The finish for the 105km race from Coonabarabran to Gunnedah has been moved to Black Jack Road.

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Event organiser Alistair Christie said 128 riders would contest the venerable event, cancelled last year due to the pandemic, with 11 riders female.

"It's good to get that number of riders," he said. "And they're from all over the state because there's no COVID restrictions."

Christie said "ideal" weather was expected for the race.

"If it is windy, it will be from the west - and that's always good," he said.

The field will include Dubbo native Kurt Eather, who won the race in 2018 and won silver in the elite men's points race at the national track championships in Brisbane in March.

Tamworth-based Sam Hill, who set the fastest time in the race in 2016 but did not win, will also be in action on Saturday.

A scratch rider like Eather, Hill is unsure how he will perform.

"It could go in any direction," he said. "I honestly have no idea. It just depends on the wind and the dynamics of the bunch."

Many of the riders will back up on Sunday for the 100km Gunnedah to Tamworth Graded Scratch Races, which Hill won in 2016 and 2018.

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