And it is one that had a pretty big impact last time around.

German cyclist Moritz Augenstein has confirmed he will be returning to the series, and will make his way back to Tasmania with some good memories following his shock Latrobe Wheel win last December.

That result came with very little experience in handicap racing, with his only previous outing coming at Rosebery.

Not only did he take the win, but he ended Sam Welsford's bid for three Latrobe Wheels in succession, and his winning time of time of 3:05.93 shattered the previous record time of 3:11.27, becoming one of only a handful of overseas winners in the iconic race's history.

That sense of the unknown won't be with the 22-year-old this time around, as he is set to be a marked man, as one of the back markers for the series.

"Last year I had no idea about the history of the carnivals,'' Augenstein said on Friday.

"To win the wheelrace in Latrobe on my first try was very special for me.

"It was my first time to Tasmania for the carnivals and it was also my first wheel race. So to win a wheel race as first European rider against Welsford and the other big names was very special."

He will arrive in Australia ahead of the Melbourne Austral, which will be held December 21, where he will join up with fellow carnival rider Josh Harrison of Maloja Pushbikers.

The pair will then compete in Launceston, Latrobe, Devonport and Burnie.

The cycling program will have a different look than previous years, with the focus just on the track competition with the criterium series no more.

Augenstein's commitment comes after a team from the Victorian Institute of Sport, coaching by Shane Kelly and Glenn O'Shea, signed up last week.

The series will start at Rosebery on Saturday, December 21.