Top class domestic road race cycling comes to Oxford tonight as the city hosts the Halfords Tour Series.

Dozens of elite riders will battle it out on a tight 1.4-kilometre circuit at St Giles from 7pm.

Ed Clancy, an Olympic gold medallist on the track in Beijing four years ago, will be among the star attractions in the peloton looking to claim victory.

Oxford is a new venue on the tour’s calendar and is the third of 11 races this year, with Clancy’s Rapha Condor Sharp teammate, Kristian House, winning on the streets of Durham in the second round last Thursday.

The former national road racing champion broke away from the field to claim victory – and the tight hairpin bends in tonight’s course should make it more difficult for the bunch to chase down attacks.

Endura Racing lead the team standings and will be expecting to figure prominently again after Scott Thwaites, Ian Bibby and Jonathan McEvoy all claimed top-five finishes in Durham.

The evening also features the opening race of the Johnson Health Tech Grand Prix Series.

An hour-long highlights programme will be screened on ITV4 at 8pm tomorrow.