He is one of six riders who could win the 43km long course race from Smaills Beach to Natures Wonders Restaurant on the tip of the peninsula.
Leuchs (31) has the credentials and the experience to control the race if he is in his best form.
But he no longer has the killer instinct that made him successful during his eight years as a professional mountain biker.
"I will be riding as hard as I can but I'm not trying to win races like I did in the past," Leuchs said yesterday.
"But you never know.
"It depends how my legs respond, but I've still got speed sitting there."
Leuchs rode internationally from 1995 to 2008 and competed at 13 world championships.
Before the Beijing Olympics he was ranked in the top six in the world.
"I don't think I'll return to World Cup racing but I still enjoy long distance multi-event racing."
Leuchs has teamed with Marcus Roy (Invercargill) in Team Yeti for the Peninsula Challenge and they will be tested against the R and R Sport team of Mark Williams (Queenstown) and Tony Hogg (Dunedin).
Leuchs finished 13th last year in 2hr 07min 14 sec, Roy ninth in 2hr 02min 23sec and Hogg eighth in 2hr 01min 36sec.
Jon Richardson (Dunedin), who specialises in point-to-point-style events and knows the terrain in detail, has a good record in the race and should not be underestimated.
He was third in 2007, fifth in 2008 and third last year.
Last year's winner, Brendon Sharratt (Christchurch), is concentrating on the national mountain bike series and will not be competing this year.
Ash Hough (Papamoa) was runner-up last year and will be a strong contender.
Sara Macdonald won the first two events and was runner-up last year.
She is expected to have the edge over fellow Dunedin rider Erin Greene who was third last year.
The Otago Peninsula Challenge is a once-a-year opportunity to traverse the peninsula across 10 private properties from Smaills Beach to Taiaroa Head.
It is the only occasion for which the landowners allow public access to the land.
The entries in all categories - mountain bike, run and walk - are down by 100 from last year to 624. There are 235 mountain bikers entered, with 168 riding the long course and 67 the short course.
There has been an increase in the runners from 110 to 113 and the walkers from 255 to 276.
Thirty-six-year-old Andrew Lonie (Leith) won the gruelling run last year in 1hr 38min 41sec from Kurt Gobeli (Switzerland) in 1hr 39min 19sec, John Earles (Dunedin) in 1hr 41min 13sec and Geoff Williamson (Leith) in 1hr 41min 51sec.
The favourite this year will be Bevan Stevens (Caversham).
Dunedin horse dentist Louisa Andrew won last year's women's race in 1hr 48min 51sec ahead of Sue Cuthbert (Leith).
A dark horse could be Vanessa Gray (Hill City) who finished fourth last year.
More than 100 volunteers help organise the event, spearheaded by the Otago Peninsula Lions Club, Mountain Biking Otago and Athletics Otago.
The starting times are: 9am, walk (from Allans Beach); 10am, 23km run (from Allans Beach) and 43km long mountain bike (from Smaills Beach); 10.30am (23km short mountain bike (from Allans Beach).
