Ulmer, who won gold in the individual pursuit at the World Cup in Sydney earlier this month and came within three-tenths of a second of breaking the world record, is with the New Zealand team for the UCI track cycling world championships in Melbourne starting tomorrow.
The 28-year-old Kiwi said it could be a psychological blow heading to Athens with the championship gold but riders would not use this week's event as a just a "warm- up" for August.
"It's a world championship in its own right. I don't think anyone will be taking it lightly at all to be honest.
"There's plenty of times before the (Olympic) games to peak again so everyone will be treating it as the world championships that it is."
New Zealand track coach Kurt Innes agreed that the competition would be keen to win a championship gold.
"I think it's more important in our sport to win a world championships because that stays with you for the year and you get to wear the stripes on your jersey for the year," he said.
Innes said Ulmer was "aware of what she has to do" in Melbourne this week.
She has already had her psychological boost with her medal-winning ride in Sydney.
But the field is stronger this week in what Ulmer said would be "a totally different race".
Dutch Olympic and world champion Leontien van Moorsel, who also holds the world record, is joined by Australian world championship silver medallist Katie Mactier as the riders to watch. Ulmer is yet to see her main rivals on the track and is concentrating on her own performance.
"Everyone's keeping a pretty low profile," she said. "There's no point over-analysing it. You've got to go as fast as you can for 3kms."
Ulmer will also contest the points and scratch race but is keeping her focus firmly on the individual pursuit. "They will stay at the back of the mind until I finish the pursuit competition and then it's full steam into the other two races."
Ulmer is still testing the new bike built for her by Christchurch builder Milton Bloomfield and will decide closer to the race which one she will use.
The championships are at the Vodafone Arena in Melbourne from May 26-30.