Vink (19) was runner-up last year and is tipped to have the edge over the rest of the category 1 men's field over the 254km course.
Vink, who joined Lance Armstrong's Trek Livestrong under-23 development team in the United States this year, is one of the brightest riding hopes in the country.
He joined fellow Cantabrian Josh Atkins in the Trek Livestrong development team in the United States this year.
The former Christchurch Boys' High School pair hope to follow the wheels of compatriots Sam Bewley and Jesse Sergent, who have been promoted from the development team to Armstrong's Radio-Shack professional team.
Vink was a promising junior and broke his first New Zealand record in the under-19 25km time trial in 2008.
The following year he broke more national under-19 records in the individual and teams pursuit. Vink won the New Zealand under-19 road race title this year.
The Tour de Taieri was first held as a junior event 25 years ago and was won by internationals Glen Thomson and Greg Henderson when they were junior riders in Otago.
It has attracted a field of 120 cyclists this weekend and the other contenders expected to challenge Vink in the category 1 men's race are Jason Allan (Marlborough), and the Dunedin pair of Alex McGregor and Mark Spessot.
Promising juniors in the event are Lachie McGregor (Dunedin) in the under-15 grade, Josh Haggerty (Invercargill) and Liam Aitcheson (Alexandra) in the under 17 grade and Patrick Jones (Dunedin) in the under-19 section.
The junior events are part of the national junior points series.
The event starts at the West Taieri Rugby Club at 10am today with the first of the three legs being held on the first day. The two legs tomorrow will be held close to Wingatui.
There are different distances for each grade with the category 1 elite men riding the longest distance.
Tour de Taieri
- Stage by stage
• Stage 1: Sam's Block (10km to 60km).
• Stage 2: Berwick Block (10km to 70km).
• Stage 3: Time Trial Huntly road (6km).
• Stage 4: Wingatui circuit (6km to 48km).
• Stage 5: Salisbury circuit (10km to 70km).
