Riders and organisers alike hope combining Tasmania's biggest cycling events will cement their long-term future.
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The Tour of Tasmania and Stan Siejka Launceston Classic are now dovetailed together in a move designed to encourage visiting riders to compete in both.
Each plays a key role in the Australian cycling scene, with the tour wrapping up the National Road Series and the classic forming the opening round of the National Criterium Series.
The schedule change has meant elongating the NRS from its traditional October-November conclusion and bringing forward the annual criterium which has previously been held close to and even after Christmas.
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But as this year's tour wraps up with New South Welshman Dylan Sunderland retaining his title in Devonport and the majority of the field ready themselves for Sunday's Classic, organisers believe both races have benefited from the reorganisation.
"The Tour of Tasmania is the pinnacle event in the NRS and a platform for cyclists onto the World Tour," Cycling Tasmania executive officer Collin Burns said.
"Dovetailing in with the Stan Siejka should help that become a sustainable event because the riders are already here.
I think you've got to combine them
- Cameron Ivory
"It's the furthest the NRS has been stretched out, it is normally finalised by November, so they've changed it a bit, but now riders just come down once."
The tour's honour roll features World Tour stars like Cadel Evans, Richie Porte, Jack Haig and Pat Bevan while Sunderland has also since landed a pro contract.
Perennial tour stage winner and reigning Classic champion Cameron Ivory welcomed the scheduling.
"I like how they've joined them together," he said after winning the tour prologue for the third year running.
"If they were separate, numbers might struggle because it is expensive to come down to Tassie.
"So I think you've got to combine them and give people time to explore a bit.
"Last year it was good having the Stan Siejka before the tour because it has a lot of prestige. Then you have a few down days before the tour.
"We went for a walk up Cradle Mountain and had a picnic with the salmon we had won in the Stan Siejka, it was lovely.
"This year a lot of people are coming down just for the crit and we might be a bit tired having just ridden one of the hardest races in Australia."
Women's races have become a component of both events with the calibre of this year's riders including women's national road champion Sarah Gigante.
The Launceston Classic has been a popular fixture on the Australian cycling calendar since 2002.
The race gets underway at 4.30pm with the returning women's criterium starting at 3.10. Races begin at midday.
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Rob Shaw
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
Heralding the impact of Tasmanian sport without saying "punching above its weight" is not as easy as it sounds.
