A selection of the best riders in the world will battle for the right to wear the prestigious rainbow jersey in the men's World Championship road race in Richmond, United States, on Sunday.
Always one of the most exciting and eagerly anticipated races of the season, this year's edition follows a 259.2km rolling route containing three climbs and ending with a flat run to the finish, making it a difficult event to predict.
Poland's Michal Kwiatkowski is back as defending champion and is one of the favourites on a course that suits him, but he is set to face stiff competition from the likes of Alexander Kristoff, Peter Sagan and Greg Van Avermaet.
Ben Swift is set to be the leader of the Great Britain team in the absence of Mark Cavendish, who has been ruled out through injury.
You can follow the race with our live blog from 6pm BST.
WHEN DOES IT TAKE PLACE?
Sunday, September 27.
Start time: 2pm BST. Estimated finish time: 8.40pm BST.
THE COURSE
The race takes place over 16 laps of a rolling 16.2km circuit in Richmond.
The course hinges on three climbs: two on cobbles measuring 200m and then 100m in length, followed by a 300m final climb on asphalt leading to a 680m false flat to the finish. The 100m climb is the steepest of the three, reaching a maximum gradient of 18 per cent.
The climbs, combined with the flat finish, throw up multiple possibilities for how the race will pan out and which type of rider could prevail. Climbers, sprinters, classics specialists and all-rounders all appear to be in with credible chance, while a mass-bunch sprint, a reduced-bunch sprint, a small-group sprint and a solo escape are all equally viable outcomes.
THE FAVOURITES
ALEXANDER KRISTOFF
Age: 28. Nationality: Norwegian. Sky Bet odds: 11/2.
Kristoff proved his credentials on a course such as Richmond's by winning the Tour of Flanders in April and taking top 10s in a host of other cobbled classics. After a prolific spring, he had a quiet Tour de France but returned to form in recent weeks by winning the GP Ouest France-Plouay and claiming podium finishes at both the Vattenfall Cyclassics and the GP de Quebec. One of the fastest finishers in the sport, he is the leading favourite and will be the man to beat if the race ends in a sprint.
PETER SAGAN
Age: 25. Nationality: Slovakian. Sky Bet odds: 15/2.
Sagan looks perfect for this course. He can climb, ride well over cobbles and sprint, so however the race pans out, he should be there in the finale. He will also be relatively fresh, having completed only half of the Vuelta a Espana - enough to build form but not enough to develop fatigue. He won't have the strongest team to support him, but he usually fends for himself anyway, so that won't be too big a problem.
JOHN DEGENKOLB
Age: 26. Nationality: German. Sky Bet odds: 8/1.
Degenkolb has similar credentials to Kristoff: strong over cobbles, a passable climber and a fast finisher. He too will be hoping for a sprint - albeit one without Kristoff - but that may come with the responsibility of his Germany team having to control the peloton and chase down attacks. However, as he showed when winning Paris-Roubaix, Degenkolb is adept at spotting dangerous moves and has the strength to follow them.
MICHAEL MATTHEWS
Age: 24. Nationality: Australian. Sky Bet odds: 11/1.
Matthews is the fourth punchy sprinter being tipped for victory, although he doesn't have the pedigree over cobbled climbs that Kristoff, Sagan and Degenkolb have, so how he will fare on those key sections is a slight unknown. He does, however, have a good record in the hilly Ardennes classics and goes into the race in decent form, having won a stage of the Tour of Alberta and finished second at the GP de Quebec.
GREG VAN AVERMAET
Age: 30. Nationality: Belgian Sky Bet odds: 14/1.
As a punchy climber with a fast finish who also excels over cobbles, Van Avermaet has all the qualities needed to be successful on the Richmond course. He exhibited those skills by claiming third in both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix this spring and then winning a stage of the Tour de France that ended with a finish not too dissimilar to Sunday's. He will also have the backing of a powerful Belgium team.
THE OUTSIDERS
PHILIPPE GILBERT
Age: 33. Nationality: Belgian. Sky Bet odds: 18/1.
