Lizzie Armitstead

As for the women’s race, England’s Lizzie Armitstead will start as favourite on the circuit on which she won a second British national road race title in 2013.

Armitstead crashed in the final kilometre of the inaugural La Course by Le Tour de France race on Sunday and subsequently chose to sit out of Thursday’s individual time trial but should take to the road race start line fit and ready.

The Olympic silver medalist is one of the finest female cyclists of her generation and, with her usual European competitors, including the superb Marianne Vos, absent from the Commonwealth Games, Armitstead will be closely marked.

The Yorkshire-born rider will be supported by a strong England team which includes time trial runner-up Emma Pooley, Lucy Garner, Hannah Barnes, Emma Pooley, Laura Trott and Dani King.

It’s a star-studded line-up but Armitstead is the protected rider and all eyes will be on the 25-year-old on Sunday.