The 2002 world champion and Olympian Sean Eadie, will dust off his bike and hit the roads to take part in the 2009 Johnny Warren Jamberoo Classic.

Affectionately known as "Brutus" for growing a bushy, black beard during his peak on the velodrome, Eadie was crowned world champion after winning the gold medal in the men's sprint at the 2002 world championships in Denmark.

In a career spanning 15 years (1990-2005), Eadie also won gold at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester as a member of Australia's sprint team, and also collected Olympic bronze in Sydney 2000 with the Australian sprint team.

Eadie has since persued a coaching career and spends part of his calendar year as mentor to rising Chinese track cyclist Jinjie Gong.

Although he hasn't raced a bike for several years, Eadie says he's looking forward to taking part in the Johnny Warren Jamberoo Classic.

"I have trouble clearing a speed hump these days, so I'm hoping there aren't too many steep challenges to Jamberoo," he says.

As a long-time resident of the Sutherland Shire, the start in the southern Sydney suburb of Loftus on January 4, makes it convenient for Eadie to compete in the social ride of the year.

These days the black, bushy beard is gone and Eadie isn't the intimidating figure which once sent fear to opponents on the race track, but he's prepared to throw "the leg over" all in the name of a terrific cause.