Villumsen and Roulston in Le Race

World women’s road cycling champion Linda Villumsen and double Olympic Games track medallist Hayden Roulston will ride Le Race to Akaroa for the first time on Saturday.

Villumsen, the first New Zealander to win a world road title, confirmed her entry on Thursday after battling bronchitis.

Roulston left his professional contract at the end of last year to focus on riding on the track at this year’s Olympics, something he says he is still ‘‘one hundred and ten percent focused on’’ after missing selection for this month’s UCI track world championships in London.

‘‘I haven’t been in New Zealand at this time of the year since I turned pro so I’ve have never had the chance to do Le Race,’’ he said.

‘‘But I need some intensive road work to go alongside the track training I’m doing and I know Le Race is a really hard course, so it’s just what I need at the moment.’’

Roulston isn’t worried about a winning result in Le Race – a 100km slog from Christchurch’s Cathedral Square to Akaroa’s main street.

He will ‘‘see what happens on the road on the day’’ being more conscious of his need for a good, hard intensive training ride.

‘‘I know the course well from training and it’s bloody hard. It’s never ending and there’s several times you think the climbing’s over but there’s another one. I really just want a hard day out; the result will be whatever it will be.’’

Roulston, 35, was disappointed to miss the cut for the world track championships, but said his focus is still firmly focused on Rio.

Villumsen, who won the world time trial title at the UCI road world championships in Virginia last September, will also ride Le

‘‘I know the course well fromtraining and it’s bloody hard.’’ b Cyclist Hayden Roulston

Race. The 30-year-old recently won the Canterbury sportswoman of the year prize at the Hadlee Awards. The Commonwealth Games gold medallist has been battling illness and said it has taken some time to get on top of bronchitis which has affected her early season training and racing but sher said her health was improving and she was looking forward to racing for the first time in Le Race.

‘‘I have no real expectations about a result in Le Race and I haven’t entered to go for the win,’’ she said.

‘‘I just need a hard day to see how the body is and will see how the day goes. I amnot hoping for much as it is the end of a really hard training block, so it’s just that last bit of training before heading to Europe start racing again.’’

Villumsen has been a regular at her doctors with daily recent visits as she has taken things ‘‘one day at the time’’ with the hope of getting her season back on track as she build towards the time trial at the Rio Olympics.

Defending champion Sharlotte Lucas could be Villumsen’s main opposition. She has an impressive track record of two wins and a second in the last three years. Hannah Gumbley, Julia Grant and Jeannie Blakemore could also figure in the medals chase.

Lucas said she trains specifically hard for Le Race as its ‘‘such a hard and technical course. I’m pretty happy to be going for my third win and I’m confident as I know the course suits me.’’