A year after conquering the world in the under-23 time trial, the Hobart rider said he had realised the sport was not for him.

"The amount of work and sacrifice required to get to that level and be a Grand Tour winner, people that aren't in cycling have no idea what it takes," he said.

"I don't really see myself being able to do that and make all those sacrifices to be a top rider.

"There was a lot of times when you were by yourself and it just wasn't for me. I asked myself, do I envisage doing this for the next 10 years? The answer was no.

"It was good to get out now before maybe it was a bit too late to try something else."

Flakemore told the CyclingTips website he had considered quitting even before signing a neo-professional contract with BMC, the team that backed Cadel Evans' Tour de France campaigns and will do the same for Launceston's Richie Porte next year.

Despite having lived and raced abroad with Australia's World Tour Academy, Flakemore found his year in France lonely. The 23-year-old said his two-year contract had been terminated.

"They [BMC] were a bit disappointed because they gave me this massive opportunity and I've sort of just thrown it back at them. But I think, if you're not happy doing something, then you've sort of wasted your time and I think they understood that."

Flakemore had an up-and-down start to his pro career, finishing fourth in the national road race championship before breaking his collarbone while riding back to a hotel during his World Tour debut at the Tour Down Under in January.

He raced the Tour of Romandie, Tour of California and the August Vattenfall Cyclassics-Hamburg.

Flakemore said he had consulted his parents and former Genesys team manager Andrew Christie-Johnston before deciding to return to Hobart.