Multi-talented athlete Tyler Butterfield may concentrate on cycling for the next year after rounding off an impressive debut in the World Junior Cycling Championships on Saturday.

The 17-year-old, also an outstanding triathlete, finished 102nd out of a field of 167 in the 127.4-kilometre road race in Plouay, France.

After doing himself proud as one of the younger competitors in the under-19 event, the teenager said he fancied another crack at next year's junior worlds, probably to be held in Portugal.

Butterfield's achievements in France -- which included a 54th place finish in the time trial last week -- came on the back of just two months' training.

And his efforts left national cycling coach Greg Hopkins convinced that the youngster has what it takes to become one of the world's top junior cyclists.

"I hope to do it again next year,'' said Butterfield from his hotel in France yesterday. "I did want to do the triathlon worlds next year, but after doing this well here and because I learned so much, I really hope I can come back.

"I knew it would be tough here, but I didn't think the standard would be this high. I mean, the guy who won the time trial averaged 48 kph over 25 kilometres.

"I know if I want to compete at this level in either the triathlon or cycling, I will have to specialise in one of them.

"I would say that when I was in my top triathlon form and fit, I wouldn't have done as well in the worlds as I have done here in cycling. So I am probably leaning towards cycling for next year.'' Saturday's road race, over nine laps of a 14-km circuit including two climbs per loop, started at a cracking pace.

The leaders completed the first lap in under 20 minutes -- nearly three minutes faster than the pros clocked for the first lap in their corresponding event.

Butterfield, disadvantaged by his back row starting position, nevertheless worked his way up into the peleton and he stayed with the leading pack until the second climb of the eighth lap.

The leaders then broke away and Butterfield finished nine minutes, 20 seconds, behind the winner, with a time of 3:08:46.

"Me and three other guys fell behind when we got to the hill on the second-to-last lap,'' said Butterfield. "We only fell 100 metres, or about 20 seconds back, but we'd spent so much energy by that point that the race then really opened out and I lost about six or seven minutes on the last lap.

"But it was a great race and I know I could not have done any better.'' Coach Hopkins said: "I am very pleased with Tyler, this was an outstanding performance in his first world championships. At 17, he is at the bottom of the age group, but he was not outclassed by any stretch of the imagination.

"With the right time, preparation and exposure, Tyler could be one of the top riders in the world, in the juniors certainly, and after that it will be up to him.'' New Zealander Jeremy Yates, who has become friends with Butterfield as the pair have been staying in the same hotel, won the road race gold medal, with Antonio Bucciero of Italy second and Russia's Alexandr Arekeev third.

Butterfield will relocate to Australia in January to begin studies at Southport, on the Gold Coast.

Tyler Butterfield: placed 102nd in yesterday's road race at the world junior cycling championships in France.