The Wagga teenager is about to realise a long-held dream after signing a two year deal with Slovenian UCI Continental team Ljubljana Gusto Santic.

The director of Australian team St George Continental, Brett Dutton, suggested Barnhill as a good option to Ljubljana Guston Santic after they indicated they were after a young Australian to join them.

A chat with fellow Australian Tim Guy, who had ridden with the team before, was followed by discussions with their manager and sports director, before they told Barnhill the good news.

Barnhill put himself on the radar when he finished fifth in his first overseas campaign at Korea's Tour DMZ last year.

He also recently won the time trial at the state championships, before finishing second in the road race the next day.

"I was so happy when they told me I was on the team. It's the opportunity of a lifetime," Barnhill said.

"It's a step below the world tour and there'll be lots of racing in Italy and countries like that, it's pretty cool.

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"The sports director had a look over my training data and after a couple of weeks they told me I was in the team.

"I didn't think I'd be going over to Europe next year though, but it's probably not idea to waste another year in Australia if there isn't any racing."

Barnhill will leave for the Slovenian capital in mid-February.

It's reward for plenty of hard work for Barnhill, who has maintained his training regime despite a lack of quality racing in Australia this year.

"You only get out of it what you put in," he said.

Barnhill said the fact there's already another Australian on the team, Canberra's Dylan Hopkins, will help him assimilate to a foreign country.