A three-year commitment to host the Oceania Road Championships reaches its halfway point with more than 150 riders contesting 12 titles.

The ancestral home of penny farthing racing will again stage the time trials on Friday before an undulating North-West circuit awaits the road races over the weekend.

Six reigning champions return to chase more gold and Oceania Cycling Confederation president Tracey Gaudry is predicting "exceptional performances" from elite and aspiring athletes from Australia, New Zealand, Cook Islands, Fiji, Guam, Vanuatu, New Caledonia and Tahiti in under 19 and elite categories.

While many athletes will be competing in their first international event, the more seasoned are aiming to represent their country at the 2019 UCI Road World Championships in Yorkshire in September as well as secure qualifying points for the 2020 Olympic Games in Japan.

"The championships are the culmination of the 2019 UCI Oceania Tour, with UCI status and points, providing an important opportunity for athletes in the Oceania region to compete against some of the world’s best on home soil," Gaudry said.

Elite champions Sharlotte Lucas (New Zealand) and Chris Harper (Australia) return to defend their titles while Australia's under-19 time trial champions Anya Louw and Luke Plapp and road race winner Sarah Gigante all step up to the under-23 ranks as New Zealand's under-23 time trial champion Jake Marryatt moves into the elite category.

Australian champions Michael Freiberg and Sarah Gigante will be looking to add the Oceania titles to their palmares as will New Zealand champion Georgia Christie who claimed bronze in the under-23 category last year.

Tasmania will again be well represented on home soil with all riders keen to extend the state's impressive record at the event after Louw won last year's time trial a year after Madeleine Fasnacht claimed road race gold and time trial bronze.

“Winning the under-19 Oceania time trial was massive for me," Louw said.

"It was the first race I had won on a national or Oceania level, and the result also secured my selection to represent Australia at the junior road world championships.

“It is so awesome for my home state to be able to hold a UCI continental championship. I live 15 minutes away from the road course and I can confidently say that there are no better roads in the country to host a challenging race that brings out the best from riders of all categories.

“Instead of putting pressure on myself this year, my goals are to simply race as hard as I can and enjoy the experience.”

The championships are the final event of the 2019 UCI Oceania Tour, which included the Gravel and Tar Classic, New Zealand Cycle Classic and Herald Sun Tour.