The opening UCI World Tour event in Australia will have a positive flow-on effect for February’s Cycling New Zealand Road Championships in Timaru.

Ten New Zealand riders on initial start lists for the Tour Down Under in Adelaide starting next week have also indicated they plan to race the Elite Road National Championships in Timaru from 6-8 February.

They include 2022 national champion George Bennett and fellow World Pro Tour teammate Corbin Strong, who was runner-up in the road race last year.

Last year’s podium placegetter and Paris Olympian, Laurence Pithie will return after competing in the Tour Down Under, joined by fellow Red Bull BORA Hansgrohe World Tour teammate Finn Fisher-Black, making a welcome return to the National Championships, last competing in Cambridge in 2022.

Highly experienced professional Dion Smith, who rides for the Intermarche-Wanty World Tour team, will make his eighth start at the national championships but his first since 2020.

New Zealand Sportsman of the Year, Aaron Gate has confirmed he will defend his road race title. Gate will wear the national jersey when he makes his World Tour debut for XDS Astana team in the Tour Downunder, and is planning to then head to Timaru to defend his title.

In the women, Paris Olympian Kim Cadzow, who won both road race and time trial titles in Timaru last year, joins compatriot Henrietta Christie in the EF-Oatly Cannondale team in Adelaide, with both planning to head to Timaru.

The 2023 under-23 road and time trial national champion, Ally Wollaston will debut for her new women’s world tour team, FDJ-Suez before competing in Timaru, as will last year’s road and time trial under-23 national champion, Ella Wyllie, now riding on the Women’s World Tourin Australia for Liv AlUla Jayco.

“We are excited that our UCI World Tour riders will return home to compete in the national championships,” said race manager, Amy Hollamby.

“Coming off the Tour Downunder those riders will have some form, and that added an amazing element to the national championships.

“It will give cycling fans basically their only chance to see our world stars in action at home and it is also a tremendous opportunity for all our riders to test themselves against the best.

“We hope to have all these riders confirmed in the coming week and then look to others to also add to this.

“The championships were terrific last year and we think the tweak to the road course, with a testing uphill finish, is going to be amazing.”

The programme comprises the Time Trial for all grades on Thursday 6 February, followed by the road races for Under-19 Women, Under-19 Men and combined Under-23 and Elite Women on Friday 7 February, leaving the Under-23 and Elite Men’s road race on Saturday 8 February. Entries are still open, with event information available at http://eliteroadnationals.nz/