Sam Fox completes journey from Launceston Mountain Bike Club to Commonwealth Games in Birmingham

The 21-year-old's rise through the ranks saw him rewarded for last year's under-23 national title with a ticket to Birmingham later this month, but he said Andrew Christie-Johnston was pivotal in his success.

Having launched the careers of numerous Aussie road cyclists, from Richie Porte to Ben O'Connor, the Hobart-based team owner, universally known as ACJ, opened Fox's eyes to his potential in the saddle.

Speaking from Europe after being selected alongside four-time Olympian Daniel McConnell and fellow debutant Zoe Cuthbert, Fox said it had been a dream journey from Launceston Mountain Bike Club events to a Commonwealth Games.

"I probably did not think I would get this far and it's only in the last year or two that the results have started to flow," Fox said.

"Big goals like this had not come into my head. But then ACJ said 'why not target Olympic Games or Commonwealth Games?' and it had not occurred to me at all, so it was nice to have his support and backing and belief.

"It is remarkable how much he puts into the sport and what he does behind the scenes of Team BridgeLane is mind-boggling. He just has this dream of Aussie cyclists making it on the big stage."

While riding for Christie-Johnston's Continental road team, Fox improved his mountain bike credentials, building on two junior world championship campaigns and an Australian all-schools title to win the national under-23 crown on home soil at Maydena last year.

This was followed with valuable experience in assorted under-23 races including World Cups, coming 19th in Brazil, seventh in Austria, 13th in Germany, 29th in the Czech Republic, 19th in Austria and sixth at La Thuile in Italy's international series with the next two World Cups in Lenzerheide, Switzerland, this weekend and Vallnord Pal Arinsal, Andorra, from July 15-17.

The Launceston-born former Trevallyn Primary, Riverside High and Launceston College student, who will turn 22 during the Games, said it was a steep learning curve.

"Cam Wright and Matt Dinham, a couple of South Africans who moved to Australia, had been giving me a bit of a beating but it was good for my development for them to keep pushing me.

"Now coming to the World Cups has made me see that it just takes so much work to be at the top. You think you're training hard in Australia but then you really have to step up when you get over to Europe.

"But it made me realise that the top is achievable - it's really not too far away. Seeing what these guys over here do, I can learn from them and push myself harder with each race.

"Making the Commonwealth Games is incredible and a dream come true. It was an early-season goal to tick it off and now to have that to look forward to is pretty exciting.

"I knew I'd had results to put me up for selection but it depends what the criteria are and how many they are going to send. That's why I raced in the elites as much as possible in Australia this year and why I came to Europe to race the World Cups."

Coached by John Gregory, a former elite mountain biker and now sports scientist at the Tasmanian Institute of Sport, Fox said reaching such dizzy heights has made him reflect on his progression.

"It will be nice to race in Australian colours and have international competition and great to compete against some of the biggest names in the sport," he said.

"As a junior, having the support of Launceston Mountain Bike Club and the Ferrier brothers (Ewan and innes), Alex Lack, they were all good friends. It was great having those guys around and great to see the love of the sport in the club level races.

"Riverside High School and Launceston College were also keen to support my athlete journey. At Riverside, they even let me ride to the university for exercise physiology instead of doing PE. That sort of freedom kept me excited and progressing."

Fox continues an impressive pedigree in Tasmanian mountain biking featuring Olympians Sid Taberlay and Scott Bowden plus Lack, Ben Bradley, Ben Mather, Row Fry and Izzy Flint who all benefitted from also racing on the road.