Burnie cyclist Campbell Palmer eager to defend historic Wheel win

The now 17-year-old took out the 3000m race at the 2020 New Year's Eve Carnival against a fierce crop of competitors in what was just his first year of open racing.

A year on, the City of Burnie Cycling Club rider said he is ready to take to the West Park track once again.

"I've been training pretty hard for road nationals in January and I'm doing track this year for a bit of fun because I like it and enjoy it," Palmer said.

"I know there's some big guns coming over so it will definitely be hard to hold off the back markers.

"So hopefully I can go well at Burnie again, that would be the ultimate goal."

Palmer's TasCarnivals campaign will start on Tuesday in Launceston, with the Burnie-based rider to round out his series with races in Devonport and Burnie.

The 2020 Wheel win will see Palmer carry a new handicap into three meets, riding off 85m in the 1000m, 170m in the 2000m and 255m in the 3000m Wheel.

Despite being the reigning champion - and second youngest winner in the 113-year history - Palmer said it wouldn't factor into how he prepared for the race.

"I'm not really thinking about (the win), I'll just go out there and give it my all," he said.

"The win comes up every now and again, and I look at it and think it is special that I did that."

It hasn't been the easiest of preparations for the young rider, who succumbed to a heavy crash while competing in Queensland.

However, he remained confident the carnivals series would be an enjoyable one, particularly when riding with his mates.

"Most of (my racing) is a highlight because I really just enjoy riding in general, but racing is the best," he said.

"The carnivals are always fun to be around your mates and ride against them, and there will be a few of them from all around Tassie.

"We have a bit of banter going on, so if one of us goes well, we'll hype them up."

City of Burnie Cycling Club will be represented by eight riders across the Hobart, Launceston, Devonport and Burnie Carnivals, with Dalton Stretton among the race's back markers.

The field of exciting young Coastal riders was one Burnie Athletic Club secretary Allan Johnson believed would be competitive.

"While it is an individual race, it is absolutely critical that they ride together in their bunches," Johnson said.

"To me there's enough critical matches in the Burnie guys that with a bit of club and a fair breeze to galvanise themselves and take out the Wheel."

The lineup of cyclists for this year's carnivals was one Johnson believed was second to none, with riders from South Africa, Ireland, the Netherlands, the US, Canada and New Zealand set to take part.

The calibre of athletes, including Olympians Luke Plapp and Georgia Baker, was one Johnson said was due to the event being registered as a UCI event.

"We've tried to put a selection of events across to encourage pursuit and sprint cyclists to come," he said.

"AusCycling has deemed this the number one group of carnivals that their elite squad and various state institutions attend.

"That recognition is one thing but really, it is about getting the ultimate result, and that is to have TasCarnivals as a world class carnivals that attract the best."

The carnivals action will ramp up on Monday with Hobart's bikes and spikes carnival, before Tuesday's cycling session in Launceston.