Jack Bobridge used "cycling code" to organise the sale of hundreds of ecstasy pills, a court has been told, as the Olympian's trial got underway this week.

Bobridge was charged two years ago with drug dealing and today appeared in the Western Australian District Court accused of being involved in the supply of ecstasy between March and July 2017.

The jury were told that Bobridge supplied the drugs to former champion cyclist Alex McGregor, with McGregor selling an undercover policeman 10 pills in a Perth bar and then becoming a focus of "Operation Inception".

The policeman paid $300 for the drugs and then stayed in contact with McGregor, purchasing pills three more times over the next three months.

McGregor is a self-confessed drug user and was a witness at Bobridge's trial today, with Bobridge's lawyer declaring McGregor "a liar".

"Mr Bobridge never supplied drugs to McGregor, ever," Bobridge's lawyer said. "Mr McGregor is a liar, he has done a deal with the prosecution and as a result of that deal has got 40 per cent off his sentence, so he's got a great deal at stake."

Speaking as a witness, McGregor said he met Bobridge in 2014 through cycling, and that their relationship progressed to becoming friends and "then we turned into selling drugs together. It pretty much went to the extreme".

McGregor went on to say he was drinking in the early hours one night in March 2017 with Bobridge when the pair made a "deal" that McGregor would sell ecstasy pills supplied by Bobridge to people he knew in the clubbing scene in Perth.

Over the next few months McGregor would go to Bobridge's cycling studio and pick up bags of pills, eventually dealing in such quantities that it was easier to communicate using "cycling code" on a messenger app.

If McGregor said "going to the ergo" that meant he was going to Bobridge's gym to pick up drugs. He'd then ask for a "30-day programme" which mean he wanted 30 pills.

McGregor would then go to a coffee shop next to the cycling shop where Bobridge worked to get an empty coffee cup which he would fill with money and hand over to Bobridge.

"I'd make it look like I was buying him a coffee, when I was really paying him," McGregor said.

Bobridge has pleaded not guilty to four counts of supplying MDMA and McGregor will continue to give evidence as the trial continues.

Australian former professional rider Jack Bobridge is facing charges for dealing illegal drugs.

The double Olympic silver medallist appeared in Perth Magistrate’s Court on Thursday charged with selling MDMA (ecstasy).

Police searched Bobridge's home in Yokine, Perth on Wednesday after an undercover operation that had taken place over the preceding months, reports Perth Now. The investigation centred on the sale and distribution of recreational drugs.

Bobridge was arrested after the raid on his home and could now face a prison sentence if he is convicted of the charges. He is due to appear in court again in September.

The 28-year-old retired from professional cycling in November 2016 citing rheumatoid arthritis, having ridden for the Trek-Segafredo team in his final season. He previously rode for Garmin-Transitions, GreenEdge and Blanco Pro Cycling squads in a professional career that spanned 2010 to 2016.

Bobridge is probably best known for his appearances as part of the Australian national team, where he claimed two silver medals in the team pursuit in the 2012 and 2016 Olympic Games. He also took three world titles on the track, winning the 2010 team pursuit title, and the 2011 team and individual pursuit titles.

He also took four Commonwealth Games titles, taking both the team and individual pursuit gold medals in the 2010 and 2014 Games in Delhi and Glasgow respectively.

He attempted to claim the UCI World Hour Record on the track in January 2015, but came up short on bettering then record holder Matthias Brändle. The record was subsequently broken by Bradley Wiggins.

Bobridge moved to Perth from his native Adelaide after his retirement from professional cycling, where he opened a gym called the Bobridge Cycle and Fitness Studio.

Jason Christie may not be a name known to many outside his native New Zealand, but the Kenyan Riders Down Under team rider is the first name at the top of the UCI's inaugural men's World Ranking.

The 26-year-old won the New Zealand national road race championships and placed seventh in the national time trial championships to accumulate enough points to sit ahead of Australian road race champion Jack Bobridge (Trek-Segafredo).

Christie's fellow New Zealander Dion Smith, who rides for British team One Pro Cycling, is third in the ranking.

>>> New UCI World Ranking introduced for pro road racing

The UCI's new World Ranking was published on Monday, January 11 and will be published every Monday thereafter. It takes account of points allocated from races in the UCI International Road Calendar, which includes events in the WorldTour, Continental Circuits, World and National Championships, Olympic Games and Continental Games.

Currently, the ranking is dominated by riders from the Southern Hemisphere who have taken part in their national championships, and riders who took part in the Tour of Egypt, which finished on January 2. All that will change in the next few weeks as points from events such as the Tour Down Under and Tour de San Luis are included.

