A good road bike to start with?

I agree that you should consider used if you are looking for a better weight bike in your price range. Here in the states my absolute lowest/best recommendation for new would be a Giant Defy 3 which is still in the $US 750 range. You can sometimes find them on sale for less. I wish I had better news, but the bottom line regarding weight is that it's less of a factor than many people think. Get the best bike you can that fits you properly. A proper fitting bike will let you ride longer and harder in a better position and you will go faster. Then by the time you can afford a full carbon stiff set-up you'll be a total monster. Cheers and happy riding.