Criteriums in Sturt Street in the heart of the Ballarat CBD will again to be the opening event of the five-day cycling extravaganza, which previously began on Wednesday.

The later start in the week means Sunday’s elite men’s and women’s road races at Buninyong will no longer mark the end of the championships.

Times trial previously contested in the lead-up to the road races will now be run on the Monday and Tuesday after the blue ribbon events.

Cycling Australia general manager sport Kipp Kaufman said organisers believed the switch to a Friday criterium would attract a bigger crowd than the previous mid-week schedule and encourage more overnight stays in Ballarat.

He said cycling followers would now have the opportunity of attending the critieriums and associated attractions into Friday night and then staying for road races and other activities on Saturday and Sunday.

“We believe it makes an attractive package.”

Kaufmann said Cycling Australia in conjunction with the City of Ballarat was working on adding other activities for families as well as die-hard cycling fans across the weekend, starting with Friday night.

He said the championships would be more than just racing.

“”We’re looking to open up the event to a whole new market. The aim is to get more people staying in Ballarat for the whole weekend as well as engaging in cycling,” Kaufmann said.

The championships will start on Friday, January 4, and continue to Tuesday, January 8, and again feature elite, under-19, under-23, and para-cycling criteriums, road races and time trials.

Friday: criteriums - under-19 women and men, under-23 women and men, elite women and men

Saturday: road races - para (all categories), under-19 women and men, under-23 men

Sunday: road races - under-23 women,  elite women and men

Monday: time trials - para (all categories), under-19 women and men

Tuesday: time trials -  under-23 women and men, elite women and men

All the road courses will remain the same as this year, with road races and time trials at Buninyong.

This includes the extended road race loop which for the first time this year took riders through the Federation University of Australia precinnct, providing an added technical aspect to the events.

Cycling Australia CEO Steve Drake said CA was continually looking at ways to energise the championships and create opportunities for everyone to get involved whether it be on your bike or in the crowds.

“We believe these changes to the schedule are rider and spectator friendly alike.

“Come to Ballarat from Friday afternoon and stay for a long weekend of the best that Australian cycling has to offer.”

Ballarat mayor Samantha McIntosh said each year the event gets bigger and better.

“The Friday night criteriums will no doubt attract even larger crowds, providing a significant economic boost to this region just at the start of a new year.”