Rolfe has been part of Australia’s biggest professional team, Fly V Australia competing in a number of events in America in which he has raced against the legendary Lance Armstrong.

Back in Australia for a flying three week visit, after two months of racing in the States, he will head back to the US again on Monday for another three-month racing stint.

“It’s been an amazing time,” the 28-year-old who is now based in Toowoomba admitted.

“It was a great two months of riding in which we took part in a number of races including big tours like the Tour of Bisbee and Gila, both at altitude.”

And it was in the Tour of Gila that he raced against the legendary Armstrong.

“That was simply amazing, to race against someone who you have idolised and has such a huge record was amazing,” he said.

The five-day, five stage event had 195 starters, with three road stages on average of a 150km per day, a 26km time trial and a 50 mile criterium.

“I managed to sit on Lance’s wheel a few times and it was just so cool,” Rolfe admitted.

“Unfortunately I didn’t get to catch up and chat to him, he is swarmed at the start and finish line and while racing you are in tour own zone so you don’t really talk to anyone, but just to race against him was amazing.

“There was also a few other big names in the race it was amazing to be part of.”

Despite a fall in one of the early races in which he was forced to have some time off the bike to recover, Rolfe was happy with his performances.

“It’s hard in the tours after the first couple of stages if you aren’t up there you are working for the GC guys and that’s been my role and I feel I have done it well,” he said.

His best individual effort so far has been a third placing in one of the time trials.

His three week sojourn back home has been hard work as he prepares for a busy back end of the season.

“I’ve been doing lots of kilometres to prepare for what will be a huge end to the year,” he said.

“We have another three months of racing and we will have at least four big six-day tours, another five or six one-day races and a few three-day events, so it is a huge way to finish the year.

“I’ve just been trying to get as many miles in my legs as I can.

“I’ve been following a program set up for me by Nowra’s own Kev Poulton and it has been superb.”

The Fly V Australia team has 15 riders, which is split into the tour team and a team of majority sprinters and one-day riders, with Rolfe in the tour team.

The grand plan is for the team to ride the Tour De France by 2012, with Rolfe keen to be part of that experience.