Border physiotherapist Daniel Searle admitted he couldn't have asked for a better pilot than a former professional cyclist for this week's National Road Championships in Ballarat.
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For the first time Searle will contest the vision impaired category at the event alongside his former Charles Sturt University classmate Neil Van Der Ploeg.
Searle has been competing in triathlons in recent years but was keen to give the road race a go.
"The opportunity came up and I was keen to get into a bit more cycling," Searle said.
"Neil had stopped riding with a team and mentioned that he might be available to pilot the tandem with me.
"I probably couldn't have got a better pilot."
Van Der Ploeg is very familiar with the Ballarat course having competed there on eight previous occasions.
He finished cycling professionally at the end of 2019.
The pair will ride in a time trial on Thursday before the road race on Saturday.
"We've done plenty of rides together, but this is our first race together," Van Der Ploeg said.
"There's not that many tandem races, so we don't really know what to expect.
"I'm just aiming more for speed.
"If we can average 41 to 42, then I'd be happy with that."
Van Der Ploeg's wife Madeline Wright will also be contesting the elite women's race.
After training for more than 30 hours a week in the lead up, Van Der Ploeg said Wright is one to watch.
"She's probably one of the most trained people going to the event," he said.
It's the fifth time Wright has tackled the course, finishing 14th last year.
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"It's always a super hard race having a pretty steep hill and doing multiple laps," she said.
"You always just aim to get through it, but to finish in the front group would be even better."
Border cyclists Kirsty Deacon and Gemma Mollenhauer will also race in the elite women's event, with Deacon finishing 12th last time she took on the track.
Wright admitted it's great to see the Border represented in the championships.
"There'll be a few people in the cheer squad," she said.
20-year-old Tom Sharp will also fly the flag for the region in the under-23 men's category.
It will be his second time competing and he will be joined by fellow local Zac Owen.
"From memory it was just hard right from the gun," Sharp said.
"Training's been good, I've been pretty consistent so far.
"I just enjoy being on the bike."
Sharp will ride in the criterium event on Friday before tackling the road race on Saturday.
The elite men's and women's road races at the National Championships will be televised on the weekend.