The ranking includes performances from the previous 12 months, so will not be fully reflective until it has been running for a calendar year. It does not replace the existing UCI WorldTour Ranking, which will continue.

UCI World Ranking (published January 11 2016)

1. Jason Christie (NZl) Kenyan Riders Down Under 73 points

2. Jack Bobridge (Aus) Trek-Segafredo 71 points

3. Dion Smith (NZl) One Pro Cycling 56 points

4. Cameron Meyer (Aus) Dimension Data 55 points

5. Patrick Bevin (NZl) Cannondale Pro Cycling 50 points

6. Mounir Makhchoun (Mor) 42 points

7. Hamish Schreurs (NZl) Klein Constantia 40 points

8. Patrick Lane (Aus) Avanti IsoWhey Sports 40 points

9. James Oram (NZl) One Pro Cycling 40 points

10. Adne Van Engelen (Ned) 33 points

Having finished a disappointing 10th in the Australian National Championships time trial last Thursday, Jack Bobridge more than made up for it by storming to the road race title on Sunday.

The three-time track world champion soloed to victory in Ballarat, beating Cameron Meyer (Dimension Data) by nearly three minutes, having been part of the day's breakaway.

While he finished over four minutes down on Rohan Dennis in the time trial, Bobridge showed the kind of talent that prompted Trek-Segafredo to bring him back to the WorldTour after a year racing at Continental level.

“I wanted redemption for Thursday,” he said, quoted on Fox Sports.

“I came here for the time trial and it didn’t go my way. I just had one of those days when the body just didn’t want to work.”

Bobridge was part of a 20-man breakaway in the road race, a break that BMC and Orica-GreenEdge failed to see a threat in.

Having stormed to victory, Bobridge - who failed in an attempt to break the UCI Hour Record last January - hopes to carry his form into the Tour Down Under, although winning track gold at August's Olympic Games is his priority.

“I won’t lie, I’ve started my season really early this year,” Bobridge said.

“I wanted to start the season really good for Trek because they’ve obviously given me the second chance to go back to the WorldTour so this is massive for them and massive for me.

“I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t going to have a go at Down Under next week and now I’ve shown that I’ve got the form to do it I’ll step up and see what I can do.”

Bobridge will likely lead Trek at the Tour Down Under, starting on January 19, where he won a stage in 2015 with a similarly strong performance on the first day.

Olympic silver medallist Jack Bobridge has signed a one-year contract with Trek Factory Racing as he continues his build up to Rio 2016.

Bobridge, who was part of the Australia squad who finished second to Great Britain in the team pursuit at London 2012, hopes to balance his track ambitions with racing for Trek where he hopes to contribute in time trials and breakaways.

The 26-year-old has raced for Garmin, Orica-GreenEdge and Belkin in the WorldTour before stepping back to join Australian Continental team Budget Forklifts as he prepared for next year's Olympic Games.

>>> Jack Bobridge: From enfant terrible to Tour Down Under leader

“First of all I’m really excited to join a new team. I heard great things about Trek Factory Racing and I know a couple of the guys her," Bobridge said.

"This team is really supportive of their riders and give back a lot. That’s great. For Trek to give me another go at the WorldTour and race the big races in Europe, that’s just fantastic.

"I’m excited to be able to do that again and I’m very motivated to try my best and have some good results. To be a part of such a well known team is going to be another great experience.”

>>> Five things we learned from Jack Bobridge’s Hour Record attempt

Bobridge started the 2015 season with a stage win and the mountains jersey at the Tour Down Under, just a week before an unsuccessful attempt at breaking Mattias Brändle's UCI Hour Record.

Trek general manager Luca Guercilena said: “Jack’s record is impressive. He’s one of many alumnae of the 'Australian Institute of Sport’ to make a successful step to the road and we’re very happy to welcome him aboard our team.”

Jack Bobridge grimaced, then laughed, then reached for a makeshift bucket as he recovered in the cool and darkened tunnels of the Joe Ciavola Velodrome after his Hour Record attempt.

The 25-year-old resembled more an old man than champion athlete gingerly sat in a plastic chair behind a specially designed divide, a white towel covering his aching legs.

His highly anticipated attempt was the feature of the final session of the Australian national track championships and the Olympic silver medallist fell just short of Matthias Brandle’s current 51.852km benchmark. Bobridge had travelled 51.3km when the gun sounded in front of a sell-out crowd in Melbourne, Australia.

