Cameron Wurf led the way from Europe before a host of Tasmanians jumped into domestic competition on Saturday.

Competing from his home in Andorra, Wurf rode for Ineos in the Digital Swiss 5 event which saw 19 teams of three tackling a mountainous course that featured real roads from the Tour de Suisse.

After holding an early third place, the 35-year-old former Olympic rower from Hobart eventually finished 10^th, 3:35.01 off the pace.

Fresh from his recent win in the inaugural Team INEOS eRace, Wurf's compatriot Rohan Dennis won the Swiss challenge.

Another Australian, former Tour of Tasmania pace-setter James Whelan, was third.

More Tasmanians joined in the online fun on Saturday as the National Racing Series got underway on Zwift.

The first race in the series was held over 31.6km in Crit City on the Dolphin Circuit which featured dead turns, an uphill prime section, a lap counter, and sharp corners with sightlines on city streets.

Launceston's Nicole Frain led the state's charge, finishing third in the women's race, won by Sydney Uni-Staminade teammate Vicki Whitelaw.

Frain, 27, continued her impressive recovery from a horrific high-speed crash in the Cadel Evans Road Race in February in which she broke a foot, hip, collarbone and finger and suffered concussion.

She had finished eighth and 13^th respectively in the time trial and road race at national championships in January.

Meanwhile, Legana's Zack Gilmore and Daniel Di Domenico, of Hobart, were in the 10-strong ARA Pro Racing Sunshine Coast men's team while Anya Louw, of Devonport, was among a team of six in the women's race.

"The whole team is amped to be back racing," said team sports director Stu Shaw. "There's a real buzz about this series. We are grateful to Zwift and Cycling Australia to be able to race during this time. The series is virtual but this is going to be some of the toughest racing the NRS has ever seen."

Hobart's Ben Van Dam (Team BridgeLane) was the highest placed Tasmanian in the men's race, coming eighth, a second behind winner Graeme Frislie.

Coordinators of the St Helens Mountain Bike Trails have praised "the positivity and understanding" of riders forced to avoid the new network.

In an email to users, they said: "Not only have you all taken the news with understanding you have stayed away, and the St Helens community thanks you.

"St Helens has quite a large ageing population and many people in the area were anxious about people continuing to visit the area."

Network organisers are developing an approach to the reopening of the trails when it is deemed safe.

The World Trail team is building a 20km wilderness trail that follows a scenic creek and three new descent trails. All are black diamond with distinctive features and are called Icarus, Send Helens and Shucka.