The Orange cyclist will be competing in three events this weekend, including tomorrow’s Blayney to Bathurst Sportiff Challenge.

He will be one of a large contingent coming to town for the prestigious cycling fixture.

The 22-year-old will start today by riding in the NSW Hill Climb Championships at Mount Panorama and finish with the Bathurst Criterium.

Then tomorrow he will ride the 110 kilometre course from Blayney to Bathurst, where he will be a leading contender.

“It’s a good weekend,” Troy said.

“It’s the best weekend of racing locally, otherwise you have to travel.”

Troy admitted the Hill Climb is a tough way to start the weekend.

The 4.2km course takes riders on a service road to the west of Mount Panorama and finishes at Sulman Park.

“It is torture,” he explained.

“It’s 10 minutes on the rivet. The winning time last year was just under nine minutes. Last year I did 10 minutes.

“I’m lighter this year and I’m going stronger so hopefully I’ll do better.”

This is Troy’s first year in the elite class after moving up from the under 23s and he’s hoping for a top five result.

He won’t have long to recover from the Hill Climb and he’ll be back on his bike for the Bathurst Criteriums.

Troy raced the B grade division the past two years and finished fourth and second.

This year he is stepping up to A grade.

He had planned to ride with Bathurst Cycle Club member Angus Tobin but he won’t be riding due to a recent crash.

This means Troy has had to change his tactics for the criterium.

“The idea was to have Gus ride with me but he had a crash recently,” Troy said.

“He’s quite a good sprinter so I would ride with him and give him a lead out. Now I’ll have to race a lot smarter.”

Troy is unsure what will happen in the Blayney to Bathurst as there are no teams riding this year.

The pharmacy student said this will make for a more open race and he is hoping for a top 10 finish.

“You have to race smarter.

I’ll have to pick the moves I follow and the wheels I follow,” he said.

“It’s a bit better because I’m local and I know the course so I know where to push myself.

“The idea is to get to the top

of Rockley Mountain with as much energy as possible and then cruise down the hill to Bathurst.”

Tobin’s withdrawal means that there will be five members of the BCC in the long course event with Phillip McFarland, Phillip Egan, Glenn Sherlock, Bruce Goddard and William Hutton leading the charge.

The 110km Blayney to Bathurst will start tomorrow at 8.30am.

The 70km ride will set off at 10am and the 8km Family Fun Course will start at Mount Panorama at 8.30am.