Rider Brad Evans is swapping the quiet streets of Dunedin and Mosgiel for the hustle and bustle of Melbourne for the next three months in pursuit of a professional contract.
The 22-year-old road cyclist leaves for Australia today and will join Pat's Veg Racing team to compete in the Australian National Road Series (NRS).
It is a cracking opportunity for the promising rider. Pat's Veg Racing is a development team for Drapac Professional Cycling, one of Australia's more successful pro teams. The racing in the NRS is very competitive and he hopes competing on the circuit will help take his cycling to another level.
''A lot of guys have come back from Europe and are actually in Australian teams now - guys like Jack Bobridge and other guys that have been on the world tour,'' Evans said.
''The level in Australia has come up and teams are really organised and a lot of commercial sponsors have come into it. The sport is really growing over there.''
Evans has been pleased with his form over the past 12 months. His highlight was a stage win on the Tour of Southland. He had some encouraging performances in circuit racing in the United States and he also placed 10th in the New Zealand elite road nationals in Christchurch last month.
Evans' role with Pat's Veg Racing is to use his speed and nail stage wins on the flat stages. If the sprinter can impress, then he hopes a professional contract awaits.
''My goals this year are to really step it up and, hopefully, get a professional contract at the end of this year. The team that I'm racing for is actually a development team for Drapac Professional Racing.
''They race a lot of races in Europe and America. They do all the big races and are looking at stepping it up and doing the Tour de France in the next couple of years.
''There is a pathway there and a pathway for riders to step up to the main team. It is the first year that they've actually had a development team but they do normally progress riders through.''
