It can be incredibly difficult not to fall in line with the narrative of doom and gloom, instead of celebrating the good things that come and go so quickly in life for those who work so hard to get there. 

New Zealand’s very own Finn Fisher-Black scored his first professional win yesterday after the UAE Team Emirates rider triumphed in the opening stage of cycling’s Tour of Sicily.  

If you haven’t managed to see the footage of just how remarkable the final minutes of this Nelson cyclist’s stage win was, it’s well worth the watch.  

Finn Fisher-Black rode away from the field on the final climb of the 159km stage to take the win, with teammate and fellow Nelsonian George Bennett coming in ninth. 

The 21-year-old has had a tough climb to the top having come back to elite level after breaking his leg last year.  

At my age, I’m freewheeling down the far side of being a middle-aged man in lycra, who still loves to think he can keep up with the peloton on a decent road bike; but Finn is in the upper echelon of cycling with a bright future ahead. 

I wonder how many talkback calls and conversations at cafes were dominated by the celebration of Finn’s success at the top of the world cycling stage yesterday? 

It’s hard not to get bogged down with the drudgery of everyday life when that’s all many of us focus on given the reality of living costs in 2023.  

But isn’t it fantastic to see New Zealand on the world stage in a sport frequently dominated by other nations?  

Well done Finn Fisher-Black. Here’s hoping that your cycling future is all tail winds, yellow jerseys and slipstream assisted glory from here on! 

How many of us have become the purveyors of political propaganda, rather than being proponents of what’s good in the world?  

Why does the impending doom of official cash rate hikes and crystal ball-anticipated recession so easily overpower these moments of sporting glory?  

It’s hard to not be drawn into the demonstrable downturn in everyday living; and changing that mind-set is easier said than done.