If you need a man to win a hilly one-day Classic, they do not come much better than former world champion Philippe Gilbert.

The Belgian, who sealed his third career Amstel Gold Race win this year, is among the favourites for the race – and will be a man to watch if he breaks clear of the peloton in the Surrey hills.

Gilbert, who has also won the Ster ZLM Toer this season after picking up two stage wins, did not finish his most recent one-day race, the Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian, but his three top-ten finishes in the Ardennes Classics – including his Amstel Gold win – were a reminder of just what he can do.

If organisers are proved right, and the additional climbs on this year’s race play into the hands of a breakaway, Gilbert will certainly be among the contenders on The Mall.