The NSW rider and his Avanti team will be trying to claim a third Classic title after upstaging some illustrious company in the wet last year to claim his second victory.

But van der Ploeg will face some stiff opposition in a field that is again expected to bring out a big turnout of Launceston cycling fans for the new spectator-friendly course around the streets bordering the City Park.

Three-time winner Matt Goss will be back to race alongside Dutch professional Koen de Kort, who has joined the list of stars for the Launceston Cycling Festival.

Goss first won the classic in 2004 and then again in 2006-07.

He will use the Stan Siejka Classic to launch his career with new British team One Pro Cycling.

The 33-year-old de Kort is coming off a strong season in Europe with the Giant-Aplecin team, where he helped teammate John Degenkolb to victory in the prestigious Paris-Roubaix race.

He will ride for the CharterMason Giant team on a guest basis.

‘‘Nathan Earle will be riding, as will three other well-credentialled local riders in former winner Will Clarke and Bernard and Wes Sulzberger with their Drapac team coming down to support Will and Bernard,’’ race director Nigel Baker said.

‘‘Queensland’s Jesse Kerrison is another one to watch and was brought up in Launceston as a kid, and he is an outright sprinter and goes really well, and he will use the race as a valuable hit-out before he joins the French-based Dynamo Cover Pro Cycling team in 2016.

‘‘Victorian Shannon Johnson is another guy who rides for CharterMason and has won the last three kermesse races on the Saturday before the Stan Siejka.

‘‘He will be one to watch out for as well, along with Anthony Giacoppo, who is another gun sprinter who rides for the Avanti team.’’

Other local up-and-coming stars   James Robinson, Hayden Di Coco-Grant and Harry Baker will be looking to put their names on the trophy and upstage the bigger names as Goss did in 2004.

‘‘We should have a field of about 65 riders in the men’s field and a small but quality field of about 30 in the women’s race, including Lauren Perry and Macey Stewart,’’ Baker said.

Although Tour de France winner Chris Froome and his former teammate Richie Porte will be missing this year, the classic will still boast a high-quality entry list with riders from a number of top teams including Drapac, Orica-AIS, Avanti Racing, High5 Dream Team CharterMason Giant Racing, GPM Stulz, Dulux TIS, Mobius Future Racing and Pat’s Veg Cycling competing.

Riders will share a $25,000 prize pool, and race highlights will again be broadcast on SBS.

The richest masters  race in the country will be held in conjunction with the Stan Siejka Classic this year with $5000 prizemoney on offer.