Cameron Meyer's victory reminds him he belongs in professional cycling after long summer

IT WAS the victory Cameron Meyer needed to remind him his endless summer was almost over and that he belonged in the professional peloton in Europe.

Cameron Meyer

IT WAS the victory Cameron Meyer needed to remind him his endless summer was almost over and that he belonged in the professional peloton in Europe.

While Meyer one of international cycling's most exciting prospects battled a saddle sore injury at home in Perth for the past two months, the WorldTour rolled on overseas without him.

On Sunday rather than racing the world's best, Meyer took on the top domestic riders in the Oceania Championship road race in Canberra.

Everything pointed to a Meyer victory.

A multiple track world champion, former Tour Down Under winner and Australian cyclist of the year but with that came pressure and expectation.

The 25-year-old knew he would be a marked man but 3hrs 50mins and 150km later, he delivered.

The race was on from the word go, Meyer got in the early breakaway and after 2500m of climbing, he out-lasted Australia's best under-23 rider Damien Howson.

It was a telling victory which showed that despite losing the start of his season, Meyer had lost none of his class and belonged with the big boys.

"I was a little bit nervous on the start line because some of the teams had six to eight riders and I was there by myself and I knew tactics would come into it,'' he said.

"I'd only really been training the last two or three weeks so I knew I was underdone, but to go there and get the job done and show some form gives me good confidence before I head over to Europe."

A fifth-year professional, Meyer admitted it felt strange to be left in Australia while the rest of the peloton - including his brother Travis opened their international seasons.

"I've definitely got itchy feet,'' he said.

"It was such a long process, I didn't expect it to be that long and neither did my doctors and support staff.

"I've done everything I possibly can to get ready in the shortest amount of time and watching all these races I want to start my season now."

He finally gets his chance in a fortnight when he leaves Perth to race the Tour of Turkey.

He was initially down to ride the Giro d'Italia in May but that looks certain to be scrapped in favour of the Tour of California/Tour de Suisse double.

"Just because I might not be ready to handle a three-week (Grand Tour) after so much time away from racing and off the bike,'' Meyer said.

"I'm quite happy with that program switch, realistically I don't think I'm ready to race a Grand Tour in May.

"I did California and Suisse last year and I really like those races. I was 11th in California so I'm looking forward to going back and trying to improve on that.''

Meyer said he was now riding ``basically pain-free'' but would continue to monitor his condition.

"I'm still a little bit cautious but to be able to race 150km the other day gives me confidence that I'm nearly ready to head back into the peloton,'' he said.