Tears, cheers and bright words from a past master floated in Mark Scanlon's direction when he began an emotional homecoming at Dublin airport yesterday evening.

Most teenagers mark their 18th birthday by going on the tear, but the young Sligo cyclist celebrated his coming of age by emphatically surging for gold in the world junior cycling championship on Saturday. As he paused for breath at yesterday's reception, he was momentarily overcome.

"I'd like to thank the federation, who over the past year have worked tremendously with us. But I think most importantly I'd like to thank my team-mates," he began before giving way to welling eyes and earning a prolonged ovation.

"I don't think I'll say any more," he grinned.

But he did. This was the sort of dreamtime which he occasionally allowed to sift into his thoughts as he ground it out on the back roads of Sligo. Living it was hard to take in. So many people to think of, and one of them was standing at the back of the room.

"This is brilliant, I can't describe it. Stephen Roche and Sean Kelly were my childhood heroes, definitely the greatest influences I've ever had, apart from my parents I suppose," he said.

And then he stood there as his old idol, Stephen Roche, paid tribute.

"I was there on the finish line, about 200 yards from it and I thought, oh, he's gone too early, he is going to be caught from behind," said the 1987 senior world champion. "But no, he just stayed calm and calculated and I don't know how he did it. He held the cool, and I don't know if even myself, with 15 years experience, could have done the same.

"Mark has come from Sligo where there is no super, fantastic training programme laid down in front of him, and he still became world champion. I just hope young kids look up to Mark and see him as a genuine champion and one of their own who went across and beat the best in the world. I think, Mark, if you keep going the way you are going, you have a fantastic career ahead of you," Roche told the enraptured young star.

Scanlon agreed there had been no sophisticated regime behind his success as he thought of his mentors from the northwest.

"Well, mainly my parents and, em, well, basically my parents, you know," he laughed as Mary and Michael Scanlon watched on. Afterwards, he retreated with his Ireland team-mates, Dermot Nally, Stephen Gallagher, David Kenneally and Shane Prendergast.

This may be just the start; he hopes to turn professional in three years and his win has sparked talk of a new era.

Last night, though, he just wanted to get home to Sligo, riding high.