“I’m in that much pain it’s funny, I don’t know what else to do but just smile,” Bobridge said when the press later came to him, the infield too far to walk. “I can’t even describe how much pain my glutes and quads are in. It’s by far the hardest thing I’ve ever done, and the hardest thing I’ll ever do.

“It’s an underestimated record. I take my hat off to Brandle.”

At 7pm AEST Bobridge entered the velodrome to raucous applause and AC/DC’s Thunderstruck, which was part of a attempt-specific soundtrack he designed himself.

Family, including wife, Josie, a former Australian and world track champion, and infant daughter, watched from an enclosed VIP room, mindful of not letting cool air escape into the heated velodrome, which was around 28 degrees just before Bobridge took to the boards.

Budget Forklifts trade and national team-mates including friend and fellow London 2012 Olympian Glenn O’Shea sat in the stands watching as Bobridge’s rhythm notably fluctuated throughout the attempt.

“He set a pretty lofty target so maybe that was a bit too much in the end, but he always wanted to do it big time so I guess it’s a good learning experience,” O’Shea said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if he has another crack at it.

“After watching that, there’s no way I’d even consider it now.”

The reality of the attempt was established within the first 20 minutes around where Bobridge adjusted his schedule, splits written on his hand becoming irrelevant.

“That was the point I knew what I was in for,” he said. “When you get to that 20-30 minute mark it starts to sink in what’s happening and what your body is going through. It’s when you realise you’re definitely going to hell.

“The first 20 minutes I was riding to what we wanted to do. Now I look at it, it was probably a bit too quick and I had to settle myself back in at a different schedule. I guess I paid the price going out on that sort of pace,” he continued, emphasising the importance of control.

“It’s about finding that fine line of what you’re capable of and it showed if I put too much in I paid the penalty for a couple of laps until I got my rhythm back.”

Bobridge holds the 4km individual pursuit world record and today’s Hour attempt was part of a grander career plan that includes the 2016 Rio Olympics and finally usurping Great Britain in the team pursuit.

“With the IP world record, I wasn’t going for it on the day, it just happened,” Bobridge said. “It was more of a shock. When you’re actually going for something, like this, I guess you know what you’re in for in a way, but I definitely didn’t know I was in for that.”

National high performance coach Tim Decker revealed after the attempt that he and Bobridge had set a target distance of about 52.5km, which Rohan Dennis (BMC) is aiming for in Switzerland next week.

Bobridge had some simple advice for his compatriot and others, including Bradley Wiggins, soon to embark on the same endeavour.

“Don’t do it!” he laughed, still in agony.

Twitter: @SophieSmith86

Having seen two successful attempts by two non track specialists, cycling fans were today given a stark reminder of just how hard the hour record is as Jack Bobridge, the 4km individual pursuit record holder, came up short in his attempt.

Bobridge, a multiple world champion in the team and individual pursuit, missed the record by some 500m after his lonely hour on the track in Melbourne. His distance of 51.3km will however stand as the Australian record.

He had been up on his 52km schedule for the first 20 minutes, and at 40km he was still on target, but his lap times then started to slow. From laps 149 to 170 he was consistently lapping in a little over 18 seconds, dropping him under his target.

His schedule was not revealed in the run up to the attempt, although there was talk of setting a new benchmark, but on the day it was announced to be 52km (208 laps), giving him just 148 metres of leeway over the current record.

Although he managed to pick up the pace for the last 30 laps it wasn't enough to beat the mark set by Matthias Brändle in Switzerland last October.

At the Tour Down Under, Bobridge had looked in good form, winning stage one after a day long break. This, along with his track pedigree, had Alex Dowsett's camp a little concerned ahead of his February attempt that has since been postponed due to a broken collarbone.

But Bobridge, who has done most of his preparation on the road, eventually missed out on his chance to add his name to one of cycling's most revered lists.

Jack Bobridge will become the third man to take on the prestigious World Hour Record since the UCI changed its rules to allow aerodynamic equipment to be used, making his attempt on Saturday at the Darebin International Sports Centre in Melbourne, Australia.

The current record is held by IAM Cycling's Matthias Brändle, who set a distance of 51.852km back in October 2014.

Now Bobridge, who is an under-23 World Time Trial Champion and current 4km individual pursuit record holder, is aiming to surpass Brändle's distance and become the first Australian to hold the Hour Record, before his compatriot Rohan Dennis takes to the boards for his attempt on February 8.

Jack Bobridge all set for Hour Record attempt on Saturday

Jack Bobridge's coach Tim Decker talks to Cycling Weekly about his rider's preparations for his Hour Record tilt on Saturday

You can watch the record attempt live via the stream at the top of the article, with Bobridge set to get underway at approximately 8.00am (7.00pm local time) . If you're in Australia, you won't be able to access the stream, with SBS holding rights to the coverage of Bobridge's attempt.

