New Zealand's first-ever track cycling World Cup event in Cambridge next week has attracted an impressive array of Olympic and world champions.
Among the 570-plus riders and staff from 39 countries are 28 who have won world championship or Olympic gold.
Most nations have sent their leading sprinters, with a particularly strong women's field headed by Germany's Kristin Vogel, the current sprint world champion who will also defend her Olympic team sprint title in Rio with Miriam Welte.
She will face Australian star Anna Meares in Cambridge, the current Olympic sprint champion who has collected 25 world championship medals including 11 golds in her glittering career.
Chinese star Jinjie Gong, who has won six world championship medals and is the current team sprint titleholder as well as the Olympic silver medalist, is another confirmed starter.
In-form 21-year-old Dutch champion Elis Ligtlee will start as one of the favourite after winning recent European titles in sprint and keirin.
New Zealand's 2014 world champion team sprint combination will be stretched in the men's racing, headed by Frenchman Gregory Bauge, the current world sprint and team sprint champion.
Also challenging will be Britain's Jason Kenny, a double London Olympic champion, and Cali World Cup double winner Joachim Eilers of Germany.
Dutchman Jeffrey Hoogland, a triple winner at the recent European championships, and in-form Commonwealth Games keirin champion Matthew Glaetzer of Australia are also expected to feature.
Led by Orica GreenEdge professional Michael Hepburn, Australia bring a full-strength men's endurance combination, while Olympic gold medallist Ed Clancy will guide the British team's fortunes and Artur Ershov will lead the Cali-winning Russian team.
Olympic omnium champion Lasse Norman Hansen also returns from the World Tour pro road scene to guide a strong Danish combination.
Australia bring a powerful women's endurance squad, fronted by world omnium champion Annette Edmondson, with Canada also looking strong after winning in Cali.
The New Zealand event is the second of three track cycling World Cup competitions which are qualifying events for the world championships and next year's Rio Olympics.
