Cycling: Whaka to Tucson and Armstrong

Sam Bewley will split his time between the road and track this year. Photo / Getty Images

A childhood spent hammering his mountain-bike pedals along the trails of Whakarewarewa forest near Rotorua has earned Sam Bewley the respect of cycling great Lance Armstrong.

The Olympic team pursuit bronze medallist is back home briefly for some relaxation before next weekend's road nationals in Christchurch, having had the call-up to Armstrong's Radio Shack pro-team in October.

The 22-year-old has just completed a training camp with the seven-time Tour de France winner in Tucson, Arizona. That included a day haring around shingle trails on wider tyres and more suspension - perfect for a rider who cut his cycling teeth on the forest trails near Rotorua.

Armstrong was so impressed with his rookie's ability that he was said to have complimented him between clenched teeth, "you're not a bad rider".

Bewley admits he was "giving it a nudge" but the comment has been enough to let the 22-year-old know he's doing something right in the fledgling stages of his professional career.

"Dealing with Armstrong is pretty 'next level' for me, that's for sure," says Bewley. "He was always a hero of mine. When I was young, I used to sit up watching the Tour de France, hoping he'd win every year, which he did.

"I met him at the start of last year and thought he was intimidating, just like he makes out in the media, but after spending a week with him at that training camp, I now think of him as more of an inspiration. Certainly he's Lance Armstrong and you have huge respect for what he's done in the sport and for cancer, so you always think twice about what you're going to say to him, but I think that's why the team has a great aura and believes they're going to succeed."

Bewley is also working with team director Johan Bruyneel, a man who has masterminded nine Tour de France victories - Armstrong's seven and Alberto Contador's two.

"You can't ask for a better proven combination than Johan and Lance, they've done what no others have ever done. So for me and some of the younger riders it's like: 'We're here with Johan Bruyneel, if we can't develop and be better cyclists under him, then we're never going to do it'."

It's small steps for the time being. Bewley says he will be carrying a lot of water bottles in races as a domestique (a rider who supports the senior riders; the stars) this year when the team races in Europe and the United States. It is a job he regularly performed in helping Hayden Roulston to his three Tour of Southland victories.

"I had a meeting with the directors when I was at the training camp about my year ahead," says Bewley. "They said 'Sam, we know you're young so we're not going to smash you'. That allayed a few fears because you see young guys come into teams in the biggest races in the world and they get beaten into the ground so much it affects their future careers.

"This team's not like that. They're not going to burn me early doing stupid races I can't handle yet. I will spend the year learning off riders who have been around for years."

Bewley says the grand plan is to be riding the Tour de France by at least 2013.

"It could be possible in 2011 that I get to ride the Tour of Spain or Italy but I definitely won't ride the Tour de France, probably until after the Olympics. That's sensible. Everyone who goes is the world's best, they're primed and have been training for a year to do those three weeks. When you're my age, you're not mentally or physically prepared."

Part of Bewley's contract means he's freed up at key times of the year to return to track cycling, such as March's world championships in Denmark and October's Commonwealth Games in Delhi.

The support of BikeNZ and Sparc to allow Bewley to make such a seamless transition is not lost on him.

"A lot of money is injected and it's starting to show with the team pursuit's improvement to a bronze and Roly's [Roulston's] silver in Beijing. It's given us a massive boost that we can get gold in London."

But for now it's been a chance to head to the beach for a couple of days over Christmas before getting back into training for next weekend.

"I haven't got too many expectations. If I can give it a nudge I will, but the calibre of racers is getting better every year in New Zealand. The next generation are backing up what's gone ahead.

"Now I've gone to the pro-tour ranks it signals another transition. Next year we could have a couple more guys going to the pro-tour [fellow Olympic bronze medallist Jesse Sergent from Bewley's same Trek/Livestrong under-23 feeder team is expected to be one of them]. Over the next 3-5 years we could have up to 10 riders competing professionally in Europe."

Bewley has decided he will live in Nice this year, near fellow Kiwi riders Roulston and Tim Gudsell.

"I want to be around those guys, especially Roly who has been an inspiration over the last few years. There are going to be tough times, when I'm almost literally going to need a shoulder to cry on, but they've done it for a few years now so know what they're doing."