Follow all the latest news of everything happening with the Hour Record on our dedicated page, here.

Jack Bobridge will attempt the Hour Record tomorrow in what is part of a grander career plan that coach Tim Decker has established in the run to the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Bobridge holds the 4km individual pursuit world record and in Melbourne, Australia this weekend aims to add the Hour to his repertoire with a distance all parties hope will stand for more than the going month.

Decker has worked closely with Bobridge in the run to his attempt that is to precede equally anticipated efforts from compatriot Rohan Dennis and British legend Bradley Wiggins, respectively.

“He holds the individual pursuit world record and we’ve had lots of discussions over the last two years about where he is at and coming back onto the track, which eventually happened at the Commonwealth Games,” Decker told Cycling Weekly yesterday.

“Through the process of last year it was, ‘OK Jack, why not try and be the best track endurance rider of your generation?’ He holds one world record already, if he can hold the world Hour Record and eventually take the No.1 goal, which is the [team pursuit at the] Rio Olympics, I think that’s pretty special for a guy in his generation.

Shane Sutton: Brad’s the man for the Hour

“You’d have to look at that and go he was one of the best of his generation in track endurance cycling because we’ve covered off three different disciplines in track endurance and they’re all quite pinnacle.”

National men’s team pursuit coach Decker outlined the racing Bobridge has undergone since December last year in preparation for the event that included a stand-out performance at the Tour Down Under last week in which he won a stage and the mountain classification.

Bobridge has divided his time between the velodrome and road, racing the seven-day Tasmania Christmas Carnivals, which are a mix of criterium and track events, late December, plus the national madison championship, in which he won silver alongside Glenn O’Shea, and national time trial title where he claimed bronze.

“There has been a set structure but it’s been built around racing more so than just training because you have to factor in the Australian summer and how crazy it is with cycling here,” Decker said.

“We targeted a lot of races that are between 50 minutes and maybe an hour long so the Australian madison championship is a 50km race, you’ve got the best tactician in the world in Glenn O’Shea, you just go hard. That was the instruction. He spent 50 minutes on the rivet.”

>>> The Hour Record: an interactive timeline

Decker would not comment on mental preparation the duo has discussed ahead of the sell-out event at the Darebin International Sports Centre (DISC). Similarly, neither has publicly announced a goal distance unlike Dennis, as an example, whose BMC team has outlayed a 52.5km marker.

“I know that he can go over the required kilometres so providing there is no health issue, or mechanical issue, or the conditions are dreadful, he’s capable of beating the current record,” Decker said.

“But the way we’re trying to put it across to the public is we want to use them to try and inspire him on to go further than what we actually think he can do.

>>> Watch Jack Bobridge's Hour Record bike being built (video)

“I personally think if the Hour Record becomes real mechanical and people go, well, I’ve done the exact tests and that sort of stuff then it will start to lose its flare a little bit again,” he continued. “We’ll end up back where we were 10 years ago because that’s why people won’t attack it.”

Bobridge rode qualifying at his team pursuit national championships in Melbourne this week but has otherwise focused on recovery since the Tour Down Under, consorting with a dedicated team including a nutritionist, physio and osteopath. All involved have worked with a comparatively small budget but are confident going forward.

“I don’t have any stresses about Jack’s form, or his mental capabilities,” Decker said.

Matthias Brändle holds the current Hour Record of 51.852km that he set about a month after Jens Voigt opened the floodgates. However, Decker has suggested attempts will soon slow.

“I think what will happen now that some really good track riders, and I refer to Rohan, Brad and Jack as really good track riders, once these guys go out and set some marks that will slow up the attempts,” Decker said.

“Brad won’t do it unless he knows he can beat it, that’s my opinion,” he continued.

“They’ll be very structured about how they tackle it so I imagine he won’t have a go unless he knows he can beat it. Brad will lay his time out and hopefully he doesn’t get there, but there’s a fair chance he’s going to go close because we all know what kind of athlete he is.”

All eyes, however, will be on the 25-year-old Bobridge tomorrow when he commences his Hour Record attempt from 7.00pm AEST.

Twitter: @SophieSmith86

There's barely time for the ink to dry on each Hour Record before the next one is being written right now,  but if form at the Tour Down Under is anything to go by, Australians Jack Bobridge or Rohan Dennis could soon set a distance that will stick.

