One of Canberras newest world champions admits he would give anything to compete at an Olympic Games, but James Williamson is not expecting a call from the International Olympic Committee any time soon.
When the Olympic cross-country mountain bikers start their campaign for Beijing gold tonight, Williamson will be glued to his television screen.
He is good friends with current Australian Olympic team member Daniel McConnell and will be watching intently as he takes on the cross country course.
But after Williamson won his first world 24-hour solo mountain bike championship in Canada at the end of July' the 25-year-old does not expect his endurance event to be made an Olympic sport.
''I can't imagine a 24-hour race being in the Olympics,'' Williamson said. ''Just because it is so long and you know what the Olympic people will think, 'why do we need a 24-hour race if we already have mountain biking?'.
''If anything is going to get in, it will be marathon mountain biking but I think that's not really a chance either.
''I do feel like I might be missing out on something, but I still love doing my endurance events.''
A month since claiming his world title Williamson is still recovering and does not expect to be back in competition for at least six weeks.
Chances are you probably pass him every morning on your way to work as he goes on one of his regular five hour rides around Canberra.
You could pass him in the street and you would not know how hard he works to maintain his status as one of the world's elite riders.
The twists and turns, mud and hills on the courses he rides every day mirror the road that took him to his world championship title but it has not been easy.
Williamson only started riding because his uncle convinced him to do a three-week 1500km ride. Before that, he was a 'high-school drifter'.
He finally thought he had found some meaning to his life and he knew what he wanted to do until quitting the sport when his mother, Leigh, died after a cycling accident in 2003.
The last thing Williamson wanted to do was to get back on to a bike.
''I thought, what's the point?,'' he said.
''I took it back up at the end of '03 but I quit again and I just didn't want to do it I hated it.
''As I dealt with mum's death, I just realised I do really love riding. ''Mum made me more motivated and I'm sure if she could see me now she'd be happy that I'm enjoying my riding again.''
It took a phone call from a friend to pester Williamson into helping him win a 12-hour race to get him back into competition.
Five years on and he has kicked his fast food habits but said his world champion status was still sinking in.
''I'm not an athlete, I'm just a dude that rides and loves it,'' he laughed.
AUGUST 30-31
2008 UCI Mountain Bike World Cup: Stromlo Forest Park including Cross Country Round 8, 4X Round 6 and Downhill Round 6. Entry is free.
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