Leigh Hoffman: Q&A with the ARA Australian Cycling Team

Leigh Hoffman is one of the fastest men in Australia on a bike and arguably the fastest team sprint starter in the world right now.

The 23-year-old from South Australia is a member of Australia's formidable men's sprint team, which includes Matthew Richardson, Thomas Cornish and Matthew Glaetzer.

In 2022, he was an integral part of that quartet who broke a decade-long drought for Australia to become team sprint world champions in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, defeating the Netherlands.

In the gold medal final, Hoffman proved just how quick he is by posting a blistering first lap time of 16.949 to Netherlands’ 17.468, and setting up his teammates Richardson and Glaetzer who would go on to win the race in a time of 41.600. 

It's no surprise that historic victory stands as one of Hoffman's career highlights. 

Read on to get to know more about ARA Australian Cycling Team athlete Leigh Hoffman.

What is your full name? Leigh Andrew Hoffman

Nickname? Hoffy, Hoff, the Hoff

Age: 23

What is your hometown? Whyalla, South Australia

What is your home club? WhyallaCC

Tell us about your family. Being from Whyalla (the steel city) both my mum and dad are fitters and turners and work at the steelworks, and my brother is a road cyclist and an electrician.

What's your favourite movie? Terminator 2: Judgement Day

Best concert you have been to? DZ Deathrays in Adelaide, 2019

What's your cheat meal? Meat lovers pizza

What's your coffee order? Flat white

What's your ideal holiday? Camping anywhere in South Australia

When and how did you learn to ride a bike? My dad was a motocross rider so I wanted to get a motorbike from a young age but the rule was I had to learn to ride a bike first, so at 3 I started riding a pushbike.

How did you get into the sport competitively? The Whyalla velodrome was about 2km from my house so I started there, then went to Adelaide to race and beat all the Adelaide kids.

What's your favourite place/track to ride? Why? Probably Brisbane, the track shape is great and smooth, and the conditions there are always quick

What's your favourite event? Why? Individual sprint, putting down a 200m time then racing 1 onto 1 is my favourite event

Who is/was your sporting idol? Gary Ablett junior

What has been one of your career highlights? Winning the team sprint world championship in 2022, we came in as underdogs and won gold and broke a 10-year drought in men’s team sprint.

What do you hope to have achieved by the end of your career? 3+ Olympic Gold medals and 10+ World Championship titles.

If I wasn't a rider/cyclist, I'd be ... In the Army

Read more ARA Australian Cycling Team news here.