Men’s road race (Sunday September 27 – 254.8km)

A course befitting such a prestigious race has certainly sparked the interest of the big Classics men with Fabian Cancellara (Switzerland), 2005 champion Tom Boonen (Belgium) and Peter Sagan (Slovakia) all set for the startline.

Philippe Gilbert (Belgium), winner in 2012, will jointly lead the Belgian charge with Boonen as both bid to become the first of their countrymen since Freddy Maertens to bag more than one rainbow jersey.

Greg van Avermaet is another strong rider within the Belgian ranks, while Jan Bakelants, Sep Vanmarcke and Tim Wellens also feature in a fiercely strong line-up.

With a course possibly suited to the hilly Classics specialists, Alejandro Valverde and last year’s runner-up Joaquim Rodriguez (Spain) will also be looking to get into the mix – though the chances of both will be dependent on their post-Vuelta form.

With a fast run-in on the 254.8km course, however, Rodriguez is less likely to feature this time out, with Valverde much more likely to add to his World Championship medal haul.

The two climbs on the circuit – the Alto de Montearenas (5.1 kilometres long with an average 3.5 per cent gradient) and the Alto de Compostilla (1.1km, 6.6 per cent) – are unlikely to cause too much concern for those sprinters who can also climb.

John Degenkolb (Germany) proved his form with four stage wins at the Vuelta a Espana while Sagan, though out of form in Spain, insists the three-week race has left him in good shape for a shot at the rainbow jersey.

Degenkolb’s hopes, however, rest on how he recovers from his recent hospitalisation after a wound inflicted at the Vuelta became infected.

Michael Matthews (Australia), with two Grand Tour stage wins to his name this season, is another more-than capable of sticking with the main field over the climbs, while team-mate Simon Gerrans is in great form after two wins in Canada last week.

British hopes meanwhile will depend on how the race pans out. Geraint Thomas showed his credentials with Commonwealth Games gold, but the Welshman has been recovering from a crash in training, while Peter Kennaugh has been tipped as a future world champion.

If it comes down to a sprint, Ben Swift will be the Brit in contention. The Yorkshireman has enjoyed a fine season, which included victory on a lumpy stage at the Tour of the Basque Country, and third at Milan-San Remo.

Meanwhile, defending champion Rui Costa (Portugal) will be among the riders to look out for if a well-timed break goes clear, while Alexander Kristoff (Norway) is another fast finisher capable of getting over the climbs.

Strength in numbers may play into the hands of Spain, Australia, Belgium and Germany – all of whom boast a full complement of nine riders, with multiple options.

One thing is for certain, however, the final destination of the rainbow jersey this year is not easy to predict.