Also known as ‘The Racing Kangaroo,’ Haussler will be honoured after a flagship season as a cyclist that saw him graduate from an athlete with promise to an Aussie superstar with his win in Stage 13 of the Tour de France at Colmar – where he has lived and trained. The reception will begin at 4pm.

Haussler was born on February 25, 1984 in Inverell. He is a German-Australian road racing cyclist who races for UCI Professional Continental team Cervélo TestTeam.

Haussler was born to a German father Heinrich Sr. and Australian mother Wendy and raised in the Sapphire City, before his father sent him to Germany in 1998 at age 14 to pursue a dream of being a professional cyclist. Amid great protestations locally the Haussler family remained adamant about their goals and now they are having the last laugh.

“It was always Heinrich junior’s choice and he wanted to be a professional cyclist,” said his father Heinrich Senior.

“He could’ve stayed here or done whatever he wanted but it was his goal and he gets all the rewards for his determination and resilience.

“And now he is in a position to help the sport locally.”

Haussler junior turned professional in 2005 and shot to prominence instantaneously with a stage win in the prestigious 2005 Vuelta a España. It was the arrival of a champion in the making and yet he had not finished there.

His resume makes for impresive reading. In 2009, where he has so far had eight wins and three seconds, the sky is the limit for the 25 year-old. This was further underlined at Colmar.

Welcome home Heinrich!