ABERGAVENNY can expect to host one of the best road cycling races in National Championships history when the men's title is decided on Monmouthshire's roads and lanes next month, believes Welsh Olympic star Geraint Thomas.

Cardiff-born Thomas (pictured above), who completed the Tour de France two years ago and won gold on the track in Beijing last August, thinks the race around Monmouthshire, the centrepiece of the Abergavenny Festival of Cycling, is wide open.

Thomas who was in Abergavenny last Sunday to have a look at the 160-kilometre (100 miles) course commented, "In regard to the race I think it consists of one of the best and strongest field of riders I've been involved with since I started cycling."

Thomas, 22, who won gold in the Team Pursuit last summer, said, "The course is not too hard either, so everyone is going to get stuck in. It's likely to be one of those races which is tactical. There is a high possibility that it will come down to some sort of sprint.

"The race won't split because of the roads, it will split because of the actual racing and the attacking."

The National Championships weekend, on June 27 and 28, will include the women's championships, where reigning Olympic and world title holder Nicole Cooke, from Wick in the Vale of Glamorgan, defends her crown.

For the first time the junior championships will also be on the same programme.

However, with an array of Olympians, Tour de France riders, ex-national champions and in-form domestic riders competing, it will be the men's race that takes pride of place as the hottest UK cycling competition of 2009.

The stakes are raised even higher when you consider that everyone's eyes will be on the prized rainbow jersey that will be claimed by one privileged rider to wear around Europe and beyond for the next 12 months.

Thomas, who returns to the saddle for the Nationals after a recent hand operation, added,

"The national jersey will be motivation enough, but I definitely won't be 100 per cent with my recent run of injuries and stops and starts. I've had quite a bit of time off the bike now while other people will be going into it with bags of endurance.

"I will just have to ride smartly. It's 160km as well so it makes it open to a lot more British-based, domestic riders to win it and not just the pro riders (with European teams).

"Looking at start lists recently, a lot more British teams seem stronger now. Domestic cycling is improving all the time so the British boys will be definitely up for it.

"There is nothing better than putting on that National jersey, especially at the Tour de France. People like (Mark) Cavendish, (Bradley) Wiggins and (David) Millar will be super-motivated - and you have the GB academy as well. So I think it will just be a super-hard and fantastic race."

Cavendish is the biggest name in British cycling at the moment. He won four stages of the Tour de France last summer, wore the pink Giro d'Italia leaders jersey this month and also took the one-day classic Milan-San Remo title.

He is a great friend of Thomas' as they grew up through the British Cycling ranks together, so who better to assess the Isle of Man star.

"He has just had an amazing couple of years," said Thomas.

"Everyone knew he had the potential, but no-one expected him to win four stages of the Tour quite so soon. It is just great to see and winning the Milan-San Remo is probably even better than winning the four stages because it is such a prestigious race.

"There are two climbs running up to the finish of the Milan-San Remo and it is not flat as everyone thinks it is.

"Everyone says Cavendish cannot climb, but if you just try and ride up those climbs, you will see how tough they are. To get over them and get over them so well, plus the sprint at the end, was amazing to watch.  

"Then there was the Giro and his team won the Team Time Trial. To be the man in the pink (jersey) is nice to see and is just like he is living the dream at the minute. His confidence is high, he knows he can do it and he is the fastest in the world.

"When there is a bunch sprint, he has got that confidence and I don't think there is any stopping him now. He will end up just racking up the stage wins in the Giro and the Tour for a number of years to come."

And that form could very well see Cavendish roaring up Frogmore Street in Abergavenny town centre with Millar, Wiggins, Thomas, double national champion Roger Hammond, reigning Robert Price Grand Prix of Wales king Russell Downing and others on his shoulder in a truly spectacular finale.

Thomas added, "Cavendish knows what he wants, he says what he feels and what he thinks and comes across as quite arrogant sometimes.

"But most of the time, what he says is what he does. If he says he is going to win four stages of the Tour, everyone thinks he is just a cocky Manxman. What is he on about? But then he goes out and proves it time after time.

"It is just the way he is. That is why he is so good too. You have to be selfish to be that good and just go out there and do the stuff."

For further information about the 2009 Abergavenny Festival of Cycling, including entry details for the Iron Mountain Sportif on June 20 and 21, click onto http://www.abergavennyfestivalofcycling.co.uk">www.abergavennyfestivalofcycling.co.uk.