McIntosh says she feels healthier and stronger this time about, leading into a new Cycling Australia National Road Series.

Her team, Canberra-based Suzuki Brumby’s, enters the series as the highest ranked women’s outfit.

The Ballarat athlete said the team was looking strong – it helped to have all riders back for a second season together.

“We all know how each other rides. The girls are predominantly based in Canberra and I’m going in as a Victorian but we know each other well,” McIntosh said.

“We’ve had a good team training camp in Jindabyne, near Canberra, and we’re all just looking forward to getting started in the National Road Series.”

The women’s NRS starts tomorrow with the Adelaide Tour and a stage one 85-kilometre road race from Anguston, near the Barossa Valley, to Campbelltown.

Adelaide Tour will also feature a city criterium and Campbelltown kermesse circuit.

McIntosh, while a little unfamiliar with the courses, looked forward to the kermesse on Sunday most and the technical challenges it posed in roundabouts and sharp 90-degree turns.

The 23-year-old worked a bit of mountain bike competition into her summer training regime to test her technical skill.

McIntosh, who studies business and arts at Deakin University, is based in Geelong and travels to Canberra to work with her team about once a month in week-long stays.

Her Suzuki Brumby’s teammates include Oceania time trial bronze medallist Madeleine Marshall, 2013 Australian under-23 time trial champion Ailie McDonald, 2013 Australian under-23 criterium champion Emily Roper and UCI Road World Championship under-19 time trial silver medallist Alex Nicholls.

The team, under its former branding Suzuki Bontrager, finished second in the teams aggregate last season to the now-defunct Pensar SPM Racing.

Away from her team, McIntosh must be disciplined with training but says she has found some “good training buddies” in Geelong to help push her along.

The women’s NRS features eight legs and will finish with the Tour of the Goldfields about Ballarat in October.

melanie.whelan@fairfaxmedia.com.au