Contested over four days in Adelaide, the third edition of the tour has attracted outfits not only from Australia, but the United Kingdom, United States, New Zealand, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy given it holds international status.

“We are really lucky we have this race here,” Howard said.

“The NRS [National Road Series] is super, super strong, but to have this race against the pros, international riders are invited here as well, we are really lucky to have this quality race here.

“It’s mind-blowing and really cool to be in a field like that. Having that experience overseas last year too – I still find it hard to believe I have ridden with some of these girls. 

“It’s surreal and now to have them in the country, it’s even better.”

Howard will face a pair of road race stages and two evening criteriums in the January 14-17 event as she lines up as one of six Subaru NSWIS riders.

When the race gets underway with a 106.5 kilometre leg from Hahndorf to Meadows on Saturday, it will mark the second time Howard has contested the prestigious race.

“The first stage I had a bit of a mechanical which put everything behind, but I wasn’t too upset with the second road stage. But I do remember the crits are very hard,” Howard recalls of contesting the inaugural tour in 2015.

Last year Howard was not part of the tour as she instead picked up experience riding on the roads of Europe for Dutch team Maaslandster Nicheliving CCN.

Though that experience has given her more confidence when riding with a talented peloton, it has also made her more aware of the threats her rivals pose.

“Having ridden the season over there in Europe, I’ve seen what the top girls are like when they are fit and racing. They are at work and they are doing their job and they are doing an amazing job, so you know what they are capable of,” Howard said.

“I think that makes it just as daunting. The first time you have that ‘I don’t really know what I am doing, I don’t know what to expect’, whereas now you know exactly what to expect and how good they are.

“You know how strong and smart and talented they are and you know the depth of their talent.”

Howard said her aim at the tour is to help her Subaru NSWIS team-mates – who include national representatives Lauren Kitchen, Ashlee Ankudinoff and Nicola Macdonald – find success.

It will likely mean chasing breaks and working hard in the peloton, but she is looking forward to the task at hand.

“This race is a bit of everything – you are excited you can go and have been given the go ahead to ride, but you also get a bit nervous and when I start to think about it a little bit more I think ‘Oh this is going to hurt’,” Howard said.

“So I feel a little bit of everything, happy and exited and nervous and scared all at the same time.

“I will probably enjoy it after it’s over,” she added with a laugh.

Stage one commences at 11am on Saturday.