Dennis today took the ochre leader’s jersey off the shoulders of his former national track team-mate on the way to winning the third stage of the race. Three days ago, Bobridge  claimed the opener in Campbelltown with a similar demonstration of strength and agility.

In another tit-for-tat, at the Australian national time-trial championships earlier this month, both Dennis and Bobridge were on the podium, winning silver and bronze, respectively, behind an in-form Richie Porte.

Despite their history on the track together, including a silver medal in the team pursuit at the London Olympic Games, the men have exchanged few words in the lead-up to their Hour attempts.

>>> Everything you need to know about the Hour Record

Bobridge will be the first to try and better Matthias Brandle’s current 51.852km mark in Melbourne next Saturday (January 31st) while Dennis will to travel to Grenchen, Switzerland for a February 8 appointment.

The 24-year-old Dennis, in consultation with BMC team staff, has set a target of 52.5km, which he is confident of meeting, if not surpassing, while Bobridge has remained coy on his specific schedule.

“We’ll go in there and see what I can do. Obviously it’s going to come down to the conditions in Melbourne, we’ve seen that it can change pretty quickly, so it will just be wait and see,” Bobridge told Cycling Weekly today.

“I had time off after the season and since we’ve come back everything has been for the Hour Record. I have full belief in [national track endurance coach] Tim Decker, who has put the structure together. He’s never failed me before with fitness or with races... and my form is coming up.

>>> Hour Record interactive timeline

“I haven’t been on the track all the time but I think the racing I’ve been doing on the road is going to be good for the Hour Record anyway.”

Dennis and Bobridge may be on the same path in the short-term but their long-term outlooks are beginning to differ.

Individual pursuit world record holder Bobridge has aspirations to finally usurp Great Britain in the team pursuit at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, and it is no coincidence his Hour Record attempt will coincide with Australia’s national track titles.

“It fits in well with the Aussie track nationals, bring some life back to that we’re hoping,” Bobridge said.

Dennis, meanwhile, is almost fully focused on his road career and maybe one day adding his name to the list of Australian Grand Tour winners.

“No offence to track, but it’s not going to pay the bills,” he said. “I love it, it is fun, but it’s something that was a means to an end. It helped me become the rider I am now, which I’m thankful for, but I need to move forward and look toward my road career.”

Twitter: @SophieSmith86

Spaniard Juan Jose Lobato won stage two of the Tour Down Under today with Jack Bobridge maintaining the overall lead, for now.

Lobato out-paced Daryl Impey (Orica-GreenEdge) and his Movistar team-mate Gorka Izagirre Insausti to take line honours on the uphill drag in Stirling with title favourites Richie Porte (Sky), Cadel Evans (BMC) and Tom Dumoulin (Giant-Alpecin) finishing inside the top 10.

"It's nice to get that one out of the way today and tomorrow is the first real summit finish," Porte said with promise post-race.

>>> Tour Down Under route: stage by stage

The 26-year-old Lobato has embarked a strong start to the 2015 WorldTour season with a second place finish to Marcel Kittel at the prelude People's Choice Classic criterium preceding his victory today.

Cameron Meyer (Orica-GreenEdge), Campbell Flakemore (BMC) and Thomas De Gendt (Lotto Soudal) comprised the main break of the day escaping within the opening 25km after a flurry of attacks at the start. The trio were allowed a maximum time advantage in excess of three minutes with Sky and IAM contributing to the pace-making. The group however was reeled in on the first lap of Stirling with numerous general classification teams also coming to the fore. Calvin Watson (Trek) and Danilo Wyss (BMC) countered but their effort was short-lived. Cannondale mistimed its lead-out on the home straight as a reduced group came to the line with Lobato taking advantage.

Bobridge's UniSA-Australia sports director Dave Sanders was pleased with the efforts of his young national composite team, which was somewhat hampered when Robert Power suffered a mechanical at the business end of the race.

The 25-year-old Bobridge announced a return to form with his stage victory yesterday and was again strong today mixing it with the popular title favourites. Despite that, Sanders is not confident the South Australian will keep the ochre jersey through to the end of the week.

"It's not feasible that he can win the tour, but he won't be far from it," said Sanders. "I don't think he'll go up the steep climbs, like Willunga, with the likes of Richie Porte etc. He won't be far behind but it's just not his scene."

>>> Jack Bobridge: From enfant terrible to Tour Down Under leader

Meanwhile, a BMC spokesperson has confirmed that Flakemore broke his left collarbone whilst riding back to the race team hotel after stage two. It's a blow for the rookie pro whose performance in Adelaide and previously at the Australian national championships heralded praise from Evans.

