Richie Porte hopes after this year's Tour Down Under, people are walking all over him.
It is tradition that the overall winners' names are printed on the front steps of the Adelaide Hilton, which has been the race headquarters since the Tour started in 1999.
"Certainly, Gerro's name is on those stairs four times, Tom's, Rohan's - I would love to have my name there," said Porte, runner-up for the past two years.
"That's one of the biggest motivating factors - I'd love to win this race."
Simon Gerrans (Orica-Scott), Tom-Jelte Slagter (Cannondale-Drapac), Porte's BMC teammate Rohan Dennis and Cameron Meyer (UniSA) are the former winners in the Tour field this year.
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It is a classy field, headlined by Slovakian two-time world champion Peter Sagan (Bora-Hansgrohe).
While Porte has not raced since he crashed out of the Rio 2016 Olympics and is unsure of his form, the Tasmanian has never had a better chance to put his name on those stairs.
Porte finished a career-best fifth at the Tour de France last year and is one of the best-credentialed climbers in the field, along with Gerrans' teammate Esteban Chaves and fellow Colombian Sergio Henao (Sky).
Porte has won for the past three years on the pivotal second-last stage at Willunga, which features a summit finish.
"The Willunga stage, it's like riding in a stage of the Tour de France," he said.
"The crowd's massive and the whole town gets out and supports the race.
"You might get a few bogans up on the hill who don't, but the atmosphere and everything is fantastic."
Adding to Porte's prospects, there is another summit finish on Wednesday in stage two, a particularly-tough Adelaide Hills course from Stirling to Paracombe.
The Paracombe stage is so tough, many riders are saying it has taken over from Willunga as the Tour's Queen stage.
Race director Mike Turtur has deliberately made the course tougher each year.
He said this is the best field of overall contenders the race has had in its 19-year history.
"There are 10 genuine really good chances to win," Turtur said.
While Porte is licking his lips, Gerrans admits the toughness of the course profile means he has to temper his ambitions, despite starting as defending champion.
His one hope is for boiling-hot weather, which would play to his strengths.
"For me, the hotter the better," he said.
"I've had a fair bit of exposure to hot weather, so as uncomfortable as that might be for everyone, it does make the racing a bit tougher.
"It's not out of the question, but it's going to be a pretty tall order for me to win this year's edition."
Gerrans' Orica-Scott, then Orica-GreenEDGE, dominated last year's Tour with four stage wins from six and the overall victory.
