Last year Richie Porte and Rohan Dennis finished first and second at the Australian Time Trial Championships. This year they will be teammates at BMC but will again start the season with an internal battle at Thursday's fight for the green and gold jersey.

In 2015 Rohan Dennis went into the national TT championships as the overwhelming favourite but he was surprisingly beaten by Richie Porte who claimed his first title. This year the two BMC riders are again the big favourites in the race of truth as Porte aims for a title defence and Dennis targets a maiden win in the event.

Since last year's battle, Dennis has marked himself out as one of the leading time triallists in the world, most notably with his win on the opening stage of the Tour de France, and Cycling Australia project manager Scott McGrory expects him to come out on top.

"It’s a battle of two,” he told The Courier. “A lot of it comes down to who has been doing the training in December, but we know these two guys are exceptional talents who will always perform.

"Rohan wants to start the season off with a bang. He’s come back nice and early and he has been fully focused, so expect him to get the win.”

Porte will make his BMC debut in Australia but McGrory has less expectations for the defending champion.

“Richie has only just come back from Europe and he was in better condition last year. This time his focus is a little bit different,” McGrory said. “He learned a lesson last year. He was in fantastic form when he turned up to the nationals, when he was just absolutely motoring, but it probably cost him a little bit later in the season. He’s adjusted his program slightly, which means he won't be in such sensational form this time.”

"My form is not like last year when I was at my best," said Porte. "I arrive pretty relaxed and that's probably a good thing because I would like to have the champion's jersey for another year. I'm on my new bike, I am happy and I am looking forward to starting the new season in Ballarat. We must see how the legs will be on the day."

"I'd love to go out with the green and gold jersey in both the road race and the time trial, especially the latter," said Dennis. "Both routes are adapted to my characteristics although I would have liked to see some change in the route for the road race."