Local professional Mark Christian heads a strong entry of more than 600 riders in this Sunday’s Gran Fondo, an event he won in 2017.

The Team Wiggins Le Col rider returns during a break in his racing calendar, which has seen him enjoy a strong year highlighted by his 15th place finish in the UCI-ranked Tour de Yorkshire in May.

While starting the race as the clear favourite, Christian will need a decent slice of luck to get to the end unscathed, something that deserted fellow pro and current British champion Ben Swift 12 months ago, when he lost a commanding lead because of a mechanical issue towards the end of the 85-mile race.

On that occasion, former professional mountain bike rider Elliot Baxter came through to steal victory, and he returns to defend his crown in 2019.

Other local challengers likely to be disputing the win include the Island Games team duo of Will Corkill and Thomas Bostock, plus former pro Christian Varley, and MotoGP rider, elite-level cyclist Cal Crutchlow.

There is a large visiting contingent signed up for the PokerStars-sponsored event, with entries from as far afield as Belgium, Holland and the USA. Liverpool Phoenix rider Phil Williams is definitely one man who has a palmarès to suggest he could fight for the podium, returning to the event for the first time since 2016 when he finished seventh.

In the women’s race, recently crowned Isle of Man Road Race Champion Jess Carridge has to be among the favourites, along with Sally Walker - who finished runner up in both 2017 and 2018 - and local triathlete Carrie Wernham.

The Gran Fondo - named by Cycling Plus and Cycling Weekly in their annual list of top 10 races to do - includes the torturous climbs of Druidale, Round Table, Hope and Injebreck along with a number of technical challenges, not least the now infamous ’Strade Bianche’ gravel road through South Barrule Plantation.

This Sunday’s event also includes the newly-introduced ’Hell of the North’ - a 2.5-mile section through Ballaugh Curraghs. There are also three shorter-distance events aimed at differing ages and abilities. The 40-mile Manx Telecom-sponsored Medio Fondo follows the route of the Gran Fondo to the top of the Druidale climb, where the participants will branch off towards the Bungalow and take the closed roads descent of Tholt-y-Will as they make their way back to Ramsey.

The 20-mile Piccolo Fondo, supported by Ramsey Town Commissioners, is an event firmly aimed at families and beginners, winding its way round the northern plains.

New this year is the family-friendly Isle of Man Creamery-sponsored Minisculo Fondo held over a half-mile circuit in and around Ramsey’s Mooragh Park.

All the events will start and finish in the park, which will also host the free to visit riders’ village, featuring a range of high quality food and beverage options for riders, along with a giant LED screen showing coverage of that day’s Tour de France mountain stage from Limoux to Foix Prat d’Albis.

l To check on road closures go to the event website at www.granfondoiom.com