Amanda Jamieson is one of the most talented, promising and hardworking riders in the country and is the current U23 NZ road race champion.

She rides locally with the Mike Greer Homes Women's Cycling Team who have been sponsored by Tineli for the last 3 seasons. As such Amanda knows our kit better than most and has given feedback that has helped Tineli create women's specific kits that are the best in the market. She also runs a pretty sharp Twitter and Instagram account so check that out @amandajamieson_

Below is a an overview of her successes and challenges from last season and what she has in store for the coming year.

She went to Europe last year for three months of experience in the Netherlands and Belgium, as well as to establish contacts.

A Dutchman who ran a camp, where she was based with five other foreigners, put his feelers out on her behalf and Maaslandster got back so she signed up.

Last year at the Tour Down Under, Jamieson had a blowout in the first stage, got caught behind a crash in the second stage and another punctured tyre in the third simply took the wind out of her campaign.

"I couldn't even get to finish the tour, which was disappointing," says the teenager who rode for the New Zealand team and who will this time be her rivals, albeit with predominantly different riders, such as track specialists Georgia Williams and Racquel Sheath.

Apart from the criterium, every other day's stage is different from last year but Jamieson knows what to expect and believes her European stint has made her peloton savvy.

The European events tend to take it to a higher plane and demand a more intense mental fortitude.

"They are louder and the fields are huge. They are really aggressive."

She has a more confidence-fuelled tensile presence in the peloton nowadays.

"You've got to be strong and not let anyone push you around because you're racing against professionals there and they don't muck around.

"If they get a whiff of you as someone they could get around as a bunch then you get shoved to the back all the time."

Her first race in the Netherlands was a rude shock because she found riders engaging in verbal stoushes although she couldn't understand the different languages.

"They are pretty feisty but it was happening everywhere I went so I got pretty used to it."

She was a lone ranger among others of a similar ilk and forging an alliance wasn't on the agenda but results were vital for elite teams to pick up a rider.

It didn't help that Jamieson contracted a virus. Antibiotics curtailed her drive.

"It didn't scare me or anything. A lot of people go there and just give up so I'll be able to handle it."

At the National Road Championship in Napier last year, she was the first in the women's under-23 race but wasn't recognised for her feat like the blokes.

"It wasn't an official category so it was pretty much swept under the carpet."

Last weekend Jamieson emulated that feat and got the kudos she deserved in Napier.

"I think women's racing is growing all over the world so they are starting to recognise it."

It was a great build up to the nationals with Jamieson winning the K1 Coromandel race in October, when she outsprinted Kate McIlroy.

She then clinched the Taumarunui Cycle Classic crown, edging out Olympian Jaime Nielsen, who won the national time-trial and was fifth in the road race here.

"They are people I look up to because they are amazing riders so I think winning the under-23s is a good start for me," she said, finishing sixth overall in the open women's category but two places better than last year.

Jamieson has earned the right to wear the silver fern on tours abroad to the delight of Maaslandster.

From Adelaide she'll move to the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race in Melbourne to join the Kiwi national team of Sharlotte Lucas, Georgia Catterick, Ruby Livingstone, Grace Anderson and Mikayla Harvey.

Following the Great Ocean race, from January 26-29, she'll return home to rest for a few weeks before heading back to the Netherlands on February 21 to rejoin the Maaslandster stable for eight months in the hope of wooing bigger teams.

Jamieson is indebted to coach Dylan Stewart, of Napier, for a great regime and The Hub Cycling Centre for keeping her bike in top shape.

All the best for the coming season Amanda.