I was born and bred in Waihi, a small community on the east coast of the North Island of New Zealand. Although this is known for its mining industry, I grew up on a family dairy farm where helping out on the farm was a part of daily life. It was a very humble beginning where my parents instilled in me strong work ethics, respect and morals.

My first introduction to cycling was when, as a child, along with my two brothers and father, we joined the local Waihi BMX club and began competing nationally. This spanned over five years and lead to two third place NZ rankings and an early introduction to the sport of bike racing.

During my teens, I tried my hand at many other sports, including the customary attempt at rugby, as well as basketball and volleyball. What really caught my attention though, was the relatively new sport of triathlon. I enjoyed the discipline that it required and the success that I achieved from it.


It was from triathlon that I was drawn to the sport of cycling. I had enjoyed watching the Tour de France on TV many times and now I had the opportunity to try road racing via some of the local veteran riders in my home town.


I quickly developed a passion for road racing and it soon became more than a way to improve my cycling in triathlons. I enjoyed the tradition, history and international profile it had. It was not long before I gave triathlon away in the pursuit of cycling.


In my final year of high school, I was selected for the New Zealand Junior Road Cycling Team. This was the start of my international cycling career which has gone on to include a World Championships on the road and track, Commonwealth Games and two Olympic Games, again on both the road and track.


Initially, my international career was track-based and I competed at an international level for 5 years. However, upon the completion of my university degree in 1997, I secured a semi-professional contract with the American road team, Shaklee. Immediately, I began to achieve notable results which continued when I spent 1998 with the Mercury Cycling Team, also based in USA. It was during this time, which was an extremely successful domestic season for me and the team, that I also got a taste of the European racing scene when I raced in Spain and France.


From solid European performances and a number one ranking in the USA - achieved through many victories -I signed with the United States Postal Service. The year of 1999 was to be my first introduction to a full European programme.


I went on to spend three seasons with the Posties and through my time with the team, apart from marrying my long-time girlfriend, Carole, I was lucky enough to ride alongside several of the world's best road cyclists. I experienced a lot of personal highs and lows with US Postal and my time there helped shaped me into the kind of rider I am today.

I came to a point on Postal, however, where I felt as though I had gained as much as I could from the team and it was time to move on. I was a sprinter on a team built around Lance Armstrong. It was time to find a team that needed my skills. And so CSC-Tiscali was where I headed. There I spent 2 seasons. The first was marred by a horrible start when I broke my right leg in 2 places in March 2002 - before I'd even had the chance to prove myself to my new directors and team-mates. I was out of racing for 3 months. During this time I underwent intensive rehabilitation and training and then went on to have my best season ever, finishing off the year with a 10th placing at the World Champs in Zolder, Belgium - the best placing ever for a New Zealander at the pro level.

My second season with CSC proved to be my best yet with several notable victories and results including my first ever tour win in Europe, the Tour de la Region Wallone.

2004 brought about my 6th year and 3rd team as a European pro. The kermit-green kit of French team, Credit Agricole, was my gig and in it I had my fair share of ups and downs. The first half of the year was hampered by 2 broken elbows in one crash which saw an intense period of rehabilitation to see me fit and fast enough to take the start line at the Tour de France. Not only did I manage to finish my first ever TDF, but I also impressed a few with my strong lead-outs for team sprinter, Thor Husholvd. My bosses were impressed enough to offer me a further 2 years on the team which I accepted with pleasure...It was nice to have a contract signed and sealed in July!
The month of August brought with it the Athens Olympics and stellar form for me. I had the best performance of my career to date although unfortunately my 15th place didn't reflect it. Although a little disappointed with my result, I did come away from Athens with a mountain of self-belief and confidence...something that has taken me 8 years to achieve.

As I roll on into the 2005 season, I take with me the ever-burning fire in my belly to be stronger, faster, calmer and wiser than ever before in the hope to pull off a 'big one' that I have been striving for since the day I started competing.

I continue to enjoy racing in Europe. Of course it's not an easy life and there are always more lows than highs but the few highs I get through achieving my goals and becoming a step closer to being the best I can be, make the lows worthwhile and 'liveable'.

