The Rio Olympic roommates enter the titles having both picked up gold and silver medals last year, but aware that Tokyo represents a bigger goal than Berlin for 2020.

With the Olympic Games just five months away, the world titles are being viewed as a timely dress rehearsal.

"In every other year, the world championships is the focus, it is the key priority for us," said Baker, of Perth.

"But this year is special being an Olympic year, so it provides an opportunity to trial some different things.

"We are making sure that we have everything right for Tokyo, while still having our eye on the prize here too."

Both Tasmanians were in the team pursuit quartet which claimed a world title in Poland last year and are listed to defend the title on Friday morning alongside Ashlee Ankudinoff, of NSW, and South Australians Annette Edmondson and Maeve Plouffe.

Returning to action from a back injury, Cure is scheduled to contest the 30-kilometre madison with Edmondson on Sunday while Baker will also ride the four-event omnium on Saturday.

The women's endurance squad has enjoyed success during the world cup season, deploying a new strategy which involves the front riders making their turn in the straight, rather than the bend.

"It has been going really well in training and we are used to that swing now," Baker said on the Cycling Australia website.

Four years ago, Baker finished fourth in the points race and fifth in the team pursuit on her senior world champs debut. A few months later she made her Olympic debut in Brazil where she rode in all three rounds as Australia finished fifth in the team pursuit following a major accident in training.

As she aims for a second Olympic selection the 25-year-old is revelling in mentoring her younger teammate Plouffe.

"Maeve has been a really big breath of fresh air. She definitely deserves the spot to be in our team, she is so strong and I look forward to seeing her debut.

"I think she is doing exactly the same thing I was doing four years ago. I learned so much from the last Olympics, and I would love to pass on as much as I can to Maeve. If we want to have the best result, then every piece of information we have to give to her is really important. She is great with that, she is absorbing everything and taking it all in."

Over the last year, Baker has excelled in the madison, claiming world championship silver with Cure and world cup gold with Edmondson (twice) and Alex Manly.

"It is a great opportunity for us in Berlin. It is our last chance at a major competition to test everything out before the Olympics.

"We want to trial everything we can, to make sure we have the best madison pairing and best team pursuit squad in Tokyo.

"I am super excited to take on the omnium, it will be my first at this level, so I will be taking each event as it comes and I am looking forward to seeing what I can do."

Cure sees Berlin as a chance to get her Tokyo campaign up and running.

"It's been a frustrating and challenging 2019 world cup season for me," said the West Pine 27-year-old.

"A back niggle sidelined me from competing in my speciality events, however, the amazing Australian cycling team worked their magic and I'm now completely recovered and better than ever. We are more motivated than ever to fight for these rainbows and defend our title.

"Obviously Olympics is our main objective for the year but to get these rainbows back will be something really special.

"We have a really strong group of girls here so it's going to be hard to make the team but it's also really positive for us. We've put a lot of work in so it'll be really exciting to see how we go and how it all turns out."

Ankudinoff will look to defend her individual pursuit crown with national champion Plouffe also set to ride the individual race against the clock. Manly will defend her points race title and also contest the scratch race.

Launceston's Sam Fox was edged off the podium in what race organisers described as one of the strongest fields at a mountain bike race in years.

Fox said Team UKYO pro road cyclist Robbie Hucker "sent me deep into the hurt locker" as he set a new course record of 4:15:39 in the 100km Otway Odyssey race in Forrest, Victoria.

Former national MTB champion and multiple Launceston Classic winner Cameron Ivory was second and Reece Tucknott third with Fox having to settle for fourth.

"My first Otway Odyssey done," Fox said on Instagram.

"A fifth in the gravel grind and some unlucky mechanicals for the big boys put me in second overall for the weekend."

Will Clarke is sitting in 84^th place midway through the UAE Tour.

The Campbell Town 34-year-old came 91^st in the 184km third stage for Trek-Segafredo.

The race finishes in Abu Dhabi on Sunday.