The Orica-Scott teammates agree that as great as the Ballarat community has been in adopting the titles and as challenging the Buninyong road race circuit is, it is simply time for a change.

Ballarat, with Buninyong as a focal point, has had the nationals for all but two years since 2002. They moved to Adelaide in 2005-06 before returning.

This is the last year of the latest host agreement between Cycling Australia and the City of Ballarat – leaving it open for other bids.

While previous advocates for a new venue such as Robbie McEwan and Mark Renshaw have focused their argument on a desire to have a road race better suited to a sprint finish, the nature of the course is not an issue for Spratt or Elvin.

With each having conquered the circuit – Spratt in 2012 and last year, and Elvin back-to-back in 2013 and 2014 – it holds no fears for either.

Spratt said while she would support Ballarat retaining the championships, change was good.

Elvin said she was pro change and it would be great to give other regions around Australia an opportunity to run the event.

Spratt and Elvin told The Courier that Ballarat had developed some great hype around the event, but given the chance they were sure this could be replicated by other communities.

They were open as to whether the five-day event move annually or every two or three years, with the latter giving a venue time to build the championships.

Meanwhile, Spratt and Elvin are confident about Orica-Scott performing strongly in Sunday’s elite women’s 102km road race.

Although Spratt as the reigning champion the most likely team leader, she said it was race in which anything could happen.

Spratt is coming off a strong Bay Crits Series, in which she won the second leg at Portarlington.

Spratt nominated the likes of Lauren Kitchen, 2015 champion Peter Mullens, Kate Perry, Lucy Kennedy and Ballarat’s Shannon Malseed as major challengers to her team’s hopes.

Tiff Cromwell’s was also raised as a potential winner.

“We won’t be given the race.

“There’s some smart riders out there.

“There’s a lot of cards to be played,” Spratt said.

Elvin said she did not feel anything like the self-imposed pressure she did as reigning champion.

“It’s a different experience.”

She said had had slow build up to this year’s road race, with being without her road bikes which were mislaid in transit for five days interrupting her preparation.

Elvin was forced to ride her mountain bike in training sessions and while not ideal, she said it had added some fun.

The Orica-Scott team also features time trial champion Katrin Garfoot and criterium champion Jessica Allen from these titles.