If Van Avermaet doesn't end up leading the Belgium team, the man who does will probably be 2012 world champion Gilbert. He is a specialist in the hilly terrain of the Richmond course, having won the Amstel Gold Race three times, Il Lombardia twice and Liege-Bastogne-Liege once. At 33, his best days are probably behind him, but a strong showing at the Eneco Tour and top 10s in the GP de Quebec and GP de Montreal would suggest he arrives Stateside in good form.
ZDENEK STYBAR
Age: 29. Nationality: Czech. Sky Bet odds: 20/1.
Stybar is a classics specialist who likes uphill finishes and will definitely fancy the Richmond course. He won March's Strade Bianche, which has a similar final few kilometres, and also won a stage of this summer's Tour de France featuring a short and sharp final climb. Stybar can also devour cobbles, as his second-place finish in this year's Paris-Roubaix and ninth-place finish at the Tour of Flanders amply testify.
ALEJANDRO VALVERDE
Age: 35. Nationality: Spanish. Sky Bet odds: 20/1.
Valverde has finished third in each of the last three world championship road races and this year's course looks to be another that suits him well. He is a master of the Ardennes classics, having won both Liege-Bastogne-Liege and La Fleche Wallonne for the third time this spring, so the late climb and flat finish in Richmond is familiar terrain. Valverde has a fast finish, so if the sprinters are dropped and the field is whittled down to a small group of punchy climbers going into the final straight, the veteran Spaniard could be tough to beat.
MICHAL KWIATKOWSKI
Age: 25. Nationality: Polish. Sky Bet odds: 22/1.
The defending champion is hoping to become the first rider since Paolo Bettini in 2007 to retain the world road race title and if he thought last year's course suited him well, this year's is even better. Similar to Valverde, he is an Ardennes classics specialist who excels in late climbs followed by flat finishes. He can win either as a solo attacker - as he did in last year's worlds - or in a bunch sprint - as he did in the Amstel Gold Race in April. Kwiatkowski will also be supported by a powerful Poland team that bossed last year's race.
EDVALD BOASSON HAGEN
Age: 28. Nationality: Norwegian. Sky Bet odds: 28/1.
Boasson Hagen was in outstanding form when winning the Tour of Britain earlier in September, not least on the summit finish on Hartside, when he out-climbed everyone but stage winner Wout Poels and effectively clinched overall victory. Kwiatkowski performed equally well in the 2014 edition of the Tour of Britain and went on to win the rainbow jersey a fortnight, so Boasson Hagen appears to be excellent stead. The Richmond course also suits him well. The climbs won't be a problem and he also has a fast finish, so a sprint plays into his hands.
THE LONG SHOTS
VINCENZO NIBALI
Age: 30. Nationality: Italian. Sky Bet odds: 40/1.
Nibali has been off the radar after being kicked out of the Vuelta a Espana for hanging on to a team car, but he took part in four one-day races in Italy from September 16-20 and finished in the top five in all of them, winning one, which suggests he has good form. His season has been a bit of a failure so far, but an unfancied win in the world road race would handsomely rescue it, so his motivation will be high. The course doesn't exactly suit him, but it doesn't work against him either.
NIKI TERPSTRA
Age: 31. Nationality: Dutch. Sky Bet odds: 40/1.
Terpstra is a cobbled classics expert who is capable of taking off on a late attack and holding on for victory. He finished second to Kristoff in a two-man sprint at the Tour of Flanders this year, which proved that he has what it takes to get over Richmond's climbs.
JULIAN ALAPHILIPPE
Age: 23. Nationality: French. Sky Bet odds: 40/1.
Alaphilippe is one of the rising stars of Ardennes classics racing. He finished second in both Liege-Bastogne-Liege and La Fleche Wallonne this year, while also taking seventh in the Amstel Gold Race. He is a punchy climber and a fast finisher, although at this early stage of his career, a win in the world road race would be a remarkable achievement.
BEN SWIFT
Age: 27. Nationality: British. Sky Bet odds: 150/1.
Swift is likely to be Great Britain's best hope of a medal. He is a sprinter by trade but likes rolling courses and doesn't mind a climb. He will be hoping for a reduced-bunch sprint finish, preferably with the likes of Kristoff, Degenkolb and Sagan all absent.
