A four-stage Adelaide-based event which commences on Saturday, the Women’s Tour Down Under sees some of Australia’s best cyclists square off against international teams.

While Howard is a talented rider in her own right and has experience competing on the roads of Europe, she is happy to be a worker in the peloton for her team.

She is also delighted to be included in a six-rider team that includes the likes of Oceania track champion and Olympian Ashlee Ankudinoff, recently crowned under 23 national criterium champion Nicola Macdonald and Lauren Kitchen, who placed third in last year’s Women’s Tour Down Under.

“When I saw the girls I was going to be in a team with, that makes it pretty special because to be even associated with names such as that, it’s a pretty cool thing,” Howard said.

“Lauren Kitchen, Ash Ankudinoff, Nic Macdonald, they’re very, very talented girls. I am honoured to be part of a team which includes them and I am happy to do whatever I can to help them.”

As a domestique for her team, Howard’s job will be to chase down breaks and keep her team-mates near the front of the peloton.

Though it may not be as exciting as challenging for a win herself, Howard knows it is an important job. She also knows racing at this level is more about the team than the individual.

“I think that would be fair [riding as a domestique] given the the other girls are a lot more seasoned, smart, knowledgeable and stronger challengers – every aspect of riding they are good at,” Howard said.

“I think it would only be fair for me to try and set them up for the best position they can be in for the individual win and the team win.

“If I can chase one break down for them, get Lauren or Ash where they need to be, then I think I can call it a successful tour for me I think.

“I think that’s something you learn when you get into cycling. It looks like an individual sport on the outside, but there’s a lot of work from the team on the inside that gets that individual result.

“When you are at that level, it is hard to just win races as an individual.”

The Women’s Tour Down Under starts with a 106.5 kilometre road race stage on Saturday which takes the field through the Adelaide Hills on the way from Hahndorf to Meadows.

That is followed on Sunday evening with a 32.2km criterium. Stage three is a 92.km road stage, while the tour concludes with a second criterium.