Results
Tour Down Under 2015, stage two: Unley to Stirling, 150.5km
1. Juan Jose Lobato (Spa) Movistar 3-42-24

2. Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge

3. Gorka Izagirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar

4. Tom Dumoulin (Ned) Giant-Alpecin

5. Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC

6. Luis León Sánchez Gil (Spa) Astana

7. Richie Porte (Aus) Sky

8. Niccolò Bonifazio (Ita) Lampre-Merida

9. Nathan Haas (Aus) Cannondale-Garmin

10. Samuel Dumoulin (Fra) AG2R La Mondiale

Overall classification after stage two
1. Jack Bobridge (Aus) UniSA-Australia 6-41-55

2. Juan Jose Lobato (Spa) Movistar at 3 secs

3. Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana at 4 secs

4. Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge at 7 secs

5. Izaguirre Insausti (Spa) Movistar at 9 secs

It was Back to the Future on day one of the Tour Down Under. Jack Bobridge, once the enfant terrible of Australian cycling, wound back the clock on his local roads, following an attack in the first few kilometres, scrapping for sprints and hill primes with three breakaway companions, then finding the strength to attack and hold on for an unlikely win.

Few will have seen that coming. A few years ago, maybe. But Bobridge’s career has burned brightly, spluttered, seemed on the verge of being extinguished, only to reignite on Tuesday.

He has been to Europe, won an under-23 world title, struggled to settle in three top teams, been diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, been in trouble for drink driving, and then, at the end of last season, he lost his place in his European team, Belkin.

Now he is back home, a new father, riding for a small squad, Team Budget Forklifts. But he is clearly the same Bobridge: his victory in Campbelltown owed everything to aggression, heart and guts.

Riding as part of the wildcard University of South Australia team, he looked in trouble on the ascent of Checker Hill, close to the finish, sliding forward on the saddle, grovelling, yelling at his companions to keep it together. “His body language says that he’s just about finished,” said Robbie McEwen, “but he’ll keep going and going.”

Amazingly, this was Bobridge’s first stage win at the Tour Down Under. That it would take him so long would have been unimaginable in 2009, when he burst on to the scene as a 19-year-old. He was strong and fearless, attacking every day, and catching the eye of Lance Armstrong, in his comeback race, who tweeted: “For all you cycling fans – remember the name Jack Bobridge. His future’s bright.”

Later that same year Bobridge won his world under-23 time trial title in Mendrisio – a championship better known in Australia for Cadel Evans’ victory in the road race. Then there was a stage of the Eneco Tour in 2010, the Australian road title in 2011. His Garmin team manager Jonathan Vaughters called him “possibly the most talented rider of his generation.”

From Garmin he went to GreenEdge when the Australian team launched in 2012 – a logical move. But Bobridge’s career seemed to hit the buffers. He was targeting the team pursuit at the London Olympics but five weeks before the Games he was in trouble for drink driving in Spain.

Bobridge was with another member of the team pursuit squad, Michael Hepburn, when their vehicle suffered a minor collision in a car park in Catalonia. Bobridge was fined and banned from driving for eight months. Graham Fredericks, the Cycling Australia chief executive, said he had been “reckless and irresponsible.”

At the Olympic Games Bobridge and his Australian team finished second to Great Britain. It was time for Bobridge to re-boot his career. Time to “grow up,” he said, and leave an Australian set-up that had become “a comfort zone.”

He moved to the Dutch Blanco team, formerly Rabobank and later Belkin, and then revealed that he suffered from rheumatoid arthritis. It put a new perspective on his problems, and apparent lack of progress – the condition had been diagnosed as far back as 2010.

“Training was nearly unbearable and I was constantly sleeping because my body was so worn out,” he told his local newspaper, the Adelaide Advertiser. Methotrexate medication helped him manage the effects, he said. “Most of the time you don't know you have it. For some reason there are random days where it does flare up and is quite painful.”

Although it is degenerative, Bobridge seemed confident that it wouldn’t derail his career. He was only 20, after all, when it was diagnosed. He is only 25 now. Ordinarily, he would have his best years ahead of him. But with Bobridge, it is hard to tell.

Now he is embarking on a similar path to Bradley Wiggins – stepping a couple of rungs down the ladder to target the track and the 2016 Olympic Games, with a bid for the hour record en route. But Wiggins is 34, nine years older than Bobridge.

McEwen, the former sprinter who is proving a revelation in the commentary box, noted of Bobridge that, “What he can do most is hurt himself, really suffer,” and that ability could and arguably should see him break Matthias Brändle’s hour record when he tackles it at the end of this month.

