Riders from across the country head to West Sussex this weekend, with the opening round of the Merlin Cycles Classic Time Trial Series taking place near Midhurst on Sunday.

Categories for time trial bikes and road machines as well as several different categories have ensured a healthy field will tackle the 23-mile course, with old names and new on the startsheet of the event promoted by a3crg.

Will Lowden (HUUB WattShop) and Matthew Downie (TAAP Endura) are expected to be vying for the top spot in the time trial bikes category, while in the women’s event Jennifer George (HUUB WattShop) looks set to take the win ahead of Naomi Shinkins (Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers).

In the veterans event Chris McNamara (Sigma Sports-Cannondale RT) is listed as favourite, while his brother and team-mate Simon McNamara is down to win according to Spindata.

Elsewhere on Sunday Cleveland Wheelers are also expecting a good entry of road bikes for their 21.7-mile sporting time trial near Stokesley in North Yorkshire.

Darlington CC’s Marcel Schubert is listed as the pre-race favourite according to national ranking system Spindata, while Ben Pease (Moonglu CC) and Rob Carter (Cleveland Wheelers) will also be pushing for the podium.

And in the women’s event Joanna Blackburn (High North Performance) is the fastest on paper, although Team Boompods’ Lauren Watson might be in the mix too.

Also on a hilly circuit, the Bridgnorth CC 21-mile event takes place in Shropshire using the triangular D21/22 course to Much Wenlock, down towards Broadstone and back up to the finish at Morville.

Thomas Bill (Stafford Triathlon Club) and Ben Goodwin (Fibrax Wrexham RC) are expected to be on the podium, while of the women Stolen Goat RT’s Gwyneth Parry is due to be quickest according to Spindata.

Border City Wheelers are holding a 20.3-mile event on the Lazonby circuit in Cumbria on Sunday, with Richard Bideau (Pendle Forest CC) down as the favourite by just a few seconds from Richard Nesfield (Giant Kendal Sidas.uk) who won the club’s last event three weeks ago near High Heskett.

It’s the Penzance Wheelers 25-mile event near Bodmin in Cornwall on Sunday, where Tim McEvoy (FTP Fulfil the Potential Racing) looks to be a comfortable winner. But it’s a different story in the women’s category, with three ladies from the promoting club all close to each other according to Spindata – Stacey Ginieres, Martina Geraghty and Angharad Berriman.

Other events on Sunday include the BUCS University 25-Mile Championships in Cambridgeshire, as well as the Bristol South CC 12.2-mile event near Stone in Gloucestershire and the Port Talbot Wheelers 13-miler near Glynneath.

And Saturday sees Orwell Velo stage a 16.5-mile event in Suffolk, while there are 10-mile events held by VC Sevale (Malvern) in Worcestershire, Coalville Wheelers in Leicestershire, Northampton & District CA in Bedfordshire and the VTTA Kent near the Isle of Grain.

* All reports and previews are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.