Sprinter Myles Stewart has been dubbed a bit of a lightweight around cycling circles. Far from a slur on Kamilaroi and Wiradjuri man's riding ability, the reference is more about his size.
Stewart's 65-kilogram frame used to withstand a relentless mauling on the unforgiving rugby field before the mounting injuries finally took its toll.
Cycling now owes a debt of gratitude that the late convert to the sport can pedal away on a bike faster than he can evade tacklers defending the try-line.
That bumpy ride on route to a professional career years after most navigate their role on the road has given Stewart a unique insight how to fit into its obscure conventions.
"I suppose I am more of a sprinting kind of breakaway, climbing allrounder," he says.
"I'm a fair bit lighter than most of your bigger sprinters – well, in Australia, I certainly am. But I can still get over a hill, which being a fair bit lighter, as well as faster, is kind of a benefit.
"Those sort of harder races definitely suit me."
The 23-year-old – along with his accomplished younger sister, Bronte – have in almost every sense of the word come from elite cycling's wrong side of the tracks.
Against images of daring Aboriginal kids growing up on bikes, hurtling around local neighbourhood corners or to the backdrop of dusty outback dirt roads, the bush pair are sadly the only known First Nations wheelers currently on the Australian circuit.
There was no junior pathways, development squads nor state academies initially. Then when they reached the start line against their peers, they had to deal with those sideway glances.
"It was more about who you know," he says.
"My parents were never involved in cycling, so I had to start right from the bottom and work our way up.
"I only knew that I had to get results to get into better teams. It wasn't like we knew this guy or that. I know I've definitely have had to do it off my own back."
The wise heads are only now starting to nod in his direction and applaud all the hard work ahead a second ride in Europe over the next two months.
The cyclist from the rudimentary surrounds of the Wagga Wagga Cycling Club joined a new professional team, swapping Nero Continental jersey for the ARA Skip Capital one for five tours across France, Belgium, Netherlands and Denmark.
"The first time I went over with no expectations and basically just learn, so hopefully this year I can improve on what I did last year," he says.
"I have got some pretty good starts in some big races."
For the second year running, Stewart took out the fastest time of 2:44:42 in the John Woodman Memorial Wagga Wagga to Albury Cycling Classic less than a month ago.
This comes off credible finishes early in the new year in two of the three stages of the elite Bay Criterium in Geelong to finish the general classification sixth overall, while crossing the line in 12th place at the national championships in Ballarat days later.
