The Tour of Southland hosts only the toughest of riders and this year the Japanese Track Cycling team is competing in the week-long race.
Four of Japan's top cyclists have made it down to the Deep South with very clear intentions.
"We are doing my best, also I want to still win," Kazushinge Kuboki said.
Winning medals is what they're used to, although normally on the smoother surfaces of a velodrome.
The Japanese team is headlined by World Championship Scratch Race silver medallist Kuboki, he and his fellow Team Japan riders, using this race as preparation for next year's Olympic Games.
"We have the last part of the qualification start in February in Adelaide," Team Japan coach Daniel Gisiger said.
"We will see if it is enough and what we need to go to the Olympics."
Given the success New Zealand's track riders have had in Southland, competing in New Zealand's prestigious cycle race is a no-brainer.
Kiwi Paris Olympic hopefuls Regan Gough and Nick Kergozou are also in the peloton this week.
"The work needs to be done now to get you in a good shape to perform," former New Zealand coach Ross Machejefski said.
"The Tour of Southland is always a window — if you go into it reasonably fit you can use it to really maximise going into the summer of track."
Machejefski has been helping Japan's track squad and was a key part in getting them over to New Zealand.
He said part of the decision was based around them having an opportunity to race going into their winter but also — "because it's damn hard!" Machejefski laughed.
Team Japan has recruited two local cyclists to race in their team this week, Southland's Hayden Strong and Queenstown's Oliver Watson-Palmer. Their local knowledge could prove useful.
"We went to roll out for our first team ride and it was rainin," Strong said.
"They came out and asked if we ride in this. 'A bit of advice — yes mate, if you can't get through this, you're not going to have a good week!'"
SHARE ME