Nick White is right in the race to collect another green and gold jersey in the Cycling Australia Road National Championships elite men's criterium in Ballarat on Friday.
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The Ballarat road star gave notice that he looms as a major threat with a podium finish in the highly competitive Bay Crits at the weekend.
White finished third to Sam Welsford and reining national criterium champion Brenton Jones after being in leader's jersey going into the third and last stage.
Jones and Welsford shape as being two of the hardest to beat on the Sturt Street circuit.
While last year was a huge breakthrough for Jones after a three-year domination by grand tour sprint king Caleb Ewan, Welsford is looking to make a similar impact.
Welsford is a world record holder and multiple world champion on the track, but is yet produce a stand-out performance on the road.
His Bay Crits form suggests he can give the 44km event a major shake.
White will importantly have the support of nine Bridgelane teammates, which could be a telling factor in a tactical battle.
He is making his elite championships debut in the criterium and goes into what is sure to ridden at a frantic pace as the reigning national under-23 road race champion - a title he will handover at Buninyong on Saturday.
The elite men's criterium will be raced at the earlier time of 5pm, with the elite and under-23 women contesting the last event of the day around the 1.1km circuit.
Racing begins with a fixed gear event at noon.
