National Criterium champion Dean Downing and national road race champion, Athens Olympic silver and bronze medallist Rob Hayles will head a star studded field of 81 in the Hillingdon GP on Sunday 17 May held at the Hillingdon cycle circuit West London.

Alongside Hayles will be Beijing track Olympic gold medallist Ed Clancy, who has also won three world championships, along with Andy Tennant, who has come through the BC Academy system that has produced so many champions.

They will be tested by last year’s winner Graham Briggs and his veteran colleague Malcolm Elliot, winner in 2006. The local favourite will be Tony Gibb, world and commonwealth games medallist, who started his racing as a youngster on the then unopened nearby Hayes bypass and won the most recent of the regular Tuesday evening races held there.

The Hillingdon Women’s GP has a strong field of 30 for this inaugural national series event at the Hillingdon circuit in Springfield Road, Hayes. For a winner watch out for west London rider Janet Birkmyre whose sprint abilities may well take the top honour, although Claire Thomas and Kate Breneman from Scotland will undoubtedly want to make their long journey worthwhile and must be watched.

There is a full programme of events:

– 10.45 Youth races – 40 minutes
– 11.45 3/4 category race – 1hr + 5 laps (riders not qualified for main event)
– 13.15 Women’s national series criterium – 25 miles/40km – 27 laps
– 15.00 Hillingdon GP – 50 miles/80km – 54 laps