farrar found himself isolated from his team cars and without a functioning bike... until Tooman stepped in.
Not only did Tooman lend Farrar his De Rosa bike, but he also lent him his riding shoes as Farrar's own shoes were incompatible with Tooman's pedal system.
Team Dimension Data and Farrar both publicly thanks Tooman, and presented him with a jersey, shorts and cap as a gesture of their gratitude.
>>> “Nah, a wheel is not going to cut it” – spectator describes giving Tyler Farrar his $6,000 bike
Tooman posted a photo of the kit on Instagram, with the message: "@teamdidata above and beyond, appreciate the thought and efforts of Veit Hammer [Dimension Data PR); and yes it fits. Very positive experience. All the best for the future."
The team also posted a photo of Farrar with Tooman after the stage, as the spectator arrived to pick up his bike.
Farrar wrote on his blog on the Peleton Brief: "I couldn’t stop saying thank you over and over again. He saved my tour. I really didn’t want to come to Australia to do 2.5 days of racing. It’s a pretty cool look into how nice people in Australia are.
"He’s gonna love his new Strava record on corkscrew now. Thanks man!"
Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, n exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.
-
-
No joy for Yates after Giro d'Italia victory: five talking points from stage 14
Yates won the stage, but he wanted to win the race
By Stephen Puddicombe • Published
-
Men's Velocio LUXE bib shorts review
They're as good as the price demands, quickly becoming the go-to bib shorts
By Chris Marshall-Bell • Published
-
Extinction Rebellion planning to disrupt Santos Festival of Cycling
Activists will blockade routes on the race in protest against the title sponsor of the Adelaide-based event
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Postponed Tour Down Under and Cadel Evans races may take place ahead of September Worlds
The races, if the rumour is true, will be taking place before the UCI World Championships in Wollongong, Australia
By Tim Bonville-Ginn • Published
-
Fabio Aru officially signs for Qhubeka-Assos as he looks to reboot his career
Fabio Aru finally announces that he will be joining Qhubeka-Assos for the 2021 season after several transfer rumours went around
By Tim Bonville-Ginn • Published
-
'Cycling has been my life for 20 years': Enrico Gasparrotto calls time on his career at 38
Enrico Gasparotto has announced his retirement from professional cycling at the age of 38 after a very successful career spanning 16 years for eight teams, winning various races
By Tim Bonville-Ginn • Published
-
Tour Down Under TV guide 2020
Here's how and where to watch live video of the Tour Down Under
By Cycling Weekly • Published
-
‘I’m still coming to terms with what happened’: Nic Dlamini responds after having his arm broken by park rangers
Nic Dlamini says he’s still “coming to terms with what happened” after he was injured by park rangers during an altercation over Christmas.
By Alex Ballinger • Published
-
He may be missing the Tour, but don’t write off Mark Cavendish just yet
He may have missed out on selection for the Tour, but Mark Cavendish has made a career out of bouncing back
By Peter Cossins • Published
-
Tour Down Under 2019 route: Willunga Hill remains the pivotal stage amongst a host of sprints
A stage by stage guide to the 2019 Tour Down Under, the opening race of the UCI WorldTour (January 15-20), around Adelaide and South Australia.
By Michelle Arthurs-Brennan • Published