It is the first double-header weekend for the series and the first of two double-header weekends for 2018. After winning the first round in Dunedin, Zenovich has the opportunity to build a lead in the elite men’s classification but will have to hold off Jake Marryatt, who won the series last year, lies second in the elite standings and leads the under-23 classification. Marryatt has been in good recent form with an impressive under-23 Oceania time trial win that was just 10 seconds slower than Hamish Bond’s elite men’s winning effort.
Other riders who should feature include Michael Vink and his team-mate Sam Horgan, who was second in Le Race recently, and former world tour professional and Olympic medallist Hayden Roulston, who is riding in the series for the first time since retiring.
Finn Fisher-Black and Bailey O’Donnell, who have both recently been named in the New Zealand junior world championship track team, are ones to watch as well.
Zenovich has just returned from racing in Asia in the Tour of Langkawi and Tour of Thailand for his Australian St George Continental Cycling team, and although admitting he was not a fan of racing on dirt, is looking forward to the weekend.
"The dirt and gravel — it definitely mixes things up and as far as protecting or extending my lead goes, I will just have to see how things go," Zenovich said.
"Of course I’d like to win the rounds but I’m also doing these races with a really fresh and young team and I would like to help them develop a good racing mind so we can all ride as a unit and become a better team. That’s the main focus."
Women’s leaders former pro triathlete Kate McIIroy and West Coast cyclist Sharlotte Lucas are missing, as they are competing in the road race in the Commonwealth Games, leaving the opportunity for 19-year-old Dunedin student Harris to take the leader’s jersey.
Harris has shown she has recovered well from a crash earlier in the year that meant she could not compete in the 2018 Elite Nationals.
She will have to fend off the experienced Karen Fulton and Annamarie Lipp, who is leading the under-19 classification.
