BENDIGO'S rising cycling star Isaac Buckell didn't have to venture too far to get to the Tom Flood Sports Centre velodrome on Thursday.
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The complex is just a short walk from where he goes to school at Bendigo Senior Secondary College.
He will be back there again on Sunday when the 17-year-old takes on some of the biggest names in Australian cycling at the McCaig Dalkin Bendigo International.
Buckell and teammate Godfrey Slattery enter the prestigious race as national under-19 madison champions, having clinched the title in Brisbane last weekend.
While the duo entered that race with high expectations, that won't be the case this time round, according to Buckell.
"It will be an awesome experience racing against the big boys; I'm not expecting too much, just to go out there and stay out of trouble," Buckell said.
"Hopefully we get an alright result, but it's more about learning off the big boys.
"There's 16 teams ... top 10 would be good. We'll give it our best crack."
The Bendigo and District Cycling Club youngster admitted to being slightly intimidated by sharing the track with international stars like six-time world champion Cameron Meyer, and Olympians Sam Welsford and Callum Scotson, riders he tagged as idols.
Meyer yesterday wished the young pair well and urged them to foremost enjoy the experience.
The field also includes a swag on overseas riders from the Netherlands, Germany and for the first time Japan.
But he expects those fears to vanish by the time the race starts at 8pm on Sunday.
"It will be good rubbing shoulders with these guys," he said.
"We raced the national madison and the elite madison at Hisense Arena; it's pretty much the same group of riders."
It's shaping a s a busy year for Buckell, who is equally adept on a road or mountain bike.
He will contest the national mountain bike championships next weekend and hopes to qualify for the world track championships, to be held in China in August.
