Mark Cavendish is set to make a surprise return to Prudential RideLondon-Surrey Classic and will go head-to-head with the world's best sprinters on Sunday.
The course is a variation on the London 2012 Olympic Road Race route, featuring climbs up Leith Hill and Box Hill, attracting a star-studded field of 150 top cyclists.
Cavendish won the first-ever edition of the race in 2011 – a precursor to the Olympics – before it was granted UCI WorldTour status last year.
“I’m delighted to be able to get back racing so quickly,” said the 33-year-old, who dropped out of the ongoing Tour de France on stage 11.
"In the last two years the race has come down to a sprint on The Mall and if it does so again this year I'm sure it'll be a spectacular finish.
"I've not raced in the event since it was awarded UCI status but I was there watching last year and it has grown into a fantastic race.”
The Manx racer, representing Dimension Data, is set to compete with fellow speedsters Caleb Ewan, Elia Viviani and Michael Matthews for the title.
But defending champion, Norway’s Alexander Kristoff, is not a rival Cavendish will have to concern himself with as he is riding in the Tour with UAE Team Emirates.
Rotherham’s Ben Swift represented Great Britain at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in the road race and forms part of the Emirates’ team.
Ian Stannard, part of the British support team that tried to lead Cavendish through London to victory in the London 2012 road race, will be competing for Team Sky.
He will be joined on the route by Team Sky colleague Owain Doull, who won Olympic gold in the team pursuit in Rio two years ago.
Sportsbeat 2018