Over 200 of Britain's leading cyclo-cross riders - as well as a world-class entrant from Poland - will descend on Bradford on Sunday for the fourth round of the National Trophy series.

The venue, as it was last year, is Peel Park but this time the event is a dress rehearsal for the National Championships in 2009.

Sunday's organiser John Rawnsley says: "It has gained a reputation as one of the best venues in the country and we feel we have improved on the course since the last trophy event was held there 12 months ago.

"Instead of having two pit areas, we have one but they can be used by riders travelling in opposite directions.

"Although the facilities for spectating are second to none, with the underpass being one great vantage point and the steps up to the tarmac plateau being another."

Riders may be heading to Bradford 2 from all over the United Kingdom, but none will have come further than Pole Mariusz Gil. He recently finished 20th in a World Cup event in Spain.

But although the entrants are far flung, that doesn't mean any lack of local interest.

Bingley's Rob Jebb (Wheelbase/Gore Bike Wear) is third in the elite men's standings on 104 points behind David Collins (Science in Sport/Trek), 138, and Paul Oldham (Hope Factory Racing), who are also competing.

Burley-in-Wharfedale's Mark Thwaites (Kinesis UK) is tenth on 65 points and Otley's Sam Webster (Glendene CC/Bike Trax) 30th on 12.

However, they are second and eighth respectively in the under-23 standings, and Keighley's Tom Moses and Paul Young and Otley's Oliver Webster are in the top seven of the youth rankings.

Race programme: 10.30am, youths; 11.30am, veterans; 12.30pm under-12s (enter on the day); 1.15pm, juniors; 1.16pm, women; 2.15pm men's elite and under-23s.