Emily Roper prepared for big weekend in Subaru National "Battle on the Border" Road Series

YOUNG road racing cycling star Emily Roper is preparing for a big weekend in the Subaru National "Battle on the Border" Road Series.

FROM the Banora Point Post Office to the steep hills of Coolangatta, young road racing cycling star Emily Roper is preparing for a big weekend in the Subaru National "Battle on the Border" Road Series.

Roper, 18, led today’s 93.9km Coolangatta stage before fading to finish 12th, but the latest addition to Team Suzuki Bontrager is confident of improving her position on Day 2 of the 200km event, which crosses the border into northern NSW.

“I am the youngest on the team by a long way, but the other girls look after me which is great,” she said before the first stage consisting of 55 riders.

“I am in the team to get the experience, to learn off them and the international riders.”

Despite Roper’s age, she’s earned her share of honours, claiming gold in the under-23s at the Mars Cycling Australia Road National Championships in 2012, was a road racing under age World Champion at 17 and has represented Australia twice on the road and the track.

Roper said she hoped to exploit the advantage of riding on her “home territory” over the weekend.

“The courses are only about 30 kilometres from home, and I have been riding them a fair bit over the last few weeks getting familiar with them” she said.

Day 2 sees the riders travel through the quiet, but hilly town of Murwillumbah in northern NSW.