Otago track cyclists will be tested at the Festival of Speed at Invercargill this weekend.
It will be the first chance of the season for New Zealand competitors to take steps towards the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Otago has two cyclists in the New Zealand elite women's team competing in the event.
The cool-headed Sophie Williamson is expected to continue her progress on the track and sprinter Katie Schofield will be given a chance to test her speed against the best riders in the Asia-Pacific region.
Two younger Otago riders - Patrick Jones and Alex McGregor - will be competing in the elite events. It will give them the opportunity to force their way into the New Zealand team.
Riders from six nations, led by a powerful contingent from Australia, will compete in the first UCI tier one event held in New Zealand.
It provides ranking points for world cup competition for next year and ultimately to the 2016 Olympic Games.
It begins a week of top international cycling in Invercargill, with the international meet on Saturday and Sunday followed by the four-day Oceania championships starting on Tuesday.
The tier one competition is an initiative by the UCI, the sport's ruling body, which has created significantly more international racing opportunities around the world.
Riders from Australia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia and Scotland will be competing.
Australia is sending a strong group led by the brilliant Shane Perkins, the London Olympic medallist, defending Commonwealth Games sprint gold medallist and 2011 keirin world champion.
He is joined by fellow star sprinters Mitchell Bullen, the current national champion, Dan Ellis, the Athens Olympian who is back out of retirement, and Jacob Schmid, who won two junior world titles in Invercargill in 2012.
The leading women include London Olympic team sprint medallist Kaarle McCulloch, current points and individual pursuit champion Annette Edmondson and 19-year-old Taylah Jennings, who was the individual star of the junior world championships staged in Southland.
The New Zealand team is based on the group that contested the recent world cup in Manchester, including omnium world champion Aaron Gate, Olympic medallist Simon van Velthooven and the team sprint and endurance riders.
Added to this will be the New Zealand sprint and endurance women, who will make their first international appearance, as they begin their campaign towards next year's Commonwealth Games.
''Manchester was the first hit out and gave us an indication of where we are at and what we need to address,'' head coach Dayle Cheatley said.
''They present some invaluable international competition before we head away to the next world cup in Mexico next month.''
They are important competitions in terms of the ranking points for world championships and Olympic qualification. An Oceania title is much sought after.
''Our new young riders learned a lot in Manchester and will be much the better for it. The sprint boys were solid but will want to step up against a strong Australian group,'' Cheatley said.
''It is the start of the journey for our female riders in sprints and endurance, with the team pursuit changed to 4000m.''
The Festival of Speed is from 12.30pm to 3pm and 6.30pm to 10pm on Saturday, and 10am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 5.15pm on Sunday.
