Only two years after its unprecedented domination at the Olympics, the powerhouse Great British track cycling program wants to portray itself as the hunter, not the hunted.

This week's opening round of the World Cup track series in Melbourne will answer some important questions about the state of the British and Australian track squads ahead of the 2012 London Olympics.

Olympic qualifying points for London are now on offer and this is reflected in the strength of the British team that will compete from Thursday to Saturday at Hisense Arena.

After sending skeleton squads to the two Melbourne rounds since the 2008 Beijing Games, Great Britain has come this time with a much stronger team.

Their lineup features Sir Chris Hoy and Victoria Pendleton, the king and queen of track sprinting.

Australia have topped the medal counts at the last two world track championships after only winning one silver medal in cycling at Beijing.

Clearly, the British have eased off since Beijing, where they won seven of the 10 track gold medals, while the Australians were forced to rebuild in a hurry.

But that has not deterred top British cycling official, Australian Shane Sutton, from declaring that his squad is now trying to catch up.

"There's one thing about being hunted and there's another about being the hunter," Sutton said.

"For us now, having the opportunity to hunt for a while, it's really suiting us and we're starting to make the gains we're going to need to try to knock off Australia ... and the French.

"We've sort-of gone back to the drawing board over the last couple of years."

A focus for the British track program remains sports psychology - Sutton himself refers to "mind games" - and some of that is undoubtedly going on ahead of this week's racing.

Meanwhile, there have been question marks this week over the health of some big names who have entered the Melbourne round, but at this stage all will race.

Pendleton is receiving treatment for back spasms, while top Australian sprinter Shane Perkins has declared himself ready to race after several days of illness.

Cameron Meyer, one of the hottest young talents in Australian track and road cycling, missed Wednesday's training session because of flu-like symptoms.

Jack Bobridge is on standby to take his place if Meyer cannot partner fellow world champion Leigh Howard on Thursday night in the madison.

The World Cup also opens on Thursday with the men's omnium, the women's team pursuit and the men's and women's team sprints.

Hoy and Perkins will ride in the team sprint, although the Australian has not contested the three-rider event for about a year.

He will ride second-wheel in the Jayco-AIS team, behind powerful lead-off man Dan Ellis and ahead of Jason Niblett.

"I like to think I'm a professional, I should be able to do it, but obviously it's a little bit nerve-wracking trying to get on Dan, he blasts out of the gate pretty quick," Perkins said.

"I might be off the wheel a little bit at the start, but hopefully I will drag him back at the finish (of the opening lap)."

AAP