This weekend's daunting two-day Blue Dragon Challenge combines the beauties of the North-East's Blue Tier with the rich history of the Trail of the Tin Dragon and follows on from the annual success of the Wildside on the state's West Coast.

Saturday features a 52-kilometre loop starting and finishing in Derby which includes a 900m ascent in the first 20km, and Sunday is a more relaxing 48km loop around Weldborough taking competitors to the top of the Blue Tier.

Competitors are required to ride as a pair adding the element of teamwork and co-operation to the event's physical demands.

About 200 teams are entered ranging in categories from the ``whippersnappers'' to the ``dinosaurs''.

Entrants include Launceston's former female road specialist Laura McCaughey, former orienteering world champion Hanny Allston, of Fern Tree, North-West Coaster and Wildside organiser Nik Deka and Hadspen's dual national mountain bike orienteering silver medallist Tom Goddard.

Launceston mountain bike guide Ian Ferrier has ridden the event twice and won the mixed category in the first year with Hobart firefighter and multi-sport specialist Emma Weitnauer, but this year will be supporting sons Ewan and Innes.

``A single day of this would be tougher than any one on the Wildside simply based on the height gain and it being more technical, but it provides really good, varied terrain,'' Ferrier said.