A record 900 entries have been received for the mix of road and off-road challenges in next week’s Cyclefest.

Professional cyclists, former champions, weekend warriors and cycling families come together in velo-themed weekend festival, presented by Isle of Man Bank.

Former pro mountain bike racer Elliot Baxter heads up the entry, and will be looking to take a third consecutive championship title.

The local firefighter claimed the overall men’s honours in both previous iterations of Cyclefest by dominating the Battle of Sky Hill Mountain Bike Race, presented by Friends Provident International, and defending his position through the Storm the Tower Hill Climb powered by Isle of Man Creamery and the main 82-mile closed roads Gran Fondo.

His biggest challengers in 2018 look set to be fellow all-rounders Dan Curtis, Alex Rockwell and Nick Corlett - the latter direct from representing the Isle of Man in the Commonwealth. This will be his Cyclefest debut, bidding to put an end to Baxter’s run of dominance.

Heading up the championship challenge for the road racers in the three-event competition is last year’s under-21 champion Will Draper, Team Equiom IoM Junior Team riders Adam Kelly, Tosh Teare and Max Walker, and Ellan Vannin’s Jamie Fletcher.

Team Isle of Man road racer Tara Ferguson steps up to the full championship for the first time and is likely to be among the leading females, along with 2017 Battle of Sky Hill winner Kirree Quayle and Team IoM team-mates Emily Looker and Emma Atkinson, with rapidly-improving youngster Jess Carridge a dark-horse.

Full preview next week.