William Walker: A tough transition

Digging deep at the recent Australian Open Road Championships in Ballarat.

Digging deep at the recent Australian Open Road Championships in Ballarat. (Image credit: Shane Goss)

Quickly snapped up by Rabobank's Continental squad after winning the epic Melbourne to Warrnambool in 2004, William Walker was one of the hottest properties on the amateur circuit. The Australian gradually progressed through the team's higher echelons by riding the 2006 Vuelta a España, but his transition to the professional ranks hasn't been entirely plain sailing as Cyclingnews' Paul Verkuylen found out.