LIZZIE Armitstead will be looking to win her third national title road race title on Sunday.
The Otley cycling star and current women's World Cup leader is a hot favourite.
The 25-year-old won last year's race in Glasgow and will be keen to defeat a quality field in Monmouthshire this time.
The Boels Dolmans Cycling Team rider will face competition from former double junior world road champion, Lucy Garner (Giant Shimano), who finished seventh in the recent Friends Life Women’s Tour, as well as double Olympic gold medallist on the track, Laura Trott (Wiggle Honda) and current British Cycling National Circuit Race Champion, Hannah Barnes (Unitedhealthcare).
Barnes and Garner will also start as favourites for the under-23 women’s title.
Olympic and world team pursuit champion, Joanna Rowsell will be in Monmouthshire to defend the time-trial title she won in East Ayrshire in 2013.
She’ll be up against last year’s silver medallist, Armitstead, her team pursuit teammate on the track, Katie Archibald, as well as multiple Paralympic champion Dame Sarah Storey (both Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International).
Armitstead, Trott and Storey are all due to race at Otley three days later in Pinsent Mason Women's Grand Prix.
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