17 Nov 2010

Tom Scully signs with Slipstream Under 23 team

6:07 am on 17 November 2010

The 20-year-old Southland cyclist Tom Scully has signed with one of the sport's biggest teams just weeks after returning to the bike.

Scully's joining the Slipstream Sports Under 23 team, the American organisation the top New Zealander Julian Dean rides for.

It's a big change of fortune for Scully only six months after his high speed crash into a power pole at while riding in the Tour of Ireland in preparation for the Commonwealth Games.

He had three operations for his seriously damaged knee with initial reports suggesting he'd out for a year.

BikeNZ's High Performance Director Mark Elliott says while Scullty's main focus is the 2012 Olympics in London it's great another top track rider is going to get international competition and experience with a Europe-based professional team.