For Australian, Commonwealth and World Champion cyclist Jack Bobridge, it's safe to say cycling's in his blood.

Starting with his grandfather who was a multiple South Australian road champion, as well as uncles – but more crucially his father Kahl who became an Australian track title holder and rode internationally; it was less a matter of if Jack followed in their footsteps, as when? A decision Jack wisely left to his father who delayed his entry to competitive riding until he was 15. Kahl was keen to ensure his son didn't fall out of love with the sport because he was being pushed too hard too soon. His twin brother Daniel was also showing great promise on the road, but within a couple of years he decided he didn't have the required dedication so put his bike back in the rack as a career option.

Jack says his father's decision to hold him back had been by far the smartest thing he could have done for him as an all too eager junior. "From the time I started riding at school I was really juiced for it, and now it's something I know I really want to do as a career," he says. "And something I love doing let alone get paid to do it. So by not starting too early I didn't get to risk maybe feeling burnt out or losing my passion for it at 18, or feeling like 'jeez maybe I should have stopped when I was 16?' So from where dad let me start it's worked out perfectly.

If Jack needed any convincing he was born to ride and would make his mark in cycling, it came very quickly in 2006 when he was part of Australia's world title winning junior team pursuit. Ever since its been a spectacular ride to the very top of his sport as he graduated from making his name on the track to also forging his reputation as a world road champion.

"Because dad and my uncle and my "pop" and other family members have obviously been involved in cycling for so long – if you look at all the Australian cycling professionals on the road; well all the good ones or most of them come from a track background," Jack says. "So dad had me racing on the track because he's always told me you've got to be a good trackie to be a good roadie. So I've always done both and really enjoy the racing and training involved, and it just seems natural to pursue that.

"I love doing the individual pursuit and the individual time trial, while road racing is just fun in any form because anything can happen. But definitely in the back of my head is knowing that you can't make a living riding the track; although at the same time you can make a career from the track. So at the end of the day you have to go road and I know that, because if you make the elite level on the road it can be much more lucrative financially. But I want to make sure I'm getting all the necessary skills and everything else from the track as part of that education. Also I want to know I have given myself the chance to have a real crack on the track."