That ability to suffer is also what allowed Bobridge to win stage one of the Tour Down Under and end the day in the overall leader’s jersey, points jersey and king of the mountains jersey. Not for the first time in his career, he was also named the stage’s ‘most competitive rider’. It shouldn’t be the last.

Jack Bobridge celebrated a narrow victory at the opening stage of the Tour Down Under today with politics spoiling the chances of sprinters including Marcel Kittel.

Bobridge (UniSA-Australia) and his three fellow escapees Lieuwe Westra (Astana), Luke Durbridge (Orica-GreenEdge) and Maxim Belkov (Astana) stayed ahead but finished in the same time as the charging bunch, which left its run too late.

The quartet established within the first 20km of the punchy 132.6km stage that began in Tanunda under grey sky and spitting rain. Lawson Craddock from Giant-Alpecin assisted Team Sky at the front of the peloton with the time gap to the break never more than two minutes and forty seconds.

>>> Tour Down Under route: stage-by-stage

Bobridge easily surged ahead on the category two Checker Hill, some 28km from the finish, collecting the prime before the break re-grouped on the decisive descent. The escapees had a mere 40 second advantage inside the last three kilometres but managed to stay clear with stage favourite Kittel not contesting minor placings.

"It was all to do with the politics of the race, not about the breakaway," UniSA-Australia sports director Dave Sanders said. "The point is once you get on the Gorge, Jack knows that descent better than anyone else in this field. A small group with someone who really knows that road will go down as quick or quicker than a big chase group."

Former British national road champion Ian Stannard was satisfied with Sky's start to the tour, with team-mate Richie Porte holding title aspirations.

"I guess with Richie we were expected to do a bit of work and didn't really want to lose the race on the first day," Stannard said. "We didn't necessarily want to catch the break we just wanted to control it, and they were a strong group. If they finished two minutes ahead it would have been a lot of work to try and get that back as the climbs here aren't massive. It was just about protecting our interest and not losing it on the first day."

>>> Analysis: Who wants to win the Tour Down Under?

Kittel's Giant-Alpecin team has a two-prong attack at the tour with the German aiming for sprint stage victories and Simon Geschke and Tom Dumoulin looking to the general classification. In the end, the team had to protect the interests of the latter.

"We had a pretty good tactic and it looked like it was going to work out for us. We weren't going to take the race under control but a couple of teams wanted to ride and Sky asked if we wanted to put one guy in from the beginning, and we did," Giant-Alpecin pilot Koen de Kort explained.

"After the climb it was fast for a little while and then all of a sudden no one was riding any more. It just stopped and the break rode back out to 40 seconds. I panicked and started riding because I could only see Tom Dumoulin and Marcel Kittel near me. In the end GC is still really important so maybe we gave up the chance in the sprint to keep GC. At least we came close enough that there is just a really small gap. For GC it's still looking really good but it's unfortunate it didn't work out for the stage."

>>> Tour Down Under stage one photo gallery

Results
Tour Down Under 2015, stage one: Tanunda to Campbelltown, 132.6km

1. Jack Bobridge (Aus) UniSA-Australia 2-59-44

2. Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana

3. Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge

4. Maxim Belkov (Rus) Katusha

5. Niccolò Bonifazio (Ita) Lampre-Merida

6. Gianni Meersman (Bel) Etixx-Quick-Step

7. Juan Jose Lobato (Spa) Movistar

8. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM

9. Steele von Hoff (Aus) UniSA-Australia

10. Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge

Overall classification after stage one
1. Jack Bobridge (Aus) UniSA-Australia 2-59-31

2. Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Astana at 4 secs

3. Luke Durbridge (Aus) Orica-GreenEdge at 6 secs

4. Maxim Belkov (Rus) Katusha at 10 secs

5. Niccolò Bonifazio (Ita) Lampre-Merida at 13 secs

6. Gianni Meersman (Bel) Etixx-Quick-Step

7. Juan Jose Lobato (Spa) Movistar

8. Heinrich Haussler (Aus) IAM

9. Steele von Hoff (Aus) UniSA-Australia

10. Daryl Impey (RSA) Orica-GreenEdge

Australian track cycling specialist Jack Bobridge plans to set an Hour Record mark on January 31 that will become a new point of reference for attempts.

He told the Cycling Victoria website: "I'm aiming to set a benchmark that leaves everyone questioning themselves about whether they want to do it or not."

The Hour Record mark now stands at 51.852 kilometres, but Bobridge could reach 54 kilometre according to former Cycling Australia head coach and current Orica-GreenEdge general manager, Shayne Bannan.

