EILEEN ROE admits that racing for top cycling outfit Wiggle Honda is a “dream come true” after she enjoyed a stunning debut in Australia at the weekend.

The 25-year-old from High Valleyfield capped a memorable year on the bike by joining the prestigious outfit last month in time for the start of summer racing Down Under and in her first event at the Launceston Cycling Festival in Tasmania, claimed a second place finish in the Symmons Plains Raceway Kermesse on Saturday before taking third in the Stan Seijka Launceston Cycling Classic on Sunday.

After winning the 2014 British Criterium Championship, finishing fourth in the RideLondon Grand Prix and representing her country at the Commonwealth Games, Roe was approached by Wiggle Honda Pro Cycling managing director Rochelle Gilmore to race for them in 2015 and Roe told Press Sport that joining a team that counts Olympic Champion Dani King and Commonwealth champion and Olympic medallist Nettie Edmondson among its number was “the icing on the cake”.

She said, “It’s a fair comment to say that 2014 has been the best season of my career to date but I can’t say that the success has fully sunk in yet. Obviously my target of the year was to ride Glasgow 2014 and win the British Criterium championships. Having won two silver medals two years in a row at the British Criterium championships it gave me real drive to win the famous red, white and blue stripes and when it eventually happened it’s one of the happiest moments of my career.

“Rochelle must have seen something in me that has potential which is obviously a big confidence booster. I’m really excited about joining Wiggle Honda as, without sounding too cheesy, it is a dream come true for me. When I was younger I wanted to become a part of the GB track squad or become a professional bike rider and I still can’t believe it’s happened. I’ve been really lucky through my career to date with so much unconditional support from so many people who told me I had potential and believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. It shows that with hard work, the right support and self-belief that reaching your dreams can happen – even to a wee lassie from a small mining village.” Despite her meteoric rise in cycling circles, Roe remains modest about her achievements and is relishing the opportunity to race in Australia, where she will be based until February after leaving West Fife at the end of last month.

She continued, “After the RideLondon Grand Prix where I finished fourth to the biggest names in women’s cycling Giorgia Bronzini, Marianne Voss and Lizzie Armistead, I was heading on a girly holiday the day after with Katie Archibald and Charline Joiner and I got a phone call from my dad saying Brian Smith - one of the founders of the Braveheart Cycling Fund (from whom Roe received funding) had news that Rochelle had an offer to be a rider for her in 2015 and I had a couple of days to make a decision. At this point I hadn’t even sent out a cycling CV to other teams so to be approached by such a successful team was definitely a surprise.

“But it wasn’t really a hard decision to make but I’m not getting ahead of myself and complacent. I’ve got my foot in the door but there’s lots of hard work ahead and being on a team with such amazing athletes getting picked for races will be tough. Considering I’m new to the squad, and was nervous about meeting and racing with the ‘wigglettes,’ I’m really pleased with the results; especially considering I’ve just come from a road block back in Scotland.

“Whilst over here in Australia I have the best opportunity to have the best base and start to the year I’ve ever had. Being able to train in the sun & warmth is already an advantage to people trying to do the same thing in the UK - although the heat is a massive challenge to a pale white lassie from High Valleyfield! But I have the best set-up in regards to support this year and next with Wiggle, being on Braveheart Cycling Fund and having recently partnered back up with my old cycling coach James McCallum. I can’t wait to push myself and try to achieve the very best and fulfil my potential.”