White started competitive cycling at age 14. Like so many other Australian professional riders he started his career on the track under Charlie Walsh, competing in the Junior World Championship in Athens. In 1994 he attended the Commonwealth Games in Victoria Canada, his fourth spot in the Team Time Trial was taken by soon to be retired Phil Anderson but he did compete in & finish the road race. Turning professional in 1996 at age 22 with the Giant-Australian Institute of Sport team under the GIANT-A.I.S. Sports Director and Australian National Coach, German born Heiko Salzwedel. During this period the team's European headquarters were based in Cottbus , Germany.