Defending champion Gordon Macauley (Auckland) is the favourite but he is expected to be challenged by young riders in the five-stage cycling tour on the Taieri at the weekend.
Macauley (39), the elder statesman of the New Zealand road cycling, has earned his reputation as the strong man.
He proved this when his gutsy effort helped team-mate Hayden Roulston to a silver medal in the road race at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi last year.
The former Otago cyclist has won several New Zealand and Oceania senior road titles and has the strength to survive challenges from the young speedsters.
His biggest challenge could come from Jason Allen (Christchurch), who won the individual pursuit and the scratch race at the national track championships in Invercargill last month.
Allen, who stands 196cm, was a prominent track rider who competed in the team pursuit at the 2006 Commonwealth Games and was in the World Cup-winning combination the previous year.
He then turned his attention to the road and is now a key member of the Subway Pro cycling team.
Another challenger is talented Southland-based Marlborough rider Cameron Karwowski, who was in the New Zealand junior world champion team sprint in 2009.
He is now testing his ability on the road.
Another expected to challenge Macauley is Sam Horgan (Christchurch), who was the New Zealand under-23 road champion in 2009.
Local riders capable of challenging for the title in the category one race are Geoff Keogh, Chris Henderson and Mark Spessot.
Former Otago rugby representative Brett McCormack is starting the category two race and will be challenged by top women Carolyn Jenkins and Pam Macauley.
A notable entrant in the category three race in the R and R Sport event is Labour MP Trevor Mallard, who is expected to be as robust on the bike as he is in Parliament.
He will be challenged by Tom Campbell and Jan Brosnahan.
The five-stage category one race covers 270km over the two days, the category two 250km and the category three 200km.
The headquarters for the three stages tomorrow is the Henley hall.
Stage four on Sunday leaves from the Wingatui racecourse and stage five is on the Fortex race circuit.
