Commonwealth Games silver medallist Sam Gaze will head the field at the opening round of the Mountain Bike New Zealand Cup Series for cross-country riders in Rotorua.
The four-round series, which includes two stops in the North Island and two in the South Island, will double as a build-up to the national champs in Wanaka in March.
Event manager Tim Farmer said the elite riders would complete six laps of the 6.2km course in the Whakarewarewa Forest and Gaze had put his name down to race.
"It's pretty awesome to see Sam Gaze here supporting the sport," he said.
"We have riders from the South Island who are flying up and we also have riders who are here for the up-coming 24-hour world champs. So that includes riders from England, Germany and Rarotonga."
