The road to Rio has been taking a detour through Invercargill for the country's top track cyclists.
It's the start of a busy international season for riders like Simon van Velthooven with the goal of booking a ticket to the Olympics.
Keirin cyclist van Velthooven was forced to pick up the pace at the Oceania Track Cycling Championships, after almost being squeezed out of his specialist event in a tight trans-Tasman battle.
He eventually settled for the silver medal, behind Australian star Matthew Glaetzer.
"Each heat was pretty much a World Cup semi-final," van Velthooven says. "New Zealand and Australia definitely brought their best here leading into Rio."
Glaetzer also triumphed over Kiwis Sam Webster and Eddie Dawkins in the Individual Sprint.
Dawkins describes the four days of competition as "hard yakka", but a valuable pre-show event heading into the Olympic year.
"We use these events to polish our rides and to get stronger and faster and more tactically aware," the sprint cyclist says. "Then in Rio, we pull it all together."
It has been a bumpier path for the women's sprinters.
A revolving door has seen Natasha Hansen reclaim a spot in the squad, alongside former Otago rider Katie Schofield.
But the pair have a lot of racing ahead this season to try and earn enough points to qualify and Hansen says they're starting to feel the pressure.
"Obviously we have to deliver at every campaign, if we want to keep our Rio dream alive."
Their journey continues later this month, with the first World Cup of the season in Colombia.
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