Warrnambool pair Noah Morton and Merlin Clare will race in the three-hour pairs TP180 event on Sunday.

Morton, a year 10 student at Warrnambool College, was relishing the chance to ride alongside a close friend.

The 16-year-old, coached by Kez King at the South West Academy of Sport, built a detailed training regimen in preparation for the event.

"I train hard, with big strength efforts up the Hopkins hill," he said.

"I go to the gym and I'm always working on that upper body because you're always pumping down the single track and it hurts your upper body a lot."

Morton was confident he and Clare could challenge for the pairs title.

"We're looking pretty good but there's a lot of good talent in this race," he said.

"There's tough competition this year but it should be good.

"I hope it rains and then stops raining. I don't want to be drenched on the day."

Junior races - the first known as dirtmasters - begin at 9.30am while senior races begin at 11am on the Thunder Point course. There is a three-hour solo and pairs event in the senior grades.

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