GreenEDGE faces its first serious challenge this weekend in the small town of Buninyong, just outside Ballarat, as comrades and colleagues put friendship aside and race for the coveted green and gold jersey at the 2012 road national championships.

The team made its racing debut at the Gerry Ryan-sponsored Jayco Bay Cycling Criterium Series last week, and having that control allowed the GreenEDGE boss to have not one, but two teams in the five-stage race.

But just like a pre-season competition, those races were more about getting the team together, building on fitness, and fine-tuning tactics in race conditions. Round one starts this weekend.

A long-term emotional and financial supporter of Australian cycling, Ryan said upon being granted a WorldTour licence that it had been his lifetime dream to see an Australian team roll down the Champs Elysee at the conclusion of the Tour de France. Not since Robbie McEwen in 2005 has the green and gold jersey made an appearance in Paris, so having the 2012 Australian champion among the GreenEDGE mix would be extra special for Ryan and Australian cycling fans alike.

The GreenEDGE squad boasts both the reigning road champion, Jack Bobridge, and the reigning time trial champion, Cameron Meyer, along with former national champions McEwen, Stuart O'Grady, Matthew Wilson, Travis Meyer and 2011 silver and bronze medallists Matthew Goss and Simon Gerrans.

Joining them on the start line in Buninyong are WorldTour regulars Baden Cooke, Allan Davis, Brett Lancaster, Wesley Sulzberger and Leigh Howard, so GreenEDGE certainly has multiple cards to play in these championships.

Under Cycling Australia rules, the national championships forbid riders from working together in order to find out who is the strongest individual rider on the day. How strictly those rules will be enforced is another matter altogether, and one that will likely be conveniently overlooked.

Yet, the honour of wearing national colours for a whole year is quite a privilege, and this might test the size of the egos within the GreenEDGE team.

In previous years the Australian road championships used to be a sprinter's dream, playing into the hands of McEwen, O'Grady and before them Henk Vogels, David McKenzie, Neil Stephens and co. But since moving to Buninyong, the race has tested the riders' all-round abilities, with Bobridge launching his winning move last year along the 2km climb up Mount Buninyong.

Don't expect it to solely be the GreenEDGE show though, as the level of depth in Australian cycling right now is as high as it has ever been. Michael Rogers is a three-time time trial world champion, Richie Porte is a proven climber at the elite level, Mark Renshaw is the best lead-out man in the world and a great sprinter in his own right, Michael Matthews is an under-23 world champion and Nathan Haas is an emerging star. Then there's Graeme Brown, Luke Roberts, Jonathan Cantwell, Matthew Hayman and Chris Sutton, but sadly no Cadel Evans.

Comprising 16 laps of a 10.2km course, Sunday's race will see over 150 riders compete against each other over 163.2km of challenging climbs, fast winding downhills and a tough sprint to the finish. All in the name of national pride - and, for the first time, broadcast live on SBS from 2pm.