But coach Glenn Doney says the better comparison right now is with Michael Matthews, the Tour de France Green Jersey winner and international star.

Doney would know. He has been casting his eyes over the best cycling talent in Australia for decades, including overseeing Matthews' rise from the capital to the grandest stage of all.

That's why Doney's eyes lit up when Rogers stopped the clock on a well-worn time trial track at Mt Stromlo.

"[Cameron Rogers] as a second year under-19 and Bling [Matthews] as a first-year senior ... there was probably about 20 seconds difference between them over the same distance," Doney said.

"I've always gauged people on what Bling did on a course that I haven't changed for years. I told [Rogers] after that he was about 20 seconds behind the best that Bling did. That puts him well on the right track.

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"He wants to follow in uncle Michael's footsteps and he's maintained that all along. He's good support there to do that."

Cameron Rogers will get a chance to take another step towards that goal and test himself against some of Australia's top elite riders when he makes his Tour Down Under debut in Adelaide this week.

He's riding high on confidence after winning the under-19 road Australian title near Ballarat last weekend, adding a fourth national championship gold medal to his trophy cabinet at just 17 years old.

"It was a pretty amazing feeling knowing all the work I'd put in with my coach and family ... it was a huge team effort and it all paid off," Rogers said.

It's all part of the journey to reaching his European professional goal and Rogers says family history adds motivation rather than pressure when he jumps on the bike.

Dad Peter and his brothers were professional cyclists Uncle Michael spent almost 20 years on the professional circuit, winning the world time trial title in 2003, 2004 and 2005 as well as winnings stages of the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia.

"Mick has done it all before and knows what's going on. He and dad chat to each other a lot ... I'm definitely very lucky to have that," Rogers said.

"I definitely don't see it as pressure. I see it as having people I can chat to about what's best and what not to do, some inside information really.

"I'm pretty excited about the Tour Down Under. I can't believe I've got the chance really, because I watched it as a kid wondering if I could do it when I was 20 years old. I'm 17 and now I've got that chance."

Rogers powered home to win the under-19s road race, narrowly beating fellow Canberrans Oscar Chamberlain across the line.

It secured him a spot at the world championships in Wollongong later this year and was a timely boost before joining BikeExchange for the Tour Down Under 20 years after his uncle won the race.

Rogers will juggle Year 12 duties at Canberra College this year with his cycling ambitions, with Doney hopeful he can perform well enough to earn a spot on a development trip to Belgium in the coming months.

Doney and Rogers have been working together for almost two years. In that time Rogers has won the national championship road race and criterium as well as two gold medals on the track. He won his track gold medals after just three training sessions in the lead up.

"He's resilient. Not fragile at all," Doney said. "You can throw the kitchen sink at him and it doesn't worry him, he's a bit like Bling [Matthews] in that regard.

"I think he's going to be a Classics rider. If it's a sprint finish on an incline, he'll be licking his lips."

Rogers has his sights on learning what he can at the Tour Down Under before chasing his European dream.

"It's going to be an experience. I'll be riding with and against riders who have that experience ... all these massive guys who are shredding it up now. I can't wait," Rogers said.