The 25-year-old, who holds the individual pursuit world record over four kilometres, was in Buninyong to scope out the new route on Friday.

It only took one-and-a-half laps of the 40.9-kilometre men’s circuit, starting and finishing in Buninyong, along the Buninyong-Mt Mercer road, for Bobridge to realise it was a journey that will test even the purest riders against the clock.

“If you compare it to the last few years (at Burrumbeet), it’s a lot better as a TT course,” Bobridge said.

“There’s a bit more of everything, there’s faster sections and steep sections – overall it’s a real time trial course. I’d call it an honest course because there’s no hiding out here – there’s no hiding in any TT – but this one is a real honest ourse.”

The newly signed Budget Forklifts rider carries impressive palmares on the road, including a national road race title won in 2011.

However, he plans to focus on his already brilliant track career in 2015, starting with an attempt on the world hour record, held by Austrian Matthias Brandle.

“At the moment, that would be my biggest target in January,” he said.

“I love the Road Nationals, but the time trial will be a good indicator for where I’m at for the hour record.

“Everything will be based around that.”

Bobridge has also praised the depth of the men’s time trial field for next year’s edition, which is likely to feature Rohan Dennis – who will try for the world hour record in February – as well as last year’s winner Michael Hepburn, Luke Durbridge and possibly Michael Rogers – a triple world champion in the discipline.

“If you look at the guys who are putting their hand up to race this year, it’s definitely going to be one of the strongest fields in history,” he said.