The name Alex Dowsett first appeared on the 'chrono radar' when he took the British junior time trial championship in 2005.
It was a title he successfully defended the following year, to add to European junior successes in the prologue of the Ster van Zuid-Limburg and TT stage of Tour du Pays de Vaud. By 2008 the man from Essex had claimed the British U23 title against the watch.
The jersey remained his in 2009 and a solid 7th place in the world U23 time trial championship announced that he had the ability to perform on a bigger stage than just the UK domestic one.
This year saw Dowsett ride as a member of the prestigious Trek-Livestrong U23 team. He won the European time trial title in Turkey in July, then headed into the 2010 World Under 23 time trial championship in Melbourne as one of the hot favourites. However a slow bike change ended his medal dreams.
The 22 year-old bounced back onto the podium at the Commonwealth Games time trial in Delhi, taking silver behind David Millar and ahead of bronze medallist Luke Durbridge of Australia.
Dowsett recently took time to chat to VeloNation about the latter part of his 2010 season and his plans for 2011. He’ll be racing as part of Team Sky, and is looking forward to moving up a level into the pro ranks.
VeloNation: Congratulations on the Commonwealth Games silver medal, Alex. It must have felt good to beat Luke Durbridge?
Alex Dowsett: Definitely; he was less than two seconds behind Phinney in the U23 Worlds TT at Melbourne. And the Delhi course suited him, it was all about power.
VN: What was your programme between the Europeans and the Worlds?
AD: I went back to the States and rode the Cascade Classic where I was second in the prologue behind my team mate Jesse Sergent (New Zealand) and 7th in the time trial behind Ben Day (Australia & Fly V).
But I only got my new time trial bike 10 minutes before the race; my original bike fell off the car roof rack! I also won the last stage of the Cascades; I broke away and won on my own.
Then I won a criterium in Denver, I cleared off early and stayed away.
After that I rode the Tour of Utah, I was second to Taylor Phinney in the prologue and on second on stage one to David Tanner (Fly V & Australia); the second day I held all the jerseys - but I lost them the next day on a mountain stage.
I came back to England after that and then it was the Tour de l'Avenir where I was second in the prologue to Taylor - again! - and held the yellow jersey on day three but lost it next day in the mountains.
VN: What about the Games time trial?
AD: It was a very British course, flat, out and back. It was windy, behind you to the turn then a fight on the way back. On the way out I went hard but I was conscious that the race would be won on the return leg.
I was on the 55 x 11 and 12 virtually all the way out - I was only three seconds down on Millar at the turn. The way back was very hard, especially in that heat, riding in heat like that is like riding at altitude - you can't let yourself go into the red or you'll never recover.
VN: How was the 'Delhi experience?'
AD: There was a lot of security but it's better to be safe than sorry. The organisation got a lot of bad press but it wasn't deserved - the accommodation was liveable, it's not like we were on our holidays, we were there to do a job. Riders like Millar, Davis, Cavendish and Roulston all went; that speaks for itself.
VN: You were on a Trek Speed Concept - a nice tool…
AD: Yes, they gave me it after my TTX fell off the roof. I'd just won the Euros so they thought I deserved an upgrade. It's maybe awkward to work on but it's fantastic machine.
The results I've had on it speak for themselves - in a time trial it's you and the wind but the bike feels good and handles well.
VN: Did the local press make much of a fuss over your Games medal?
AD: No! I went straight to the Chrono des Nations; David Millar won it and I won the U23, so it was a good day out for the Brits. I got home from the Chrono des Nations at 03:00 am and the drug testers arrived at 06:00, I had a bit of lunch and was off to train for the European team pursuit championships.
It was just something I wanted to try, I was fast enough once we got up to race pace but didn't have the speed off the line. I did it with London in mind but the time trial will be my target there.
VN: Puncture? Rolled tyre? Clipped pedal? - what's the real story about the Worlds?
AD: I clipped a pedal on bad camber taking a corner at 50 kph. I was pedalling through the bend - the Speedplays encourage you to do that - and I just pushed my luck too far.
When I grounded the pedal, the rear of the bike lifted and when it came down on to the tar at an angle it rolled the tyre.
The mechanic got stick about changing bikes instead of wheels, but there was no sign it was a puncture so he thought it was a mechanical and a bike change would be best. I was two seconds up on Taylor Phinney when it happened; I wasn't there to finish in the top ten and once I'd been off the bike I knew my chance was gone.
I've had a lot of support since from Dave Brailsford and Rod Ellingworth and they reminded me that I had three goals this year - win the Europeans, win the Worlds and gain a pro contract.
I've achieved two of them, and it might have been three had it not been for that incident. But it's the Worlds - you have to push the limits.
VN: Did Radio Shack offer you a pro contract?
AD: Yes they did and I'm very grateful to them, but the problem is that it was only for one year. I didn't want the prospect of being a first year pro and out of a job at the end of the year - a two year contract gives you much more peace of mind.
VN: Are you a tad nervous about joining Sky?
AD: Yes! We had the first get together recently and I'm staggered by the professionalism of the team…you just don't appreciate how well run it is.
VN: Where will you be based for 2011?
AD: Essex; I'll fly in to where ever we're riding - maybe towards the end of the year I'll re-assess and living in Girona is possible. But I just want to concentrate on getting through my first year without thinking about moving home.
VN: How is the programme looking?
AD: I'll be riding in the Tours of Qatar, Andalucia, Murcia and California; I have eight time trials before the end of June.
VN: Do you get another crack at the U23 Worlds TT?
AD: No, I'll be riding the Elite race in 2011, I definitely want to be there on start line at Copenhagen; it's a stepping stone to London 2012.
VN: What will make 2011 a success?
AD: I'd like to win the British Elite time trial champs; do a solid ride at the Worlds; settle in with the team and at the end of the year be satisfied with how it went.