He still needs authorisation from cycling's governing body the UCI before it is official, but if he gets approval Bellis will ride as a stagiare, meaning that he will be given a trial by a pro team with a view to giving him a permanent pro contract in 2009.

Currently the CSC-Saxo Bank team is competing in the Tour de France with Frank Schleck in contention for overall victory.

It is not clear at this stage whether Schleck will be in London alongside Bellis when the Tour of Britain starts in London on September 7 but the team is sure to have a strong line-up with world time-trial champion Fabian Cancellara and Tour de France stage winner Jens Voigt in its ranks.

Bellis impressed team managers at a CSC training camp in Majorca earlier this year.

He had hoped to ride the Eneco Tour immediately after returning from the Olympics but due to Pro Tour rules that is not possible.

So Bellis plans to work as hard as he can over the next few months, do a good ride supporting the senior GB riders Steve Cummings and Roger Hammond in the Olympic road race, and then hope to impress in the Tour of Britain which finishes in Liverpool on September 14.

Last year on his Tour of Britain debut Bellis finished 35th overall and got a top-10 place on three consecutive stages.

His performance showed his potential in the race and he carried his good form into the World Championships where he won a bronze medal in the under-23 road race.

The Tour of Britain should be of massive interest to Manx cycling fans as Mark Cavendish is likely to be Team Columbia's star man and there is a chance that Peter Kennaugh could ride as part of the Great Britain team.

Andrew Roche is also hoping for a spot in the Pinarello RT team so we could see four Manxman on the start line which would be a first for any British professional stage race.