Twists and turns galore in Glasgow showdown

GLASGOW : Glasgow's usually busy streets were becalmed ahead of the weekend with cars banished from the city centre and only the occasional whirr of expensive bicycle wheels raising the volume.

It will be a far more manic scene on Sunday, however, when the men's road race of the UCI World Championships reaches what is likely to be a thrilling conclusion on a truly unique course.

The 271km layout, the longest ever in world championships history, begins in Edinburgh, crosses the Forth Bridge and for the first 120km is nothing out of the ordinary.

Crow Road, the one categorised climb, will not shred an elite peloton featuring Grand Tour and Classics winners, but once it rolls into Glasgow, battle will truly commence.

A 14.3km circuit of the city centre will be tackled 10 times meaning a combined 400 tight corners.

Throw in the predicted rain, slippery road markings, some short and punchy climbs up some of Glasgow's steepest streets, and all the ingredients are in place for a wildly unpredictable fight for gold in front of an expected huge crowd.

"The one major thing is that if it's wet it's going to be carnage," British hopeful Fred Wright said of the layout. "But I think I'm ready for the carnage."

Technicals riders, with refined cornering skills and capable of explosive bursts of pace from almost standing starts, should thrive on Sunday. Those rhythm riders who prefer to smoothly wind up the power at stage finales could suffer.

Dutch master Mathieu Van der Poel, one of the big favourites, was among those out on Glasgow's closed off streets on Friday, running the rule over the layout alongside some awe-struck local riders revelling in the car-free zone.

He tested his legs in relaxed fashion up Montrose Street, an 8 per cent ramp