A slight modification to the route from last year means the course – a variation of that used for the London 2012 Olympic Games – will see new climbs added to this year’s route.

Organisers have promised this year’s race, which is now centred on Dorking with multiple undulating circuits of the Surrey Hills, will be more challenging with Ranmore Common and Staple Lane added to the list of challenging ascents.

Leith Hill and Box Hill also again feature, once each, the former representing the highest point in Surrey.

Rolling out of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the race first passes through central London before crossing Hampton Court Bridge into Surrey – the same route traversed at the Olympics.

Once in Surrey, Staple Lane and Leith Hill provide early tests of the peloton’s climbing legs before they take on two circuits of the route up to Ranmore Common.

In all, the race passes through Dorking four times before heading to the iconic climb of Box Hill before heading back towards central London through Oxshott and Esher.

The rapid run-in then takes the peloton back across the Thames and along the Embankment towards Parliament Square, before a grandstand finish in front of Buckingham Palace.

Won last year by Arnaud Demare (FDJ.fr), a bunch sprint could be on the cards again this year, but race director Mick Bennett believes a breakaway could also succeed.