I love the life in Europe. Particularly with what I do. The passion, love and enjoyment that is shared by so many involved in the sport is amazing. It's nice to see this sport as part of the European culture and revered by so many people. Although it is difficult and demanding, I believe that for me, there is nothing in the world like it.


I hope you enjoy the website and it allows you to experience the world of professional european cycling as I see it.


Julian Dean

2002
Tour Down Under
6th - Stage 1
2nd -Stage 6

Tour of Denmark
7th - Final stage

Sachsen Tour
9th - Stage 1
4th - Stage 4b
4th - Stage 5

Tour of Holland
2nd - Stage 1
5th - Stage 2a
6th - Stage 4

Hessen Tour
2nd - Stage 1
3rd - Stage 2
4th - Stage 3
Yellow jersey held for 2 days.

Franco-Belge
7th - Stage 2
2nd - Stage 3

Paris Tours (WC) - 10th

10th - Professional World Championships -best ever result by a New Zealander in the Pro World Champs.


2001
13th - Stage 7 Four Days of Dunkerque:

14th - Stage 2 Tour of Picardie: General Classification 21st
10th - Stage 3

3rd   - Clarendon Cup USA

4th   - Capitol Cup USA:

10th - First Union Classic Lancaster

1st   - First Union Invitational Trenton

10th - First Union US Pro Championships

6th   - Stage 2 Tour of Luxembourg: General Classification 29th
21st - Stage 3
4th   - Stage 5

8th   - Stage 2 Tour of Catalunya: General Classification, 50th
17th - Stage 3
2nd  - Stage 5


2000
13th - Classica del Almeria

11th - Stage 5 Setmana Catalana

7th   - Stage 1 Vuelta Ciclista Aragon: Overall 56th
8th   - Stage 4

6th   - Stage 1 Midi Libre
8th   - Stage 2
2nd  - Stage 3

20th - First Union Wilmington Classic

14th - First Union Classic

10th - First Union US Pro Champs

15th - Stage 2 Tour of Luxembourg

12th Rud de Sud

25th - Prologue Tour of Holland: General Classification 29th
13th - Stage 2
15th - Stage 4 ITT
15th - Stage 5

12th - Stage 1 Tour of Poland
19th - Stage 2
19th - Stage 3
11th - Stage 4
26th - Stage 5
43rd - Stage 7

61st - Olympic Games Road Race


1999
1st - stage, Tour of Wellington.
1st - overall, Tour of Wellington.
1st in 2 stages of the Prutour (Tour of Britain)
2nd - stage, Tour of Wellinton
2nd - final stage, Vuelta Espana
3rd - First Union Classic
4th - Clasica Almeria
4th - stage, Four Days of Dunkerque


1998
1st  - Outdoor Life Network Grand Prix
1st  - US Pro Criterium Championship
1st  - overall, U.S. National Point Series
1st  - Visalia Criterium
1st  - stage, Tour LeFleur
1st  - sprint competition, Redlands Classic
3rd  - stage, Tour of Asturias
5th  - stage, Tour of Asturias
6th  - stage, GP Beauce


1997
1st  - Visalia Criterium
1st  - Santa Rosa Criterium
2nd  - stage, Tour LeFleur
2nd  - pursuit, New Zealand Track Championship
3rd  - time trial, New Zealand Track Championship


1996
1st  - Tour of Somerville
1st  - stage, Tour of Ohio
1st  - Red Rose Rocket Criterium
1st  - pursuit, New Zealand Track Championship
1st  - points race, New Zealand Track Championship
1st  - stage, Tour of Wellington
2nd  - team pursuit, New Zealand Track Championship
3rd  - time trial, New Zealand Track Championship
8th  - team pursuit, Olympic Games


1995
1st  - kilometer, New Zealand Track Championship
1st  - all-around performance, New Zealand Track Championship
2nd  - team pursuit, 6th round of Track World Cup
2nd  - pursuit, New Zealand Track Championship
3rd  - madison, 6th round of Track World Cup
3rd  - points race, New Zealand Track Championship