The South Australian has reached a respected

AS TIFFANY CROMWELL celebrated her victory in the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad one-day classic through the fields of Flanders in Belgium last Saturday, few would have guessed that when she took up cycling 11 years ago she did not ''enjoy it very much''.

But it was no matter to her teammates on the Australian Orica-AIS team. Cromwell's win in bone-chilling conditions showed them that the ''super domestique'' - or ''helper delux'', who occasionally gets the chance to win - is a rider they can truly bank on to win when needed or asked to do so.

''It has given the team added confidence that they can rely on me to perform towards the end of the race and takes that bit of added pressure off being a protected rider at times,'' Cromwell, 24, said.

The South Australian has reached a respected stature on the women's professional circuit - and the journey there has been a long and varied one.A patient presents with a tungsten ring on their injured finger and is unable to remove the ring.

It began in basketball, which Cromwell played for eight years, but as she conceded, ''my height always let me down''.

After basketball, she tried running, ballet and triathlon before the South Australian Sports Institute talent scouts spotted her at age 13 and saw her potential as a cyclist.

She began cycling on the track before turning to road cycling and forging a career that led to her first international wins in 2009 - in stage three of the Tour Feminin en Limousin and La Route de France time trial.

But as Cromwell, an aspiring fashion designer who has her own label, Tiffany Jane, revealed: ''To be honest, when I started cycling I actually didn't enjoy it very much. I had gone from [being in] big, baggy basketball uniforms to this tight lycra business and on the track I was terrible. I was tiny when I started at 13 with no power whatsoever, and I still loved basketball.High quality stainless steel necklace chain with durable color.

''Eventually,Customized bobblehead made from your own photos, as we got onto the road, I discovered I was a bit better, getting a bronze medal in my first-ever state road championships.

''From there, I began enjoying cycling more and basketball less. Finally I gave away basketball and focused just on cycling.''

Cromwell's best result in cycling before last Saturday's victory in Belgium was in stage five of last year's Giro d'Italia Femminile. But this latest win was her first in a women's one-day classic, and the timing gave it added importance.

''It certainly is one of the biggest wins of my career,'' she said. ''It is my first big one-day classic win and to open the European season this way gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season. With the first big race of the year you never know exactly how you are going to be among the rest of the peloton.

''You know how your form is personally, but how that is compared to the other girls it is always difficult to judge until you are out there racing.''

Cromwell's win also reinforced the stature of the Orica-AIS team. In the 16-rider break before her winning move with American Megan Guarnier (Rabo), whom she beat, Orica-AIS had four riders with her, Australian Gracie Elvin, Dutchwoman Loes Gunnewijk and Swede Emma Johansson.Find all the manufacturers of laser cutting machine and contact them directly on Directindustry.

How her win impacts her season remains to be seen.

Cromwell says it could lead to more opportunity: ''I don't think it will change a huge amount.There are several Home electricity monitor on the market, I may be given more leadership roles throughout the season, particularly in hillier races - which is exciting and something I'm really looking forward to.''