Australian cyclist Cameron Meyer returns to competitive racing after four month retirement

FOUR months after succumbing to the rigours of top-level cycling, Australian Cameron Meyer announced his return to competitive racing.

Herald Sun Tour winner Cameron Meyer with the winners trophy. Picture: Michael Klein

AUSTRALIAN cyclist Cameron Meyer is back on his bike four months after his shock decision to step away from the sport and a professional contract to deal with personal and motivation issues.

The 28-year-old from Perth was released from his WorldTour contract with Dimension Data in June because he said he could not meet the demands of the sport at the top level.

But on Tuesday night he broke his lengthy silence - which extended to even his social media accounts - to tell News Corp he was returning to racing in London this month and had set himself a long-term goal of competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Meyer will race the London Six Day event on the velodrome from October 25-31 and the start of the track world cup season with the national team which he hopes will catapult him into the Australian summer.

He will be pushing for a wildcard spot with UniSA-Australia in the Santos Tour Down Under (TDU) in January - having won the TDU overall in 2011.

Cameron Meyer (R) and Jack Bobridge during the Australian Road Cycling Championships. Picture: Michael Klein

Last year he won the Jayco Herald Sun Tour and started this season strongly by finishing second at the national championships in Ballarat and then posting a competitive 12th-place finish in the TDU.

But he suddenly quit cycling in June and spent two months off the bike re-assessing his career.

He remained in Europe, did some sightseeing and acted like a “normal human being rather than a professional sportsman” in what was the longest time he’d spent off the bike since he started cycling at the age of 12.

“I knew I got to a point where I needed it (cycling) and I still wanted a future within the sport,” Meyer said.

“But I just needed time away to really pinpoint where my future was going to be and where my motivation and passion lied and I wasn’t able to do that while still fulfilling a road contract in Europe.

“It was personal issues and I couldn’t pinpoint why it happened at that time or the exact reason, it basically bubbled down that I knew I needed time away to assess where I wanted to go.

“Around the public and media’s view it seems like a comeback but to myself I just needed a break.

That’s a big seat, Cameron! Picture: Michael Klein

“I didn’t have an obligation as to when to start back on the bike, it was just let it happen and let that motivation to get up in the morning and start training towards a goal return.

“And I guess when I stepped back on the bike after my break my motivation and passion came back pretty quickly.”

Meyer is one of the best all-round cyclists of his generation and his spot in the London Six Day marks a return to the track where he is a six-time world champion in three different events.

He has also ridden all three Grand Tours and in 2013 finished the Tour de France with Orica-GreenEDGE.

He plans to combine his track commitments with road ambitions over the summer.

“I love the track and in terms of getting those first steps under way of re-joining the Australian team, there was a good chance of riding the London Six Day and first world cup (in Glasgow the week after) all in preparation for trying to make the Aussie team for the world championships next year.

“That (Tokyo) would be the main goal and I knew I had to commit maybe a little bit earlier than guys who had already been in the track program the last couple of years.

Cameron Meyer leads the peloton during the Herald Sun Tour. Picture: Michael Klein

“I have to learn a lot, there are new things these young guys are doing that I haven’t even heard of so it’s about getting that process started now.

“Everyone thinks I’m going to be a track rider and yes that’s where some of my priorities lie in terms of the Commonwealth Games and Olympics, but I still have goals I’d like to achieve on the road.

“I’m sure this coming summer will be no different, I’ll be trying to be competitive and if I can race those (events) TDU and Herald Sun Tour, that’s what I hope to do.”

Meyer has never been prolific on social media but has not even Tweeted, or given an interview, during his time away from the sport.

“I knew that in that time off the bike I had to make sure there wasn’t a lot of outside influences that would maybe push me to a decision or anything, so I just took time away and personal space,” he said.

“And I let the time take care of when I was going to get back on the bike and what those goals and ambitions are exactly.”

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Originally published as Australian cyclist Cameron Meyer returns to competitive racing after four month retirement