Cycling: Britons look for Sydney repeat

With memories of Olympic medals at Sydney still fresh in the minds of Britain's Commonwealth Games track riders, much of the interest – but by no means all – will centre on the velodrome events.

Manchester is regarded by coach Heiko Salzwedel as an opportunity to test UK strength against arch-rivals Australia, and also to sound out the team's prospects for the Athens Games in two years time.

The high point of the track events will be when the kilometre gold medallist at Sydney, Jason Queally, and the former World BMX champion, Jamie Staff, defend England against their UK team-mates Craig McLean and Chris Hoy of Scotland.

Equally interesting is Australia and England's duel in the team pursuit. The UK took silver in the World Championships last year, while Australia crashed out in the qualifying round and want revenge.

The 2002 Tour stage winner at Avranches Bradley McGee is a linchpin of the Australian team. "I'll have a lot of stamina," was McGee's recent wry analysis of how pounding 3,200 kilometres of French tarmac will affect his form on the boards.

On the road, the time trial's clash with the second last stage of the Tour has been criticised. The resulting list of absentees, headed by Scotland's David Millar, the recent winner of a Tour stage at Beziers, and continuing with McGee will not be short.

Favourites include the English time trialer Stuart Dangerfield, and Northern Ireland's Michael Hutchinson, the British Best All Rounder.

Both time trial and road race will be on a short circuit near Rivington, which has a small hill to wear down the peloton. The course was used in last month's British National Championships, and the road-race winner Welshman Julian Winn will aim to win for a second time in six weeks.

Other key riders include Millar, and Anglo-Italian Max Sciandri, a one-day specialist born in Derby who learned the cycling trade in Tuscany.

In the woman's road events, the Welsh World Champion Nicole Cooke, 19, is favourite. In mountain biking the Games will be the swansong for England's Caroline Alexander.