The 2007 race winner will wear a specially-designed race jersey today which features a black armband on the left sleeve with an accompanying memento: "to all our fallen heroes".

Decker said yesterday he was riding for former Bendigo cyclist Frank McCaig, who died in August, and Jenny Issell, of Horsham, who has terminal cancer.

Issell's husband Doug has been Decker's cycling mentor for 20 years and convinced him to ride in the 1992 Melbourne to Warrnambool. It was to be the first of 16 starts in the Classic for the 36-year-old dynamo, netting him six top-10 finishes.

Decker said McCaig influenced his formative years in cycling after he moved to Bendigo from Horsham as a 21-year-old.

"I'm doing it for him and a few other people," he said yesterday.

"From my point of view it is a dedication to the cyclists I know and to the people in cycling who have lost a life."

McCaig had a lifetime involvement in cycling, competing at the highest level in Australia before serving as technical manager of the Herald Sun Tour and Melbourne to Warrnambool for 16 and 13 years respectively. He was also promoter of the Bendigo Madison.

Decker said his 2007 Classic victory was the culmination of a lifetime goal but he was disappointed last year when illness forced him to withdraw about the 200km mark.

"I'm riding to get the best out of myself one more time and pay respect to the race," he said.

"If I'm in the (winning) position I certainly won't be giving it up."

Decker's decision to end his successful association with the Melbourne to Warrnambool has been prompted, in part, by his appointment as head cycling coach at the South Australian Institute of Sport.

Decker will ride for the Titans Race 2 team alongside Leigh Egan, Adrian Hanson, David Tozer, Jamie Crass and Jake Cowman.

Other winning chances are given to British open road champion Kristian House, 2007 Australian road champion Darren Lapthorne, former Classic placegetter Ben King, of Western Australia, and consistent Queenslander David Kemp.

Classic race director John Craven said 200 riders would face the starter at Werribee racecourse for the 261km, including a record contingent of five women.

"This event was first held in 1895 and is acknowledged as the world's second-oldest bike race," he said.

"In the past we've had one or two women competing but to have five women enter this year is very pleasing.

"It's never happened before."