Nicole Cooke wins in Britain.(Image credit: Gerry McManus)
Luca Paolini and Ivan Basso lead the huge Italian squad on a training ride around Mendrisio(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
The final selections have been made, the preparations undertaken and the time trials have been run and won. Now it's time for the road races.
Cyclingnews has start lists for all three road races - U23 men, elite women and elite men - and they make for interesting reading ahead of the main events in Mendrisio, Switzerland.
The U23 men's race should prove to be an open affair, as it usually is, with the winner likely to come from an unexpected corner. That doesn't mean there aren't favourites for the title, however.
The German, Italian and Danish teams are full of quality riders, with the likes of Gianluca Brambilla and Damiano Caruso leading the charge for the azzurri while Martin Reimer and Patrick Gretsch spearhead the German challenge.
In the elite women's road race, Great Britain is again the overwhelming favourite, with all-conquering phenom Nicole Cooke having a crack at another crown, supported by the likes of Emma Pooley and Sharon Laws - the winning combination at last year's Olympics.
Meanwhile, the blue riband elite men's event throws up its usual band of suspects for the title - the Italian, Spanish, Australian and Belgian teams are all in with a chance, while they'll be pushed by the likes of the Dutch, Norwegian and German squads.
Stay tuned to Cyclingnews for all the latest news, results and photos from this year's UCI Road World Championships from Mendrisio.
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