"Jack Bobridge will set a time difficult to beat,” Bannan told Cycling Weekly.

“With Brad Wiggins, Tony Martin and Bobridge... I wouldn't be surprised if the mark got up to 54 from that bracket of riders."

This morning in Melbourne, Bobridge announced that he would attempt the Hour Record in the city's DISC (Darebin International Sports Centre) velodrome.

Before cycling's governing body, the UCI, stepped in, riders were attempting the record on specialised bikes in extreme positions. Brit Chris Boardman rode to 56.375 kilometres with arms out-stretched in what was called the 'superman style'.

In 2000, a UCI rule change forced cyclists to use traditional bikes, wheels and positions roughly the same that Eddy Merckx used to ride to 49.431 kilometres in 1972.

Few riders attempted the record after the rule change. Boardman went again under the new rules and rode to 49.441 kilometres. Czech Ondrej Sosenka recorded 49.700 kilometres, but the mark sat on the shelf for years with little interest in the record.

Jens Voigt during his Hour Record attempt

Following a May 15 rule change, which allowed team pursuit bikes, cycling is seeing a hour record resurgence. German Jens Voigt (Trek Factory Racing) rode to 51.110 on September 18 and Austrian Matthias Brändle (IAM Cycling) 51.852 on October 30.

Both Voigt and Brändle are strong, but neither have a deep track background. As Bannan said, "It's now time for the big boys to have a go.”

Australian Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing) announced yesterday afternoon that he will attempt the hour record on February 8 in Switzerland. Brit Alex Dowsett (Movistar) is expected to ride for the record on February 27. Team Sky's Wiggins is slated for a June or July attempt.

Germany's Martin of team Omega Pharma-Quick Step is the only rider of the "big boys" without a track pedigree. The three-time time trial World Champion said that he hopes to ride the record in 2015.

Dutchman Thomas Dekker and Dane Alex Rasmussen also said that they will attempt the Hour Record.

Wiggins won a gold medal in the team pursuit and two in the individual pursuit at the Olympics. Bobridge won the pursuit at the 2011 Worlds and the 2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games. In 2011, he set the current world record at four minutes, 10.53 seconds.

"I never thought I would break Boardman's individual pursuit record, I don't think anyone thought I'd beat it," said Bobridge.

"At this point I can see myself beating the current hour record but it's how much further I can go that will be decided on the day."

The 25-year-old from Adelaide will train with coach Tim Decker and new team Budget Forklifts. After riding with top teams Garmin, Orica-GreenEdge and Belkin, he signed for the third division Australian team to build towards the 2016 Rio Olympics.

Bobridge plans to ride on the road in his build up at the national time trial championship and the Tour Down Under in the South Australia team.

Australian Jack Bobridge, who holds the individual pursuit world record, will attempt to break the Hour Record mark in 2015.

The record stands at 51.852 kilometres, which Austrian Matthias Brändle of team IAM Cycling set on October 30.

Bobridge won the national individual pursuit championship title in 2011 with a time of four minutes, 10.53 seconds. In the process, he beat Chris Boardman's time and set a new world record.

The 25-year-old from Adelaide won the individual pursuit gold medal and helped Australia to gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games. He also took gold in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and 2011 World Championships, where he helped Australia to team pursuit victory. At the 2012 London Games, his Australian team placed second to Great Britain.

After winning the Under 23 time trial and racing for professional teams Garmin, Orica-GreenEdge and Belkin, Bobridge is returning to the track. This winter he left team Belkin for Australian third division team, Budget Forklifts. The team will help Bobridge build for the Hour Record and the team pursuit at 2016 Rio Olympics.

Budget Forklifts announced Bobridge's attempt this morning and explained that it would reveal more details at a press conference tomorrow.

Sky's Bradley Wiggins said that he will attempt the Hour Record in June or July. Others are not waiting to make their mark after the UCI changed the rules.

The governing body's rule change on May 15 allowed pursuit bikes and annulled its 2000 rule that required cyclists use traditional bikes in the Eddy Merckx position. German Jens Voigt (Trek Factory Racing) was the first to try and to set a new record under the new rules, going 51.110 kilometres on September 18.

Brit Alex Dowsett (Movistar) is reportedly planning to attempt the Hour Record at the Revolution Series round in London, February 27 to 28. His team could announce it at a planned press conference on Friday in London.

Others – Dutchman Thomas Dekker, Dane Alex Rasmussen and American Taylor Phinney – have also shown interest in setting the Hour Record.