(Sean Quentin Lee is a freelance writer, cycling nut and BPL contributor.) 

Two years ago, Lance Armstrong went on a training ride through the Adelaide Hills with a small group that included Stuart O'Grady. He had chosen the Tour Down Under as his come back race and was acclimatising to the conditions in the days leading up to the event.

Also riding in that small training group was a young local kid who, a week later, would go on to launch several audacious attacks and excite onlookers in his first Tour Down Under. While it didn't steal the limelight from Lance, it did make people sit up and take notice.

Fast forward to Buninyong 2011, and the youngster has truly come of age. Jack Bobridge, one of the true rising stars of Australian cycling, went a step further to living up to his undoubted potential, by winning the national road championships in emphatic fashion.

A part of an early breakaway group of 12 riders, Bobridge kept going when others couldn't. As the lead group disintegrated, he maintained his advantage over the peloton and rode the last three laps of the gruelling circuit solo, blasting away the hopes of the chasing groups with a sustained attack up the slopes of Mt Buninyong.

Helped by teammates Travis and Cameron Meyer who were closing down attacks behind him, Bobridge stretched a 200-metre lead out to 40 seconds and managed to hold the advantage despite the best efforts of Simon Gerrans who made repeated moves to close the gap.

The ride down the final straight to the finish was one Bobridge was able to savour. With no danger of being beaten, he began his celebrations early, soaking up the atmosphere and thoroughly enjoying the biggest win of his career as he coasted to victory 37 seconds ahead of Matthew Goss and Gerrans.

Bobridge, however, is no stranger to the Buninyong circuit. In 2009 he rode to a double victory, winning both the Under-23 national time trial and the Under-23 road race championship. For the young South Australian rider to be able to step up to the next level as he did this weekend and perform with the poise and strength required of a pro-cyclist shows his development is heading in the right direction.

But those expecting to see Bobridge make his mark on the Tour Down Under next week will be disappointed. Although he will be a key rider for Garmin Cervelo, he will not be its protected rider. Team leadership will fall to American sprinter Tyler Farrer and Bobridge will become a domestique - a workhorse, so to speak - shielding Farrer from the elements and pacing him throughout the race.

This is the way of pro cycling, but Jack Bobridge's time will come. At just 21 years of age, his cycling career is only just beginning. It won't be long before he will have his own domestiques. Nothing is surer.