Canberra's Hosking won two stages, and the overall title, at this year's Bay Crits in Geelong and then won the Australian criterium championships in Ballarat last week.

She'll take that form into the four-stage TDU, which begins in the Adelaide Hills on Thursday.

But going into the Australian summer, Hosking said she didn't harbour great expectations, with her main targets lying later in the year - including being part of the Aussie team at the Tokyo Olympic Games.

The first and last stages look like favouring the sprinters, making them potential targets for Hosking to go for the win.

She's won a stage at the TDU each year for the past three years.

McEwen expected that run to continue.

"If she's been riding like she has to get the results she's got in the last two races in nationals without high hopes, she should keep those same hopes going into Tour Down Under because it's working well for her," he said.

"If it ain't broke don't fix it. She'll be looking to try and at least win a stage."

While McEwen hadn't studied the course closely, he felt Hosking's effort in the national road race championships on the tough course around Mt Buninyong meant she could be a smokey for the overall title as well.

It was her best finish on a course that doesn't favour a pure sprinter like herself.

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McEwen felt a similarly strong ride at the TDU could have her in the mix.

"I haven't looked at the course in detail, but I believe there's not the mega uphill finish, which in that case gives her a chance at overall," he said.

"I watched her ride at nationals. It was patient, it was what I'd call a humble ride.

"She didn't try and go with the best climbers when they attacked. She rode her own rhythm and rode herself back into the group, and she came in and had a fifth-placed finish.

"She rode really well on that Buninyong road course ... but so much comes into tactical racing.

"And against an outfit like Mitchelton Scott, who have got numerous cards to play, there'll be a lot of attacking.

"I think it'll come down to getting in the right break with the right people who are willing to ride.

"But with her renowned speed, not many are going to want to go to the finish with her."

It will be Hosking's first ride for her new Rally UHC Cycling team.

Fellow Canberran Gracie Elvin forms part of the Mitchelton Scott team - which is looking to keep its stranglehold on the overall crown.

Her teammate Amanda Spratt is going for her fourth straight TDU overall win and she's coming off taking out the women's road race title on Sunday.

Katrin Garfoot won the first edition of the TDU back in 2016.