Japan keirin changes Shane Perkins' life cycle

AUSTRALIA'S fastest track cyclist, Shane Perkins, has revealed Japanese keirin racing saved his cycling career and stopped him joining the army.

Shane Perkins

AUSTRALIA'S fastest track cyclist, Shane Perkins, has revealed Japanese keirin racing saved his cycling career and stopped him joining the army.

Disillusioned with the sport in 2009 after missing the Beijing Olympics and being told to leave the Australian Institute of Sport program, Perkins submitted the paperwork and passed an initial entry test for the army.

"I had a qualification in personal training and level one coaching but I wasn't sure I wanted to be part of the sport any more," Perkins told The Advertiser.

"I looked at my options and thought I still want to represent my country. I thought I could offer a lot and learn a lot in the army and it was a wage for me to provide for my family."

But a week later he received an invitation to race the Japanese keirin series for two years, which reignited his passion for cycling and helped him become world champion in 2011.

"It's got a lot to do with why I keep going back to Japan," said Perkins, who is currently in his fourth season of Japanese keirin racing.

"I persevered for a long time, to a point where I had made the decision (to quit cycling) and then life throws you a helping hand which I took and ran with.

"It basically saved me and gave me a lifeline in the sport of cycling."

Adelaide-based Perkins' journey from former cycling bad-boy to world champion and London Olympian - as well as his Japanese experience - is detailed in a documentary to air on SBS2 next weekend (May 26).

Titled Ryokou, the doco is the first time an Australian film crew has had access to the high-stakes Japanese keirin series.

"It was a great opportunity to show people a little bit about Japanese keirin and give people an insight into my life story as well, which hasn't been all roses," Perkins said.

Perkins is racing alongside Australian Olympic team-mate Scott Sunderland in Japan, where they are vying for big prizemoney in front of crowds who bet on the action like horse racing.

"It's like NFL footballers on bikes - everyone wears pads and big helmets so it's a mixture of boxing and NFL together," Perkins said.

"There are headbutts thrown and they're throwing their bikes on the edge of crashing.

"You've got to think quite quickly and it can get pretty dangerous, which is why the padding is used."

Perkins, 26, had shoulder surgery in January which kept him out of the world championships.

He then tore his quad on the comeback trail but said the enforced physical and mental break had been a blessing, allowing him to recover properly and spend more time with his family.

He has slimmed from 93kg to 88kg but is producing the same power and speed on the bike.

He will race in Japan for the next two weeks before heading to Malaysia to earn qualification points for Australia to race the UCI World Cups later this year. Ryokou airs on SBS2 on Sunday, May 26 at 6.30pm.