Tyler Butterfield is convinced he has made the right decision for his sporting future.

Having glimpsed life as a top amateur cyclist, the Bermudian can?t wait to start his stint with the highly-rated Vendee U outfit in January. He signed for the Under-23 team in late September following the stunning capture of the men?s elite title at the CD&P Bermuda Grand Prix, defeating some major international riders.

Shortly afterwards, he flew to France to see his new club in action on the World Cup circuit and to meet other members and officials in the Vendee U family.

Vendee U is the amateur division of top professional cycling team Bouijues TeleCom which boasts former world cycling champion Laurent Brochard and this year?s Tour de France sensation Thomas Vochler who wore the coveted yellow jersey for most of the Tour until Lance Armstrong wrested it from him en route to a sixth successive victory. Many of the young amateurs graduate to Bouijues? pro ranks.

?I got to see a World Cup race ? which are the biggest races we will do ? with my new team. I was in the car behind our team which had six riders in the race. My team placed first and second which was really good,? recalled Butterfield of the 180km event.

The visit reinforced just how challenging this new assignment will be and if the former top triathlete had any illusions they have evaporated.

?There were 160 starters in the race and the last of our six guys came 21st so that tells you how good this team is,? he told The Royal Gazette from Australia where he is training.]

?All of them were in breakaways during the day. The last breakaway had three Vendee U riders with one of them then breaking away alone to win while the other two were in the first bunch that finished after the winner.

?I have no regrets. It?s definitely a privilege to be on this team and I?m really looking forward to it. I have no idea how my standard compares but I hope I can hold my own. On this team you have to be able to hold your own. In fact you?ve got to do more than that.?

Away from competition, the 21-year-old also got good vibes as he was introduced to other Vendee U riders and reconnected with coach Phillippe Mauduit who worked with the Bermuda Bicycle Association last year.

?A few of my team mates are moving up to the pro team next year so they won?t be around but I met four who are staying on and they seem like really good guys. I?m very excited about the team and this whole adventure and trying something different,? he said, adding that the encounter made him realise how much he must learn the language to bridge the communication barrier.

?It?s a whole different culture and cycling has a lot of history behind it and most of that history comes from France.

?Over there the Tour de France is the second most-watched television programme ? when they show it live ? after the FIFA World Cup. That shows how popular it is.?

And Butterfield was shocked to realise the ?rock star? status which pro cyclists have in France, being mobbed by fans after races.

?You?ve got to see it to believe it,? declared the awestruck newcomer.

?I had heard how big it was but to actually see it, you?re like ?Wow, this is incredible?. The pros go straight on to a bus as soon as they finish racing otherwise they will get mobbed by people wanting autographs.

?It?s a whole different atmosphere.?

As he prepares to embrace the arduous but heady world of international cycling, the Olympic triathlete is spending the next eight weeks training ? both cycling and gym work ? in Australia where he is also improving his French. He returns to France in mid-January for a training camp ahead of the season?s first race in early February and will ride for Vendee U until October.

?Most of our races will be about four hours. This will be new for me because I?ve never done those distances competitively before but I?ve done them because I just like riding my bike,? noted Butterfield.

Admittedly, he will miss triathlons but brightly observed ?there?s plenty to keep me busy?. The ambitious athlete is already targeting major meets at which he hopes to stamp his class.

?Hopefully I can do the Under-23 World Championships in cycling at the end of next year and then in early 2006 there?s the Commonwealth Games. So that would be another personal goal.?

For the immediate future, however, he is just eager to settle into Vendee U?s rhythm and work ethic and earn his place.

?It?s just to learn as much as I can and see how far I can improve my cycling and contribute to my team getting some good results,? he added.

?I don?t have a great sprint so I don?t have any goals about winning races. As long as I can help my team and they are happy with how I?m doing and I?m happy with how I?m doing, then that?s fine.?