KEY POINTS:
A chance for glory at the national road championships in Te Awamutu this weekend has prompted a return home for Beijing Olympic cyclist Joanne Kiesanowski.
Kiesanowski, the country's top ranked female rider, returned this week from the cold climes of her base in Colorado Springs, determined to claim the title.
The three-day championship begins with the time trial for men and women tomorrow, women's elite road race over 120km on Saturday and men's under-23 and elite road race over 180km on Sunday.
The road race winners will be able to wear the national championship colours in races around the world for the next year.
The Christchurch 29-year-old has one national road title to her credit - in 2004 - and is keen to repeat it.
"I am definitely really keen to win the championship. That's a big reason why I am back home.
"It's important to me to get that jersey and it will be really nice to be able to wear it in all the big races in the US this year.
"It will give some profile to New Zealand and also some real pride to me."
Kiesanowski said she had been dodging snowfalls and doing indoor training in the US, but was refreshed after a torrid 2008.
She spent the year splitting her time between racing for a new team, Tibco, in the US, as well as training from the BikeNZ base in France and racing in Europe in preparation for Beijing and later for the world championships.
"I've just re-signed for Team Tibco for the whole season which means I can be based home at Colorado Springs and not spend so much time going across the Atlantic.
"I really want to enjoy the riding and be a little more settled this year."
At Te Awamutu, Kiesanowski's main competition is likely to come from the in-form national series leader Serena Seridan, who has been unbeaten this season on the domestic front.
Melissa Holt (Cambridge), who competed successfully in Ironman triathlon last year, is back to defend her double, winning both the time trial and road race honours in Hawkes Bay last year.
National representatives Toni Bradshaw and Marina Duvnjak (Auckland), Kerri-Ann Torckler (Taranaki) and Rachel Mercer (Team Cyclosport, Wellington) will be challengers, with Mercer the beneficiary of team support with trade teams contesting the nationals this year.
There's also interest in the entry of former Olympic rower Sonia Waddell among the 40-strong elite field for the 120km race.
- NZPA
