Durbridge is looking like the man to beat as the AusCycling Road National Championships begins, but the uncertainty about whether he will be able to ride on Wednesday or not could blow the field wide open.

It's understood organisers are working to ensure all COVID-19 safety protocols are followed in a rapidly-changing situation, with a decision to be made before Durbridge is set to begin his run.

The time trial event begins Wednesday at Federation University at Mount Helen - the first race begins at 9.15am, the sold-out mass-participation Gran Fondo time trial ride, before the elite riders begin about 2.45pm.

In between, Australia's hungriest juniors will also hit the course.

The elite fields have several stand-outs, despite many big-name cyclists choosing to stay in Europe due to the pandemic - there will still be 33 riders hitting the starting ramp in the men's race.

Last year, Durbridge defeated world champion Rohan Dennis on the new Fed Uni course, though this year, Dennis will not be competing, creating a far more open field for competitors.

Durbridge, a four-time champion riding for the rebadged Team BikeExchange - formerly GreenEDGE - could be usurped by buzzed-about riders like Lucas Plapp, winner of the 2020 under 23 time trial.

Durbridge and Plapp both won a stage at last week's Santos Festival of Cycling, fending off cyclists like Richie Porte in road races and criteriums.

Ararat's own Lucas Hamilton, who finished second in the elite men's race last year, is another cyclist to watch

In the elite women's field, 20-year-old superstar Sarah Gigante will be aiming to defend her title, with 26 other challengers in the elite and under 23 field.

Riding for Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank, Gigante won two stages at the Santos event, and is in fine form.

Her main rival will likely be Grace Brown, the 2019 time trial champion, who has had a strong 2020, or Lucy Kennedy, who finished second in the general classification at the Santos event.

The under 23 men also face a strong field, as 2020 juniors winner Patrick Eddy moves up to take on players like Carter Turnbull, third-placed last year.

Both junior categories are also looking good, with a bigger field in the women's race compared to last year.

Riders will take on a "technical" course, with several hilly sections, and high speed turns through the university itself and along Fisken Street.

The course was introduced in 2020, to allow for more spectator opportunities at Federation University - last year, several riders said they appreciated the extra crowd support as they completed their laps, a bonus for a discipline usually referred to as the cycling purist's favourite.

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Stretching from the university up to Navigators Road with a straight burn up and down Yankee Flat Road, the elite men complete two laps for a 37.5km course, while the under 23 and elite women and under 23 men complete two laps for a 28.6km course.

Juniors will race a single-lap 18.8km course.

They can expect a cooler, partly cloudy day, with winds moving to the south-southeast by the afternoon and an expected top of 23 degrees.

Social distancing and other coronavirus restrictions will be enforced at the university's spectator zone on Chancellor Drive, including QR code check-ins.

Food vendors will also be on-site.

Wednesday's races will be followed on Thursday by individual time trials in all paracycling categories, including for cyclists with intellectual disabilities, as well as the club team time trials, at the same Mount Helen course.

The Sturt Street criterium begins Friday, before cyclists move back to Buninyong on Saturday and Sunday for the road races, with community events including a free outdoor movie night Saturday at DeSoza Park.

While there will be spectator zones for the road races, tickets to the hill climb area on Mount Buninyong are already sold out.

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