TONY GALLOPIN
Age: 27. Nationality: French. Sky Bet odds: 40/1.
Gallopin is a strong all-rounder and a specialist in solo escapes on rolling terrain. He performed well in the GP de Quebec and GP de Montreal in the build-up to the World Championships, which suggested he arrives in Richmond in good form. He will also be supported be a strong French team, should he be chosen as their leader.
PAST WINNERS
2014: Michal Kwiatkowski (Pol)
2013: Rui Costa (Por)
2012: Philippe Gilbert (Bel)
2011: Mark Cavendish (GB)
2010: Thor Hushovd (Nor)
2009: Cadel Evans (Aus)
2008: Alessandro Ballan (Ita)
2007: Paolo Bettini (Ita)
2006: Paolo Bettini (Ita)
2005: Tom Boonen (Bel)
SELECTED TEAMS AND RIDERS
Australia: Simon Clarke, Mitchell Docker, Luke Durbridge, Simon Gerrans, Adam Hansen, Heinrich Haussler, Mathew Hayman, Michael Matthews, Jay McCarthy.
Belarus: Yauheni Hutarovich, Vasil Kiryienka, Kanstantsin Siutsou.
Belgium: Tiesj Benoot, Tom Boonen, Philippe Gilbert, Iljo Keisse, Jens Keukeleire, Nikolas Maes, Greg van Avermaet, Stijn Vandenbergh, Sep Vanmarcke.
Colombia: Winner Anacona, Edwin Avila, Alex Cano, Daniel Jaramillo, Miguel Angel Lopez, Jarlinson Pantano, Carlos Quintero, Rigoberto Uran.
Czech Republic: Jan Barta, Tomas Buchacek, Karel Hnik, Roman Kreuziger, Jiri Polnicky, Zdenej Stybar, Petr Vakoc.
Denmark: Lars Ytting Bak, Matti Breschel, Rasmus Guldhammer, Chris Juul-Jensen, Michael Morkov, Michael Valgren.
France: Julian Alaphilippe, Nacer Bouhanni, Mikael Delage, Arnaud Demare, Tony Gallopin, Cyril Lemoine, Sebastien Minard, Julien Simon, Florian Vachon.
Germany: John Degenkolb, Johannes Frohlinger, Simon Geschke, Andre Greipel, Christian Knees, Paul Martens, Tony Martin, Marcel Sieberg, Paul Voss.
Great Britain: Steve Cummings, Alex Dowsett, Andy Fenn, Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard, Ben Swift, Scott Thwaites, Adam Yates.
Italy: Daniele Bennati, Fabio Felline, Vincenzo Nibali, Giacomo Nizzolo, Daniel Oss, Manuel Quinziato, Matteo Trentin, Diego Ulissi, Elia Viviani.
Netherlands: Lars Boom, Tom Dumoulin, Robert Gesink, Sebastian Langeveld, Pim Ligthart, Bauke Mollema, Niki Terpstra, Dylan van Baarle, Jos van Emden.
Norway: Edvald Boasson Hagen, Vegard Breen, Sven Erik Bystrom, Alexander Kristoff, Vegard Stake Laengen, Lars Petter Nordhaug.
Poland: Michal Kwiatkowski, Maciej Bodnar, Michal Golas, Rafal Majka, Tomasz Marczynski, Maciej Paterski.
Portugal: Rui Costa, Jose Goncalves, Nelson Oliveira.
Russia: Pavel Brutt, Sergei Chernetsky, Viacheslav Kuznetsov, Sergei Lahutin, Alexey Tsatevich, Ilnur Zakarin.
Slovakia: Michal Kolar, Juraj Sagan, Peter Sagan.
Spain: Imanol Erviti, Ion Izagirre, Juan Jose Lobato, Daniel Moreno, Ruben Plaza, Joaquim Rodriguez, Alejandro Valverde.
South Africa: Daryl Impey, Reinardt Janse van Rensburg, Jaco Venter.
United States: Brent Bookwalter, Lawson Craddock, Tyler Farrar, Alex Howes, Ben King, Taylor Phinney.