“We never have crowds. It will be awesome having crowds cheering us on,” Cooke told the Fed Uni Cycling Australia Road National Championships launch on Tuesday.

Next year’s titles will be the first time para-cyclists have vied for a national crown on what is regarded as one of the toughest road courses in Australia.

Cooke commended Cycling Australia for its inclusive approach to the championships with the move.

She said it was going to be exciting to be able say they had conquered the famed road circuit.

Para-cycling was included in the national road championships for the first time this year, with the road races contested near Cardigan – away from the hub of the titles.

A multiple world and paralympic champion, Cook took out a women’s tricycle category.

Cooke tested herself on the 10.1km circuit at Buninyong in a training ride on Tuesday.

She said given she was travelling to Federation University Australia for the launch it had been a great opportunity to tackle the road race course. Cooke said as well as the climb, the camber of the roads would provide a challenge.

Cook joined reigning elite women’s road race champion Shannon Malseed from Ballarat and national para-handcycling road race title holder Stuart Tripp at the launch.

Next year’s championships have a new schedule, with the criteriums opening a five-day festival on Friday, January 4. The road races will be on the Saturday and Sunday, and time trials on the Monday and Tuesday.