However, the accomplished cyclist told The Standard he felt somewhat uneasy on his single-seated bike.

Instead, the 25-year-old admitted he would be more comfortable piloting a tandem.

Three years after collecting gold in the points race at the 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games, Finning was asked to ride with Bryce Lindores ? who is a blind cyclist.

The Victorian accepted the challenge and three weeks ago claimed the men's tandem road race para-cycling world cup in Spain, with Lindores.

Now in full training for the para-cycling world championships in Canada next month, Finning has returned to the Port Fairy event for the sixth time.

"I want to get into some good racing in preparation for the world championships and it's the perfect opportunity to come back to Victoria," he said.

"I know the course pretty well. It's an open circuit so it's not super technical or super dangerous.

"But it's a championship event so everyone wants to stand on the podium.

"I would definitely like to get on the podium again but if I'm around there hopefully I can win." Finning, Michael Gallagher and Eric Sheppard are three Victorian Institute of Sport riders in the region this weekend.

The trio is competing in Hamilton's 120km Cecil Shore Memorial race today, before heading to the state title circuit tomorrow. Two years ago Finning finished second in Port Fairy.

But with his attention firmly on tandem racing and qualifying for the 2012 London Paralympics with Lindores, he is treating the two races strictly as training.

"I haven't done a lot of racing away from tandem," he said. "I thought if I was going to (take up tandem riding) it was going to have to be my main focus.

"It's still riding a bike but hopping off the tandem to a single is hard to get used to.

"(A single bike) is half the length and half the weight."

Today's race starts at the Caledonian Hotel/Motel, on the corner of Thompson and Lonsdale streeta at 12.30pm.

Tomorrow's championship - which will feature 76 riders from Australia and New Zealand- starts at 11am at Southcombe Park Stadium.

A local junior event precedes the main race and starts at 10am.