After two years with Dimension Data, Scott Davies can't wait to start his career with Bahrain McLaren.

The 24-year-old signed a two-year deal with the Rod Ellingworth-led team in the fall, and while the 2020 race program has yet to be finalized, the Welsh rider is eager to prove his competitiveness in the final stages of racing.

"Around August, I heard that Rod wanted to take a look at my file and put together a quick list of areas for improvement," Davis told Cyclingnews from his home in Wales. [To be honest, I had a good idea about that because the first two years on the World Tour have been tough and I've had a lot to reflect on. I had a good idea about that because honestly, the two years since I've been on the World Tour have been hard and I've had a lot to reflect on. In that sense, it was very good timing."

"It was very good timing.

Davis signed with Dimension Data in early 2018. He is a promising U23 rider, winning four national time trial titles between 2014 and 2017, as well as showing his overall class with impressive GC rides at the Tour Alsace and at Baby Giro, where he finished fourth in 2017.

At Dimension Data, he settled into a domestique role while learning to work at the World Tour level, but a lack of individual results took the shine off his first steps at the top end of the sport. He could have stayed with Dimension Data for another year and wrestled with the dilemma of whether to stay or go. On the one hand it was easy, but on the other it wasn't. I think I'm a pretty loyal person, and there was a good chance I would have stayed at Dimension Data for another year. Doug Ryder saw my potential and gave me the opportunity to sign with a World Tour team.

"So it wasn't an easy decision, but from a performance standpoint, it really had to be made. And after looking back on everything, I felt that for me a fresh start was a positive thing and a step that I needed to take." [At Bahrain McLaren, he will be paired with a small number of British riders, including Mark Cavendish and Stevie Williams.

"It's exciting for any rider to have Rod involved. I saw possibilities and opportunities. It was a short camp, but a lot was shown in a short time. It's going to be a great setup, and from a rider's standpoint, it's going to be everything you want it to be.

"As I admit to myself, I am still in the development phase of my career. I want to continue that, but also focus on performing again. The last couple of years have been pretty difficult and I feel like I haven't been able to perform the way I wanted to perform or the performance that I have in me. Next year I want to get that out of the way and start racing again towards the end of the race."

The past two years have not lived up to Davis' expectations, but he still believes the experience will help him in the future.

"It was very difficult to leave an environment like Team Wiggins, where you have more chances to win races, and join a World Tour team. I didn't realize how difficult it would be to change my mindset. Maybe I should have paid more attention to my personal goals. [I want to be able to look back on the last two years and think that I learned a great deal. Hopefully that will pay off in the coming seasons."