Brawler cyclist riding for a fall

Cyclist Hayden Roulston hopes the incident will help him to "grow up a bit". File picture / Simon Baker

Cyclist Hayden Roulston may lose his position with the world's top professional racing team after being caught fighting in public for the second time in two years.

The 24-year-old cycling star was convicted in the Ashburton District Court yesterday of disorderly behaviour after throwing punches in a late-night brawl at Timaru 10 days ago.

He was fined $300, but the conviction is of much greater concern to Roulston, who had been warned not to get into trouble again by his Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team, which features world supremo Lance Armstrong.

The American team issued the warning after Roulston was convicted last year of punching two people at a bar while celebrating his inclusion in the New Zealand Olympic team.

In court yesterday, Roulston's lawyer, Jared Bell, urged Judge Edward Ryan to discharge his client because "he fears a conviction will almost certainly spell the end of his involvement with that [Discovery Channel] team".

But Judge Ryan said Roulston should have known the consequences of his actions and had to be treated like anyone else who fought in public.

"If he knew his occupational position was perilous he should have had that in his mind at the relevant time."

Discovery Channel team president Barton Knaggs declined to comment on Roulston's conviction when contacted at his Texas home.

The court heard that Roulston joined in the brawl involving up to 20 people outside the Sail Bar after closing time, about 3.05am on Sunday, October 16. He threw several punches at an unidentified man.

When spoken to by police, Roulston admitted his involvement and said he was standing up for his mate's girlfriend.

"He wasn't going out looking for trouble," Mr Bell said. He was going to assist his friend and the woman.

After being sentenced yesterday, Roulston said he deeply regretted the way he had acted in Timaru, and he accepted the judge's decision.

"I also want to apologise to those close to me and to all those who see me as a role model.

"I recognise the responsibility that I have to my sport, my country and my team and this incident has only reinforced how important cycling and reaching my goals are to me," Roulston said.

"I can't change what has happened but hopefully, looking back on it, I can say that it helped me focus on my career and grow up a bit."

Roulston was recently named in the 13-strong national track team for the Oceania championships in Wanganui, starting on November 30.

Cycling New Zealand president Wayne Hudson said Roulston's behaviour in his own time was up to him.

If a formal complaint was made by a member of Cycling NZ that Roulston had brought the sport into disrepute, it could be looked into.

But Mr Hudson doubted there were grounds to punish Roulston again, given that he had already been dealt with by the courts.