SYDNEY Olympic Games cycling gold medallist Brett Aitken will head a classy field in the Tour of the Goldfields in the Ballarat region today.
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Aitken, the top ranked rider in the 100-plus field, combined with Scott McGrory to win track gold in the madison at last year's Olympics.
The South Australian has long been regarded as one of Australia's best cyclists and he is sure to prove tough to beat in the 128km event, which begins at North Ballarat Sports Club at 10am.
The Tour of the Goldfields has become the traditional way to launch one of Australia's premier road cycling series, the Tattersalls Cup.
The first of five one-day events will cover a testing circuit taking in Dean, Newlyn, Blampied, Eganstown, Daylesford, Hepburn, Franklinford, Campbelltown, Glengower, Clunes, Creswick and Sulky before finishing at Midlands Golf Club about three hours later.
The tour features nine sprints and seven category three hill climbs.
Victorian Robert Tighello can also be expected to not only figure highly today, but also in the Tattersalls Cup.
Tighello has won two of the five Tattersalls Cups _ 1997 and 2000.
He has also finished second in 1996 and third in 1999.
Other leading hopes include South Australian Stephen Cunningham, Peter Milostic, of New South Wales, Victorians David McKenzie, Leigh Egan, Brett Lancaster, Garry Parsons and Robert Boag, Tasmanian Darren Young and Ben Brooks, of NSW.
McKenzie won a stage in last year's Tour of Italy.
The race has riders from every state, as well the Australian Capital Territory.
Ballarat will be represented by Jaysen Searle, Phillip Orr and Jon Townsend.
The series has become highly competitive because of its status as a major leadup event to the Tour.
The top 10 riders from the series are guaranteed a start in the Tour on October 18-20.
The $25,500 Tattersalls Cup series also features:
Tour of the Strathbogie Ranges at Nagambie, 166km, August 8.
Colac Otway Classic, August 15, 148km.
Tour of Wellington Shire, Sale, 132km.
Tour of the Tamar, Launceston, 150km.
