TWO-TIME winner Ian Wilkinson will be hoping to get his season firmly up and running at the CiCLE Classic this weekend.

The Team Raleigh GAC star tasted success in the race in 2009 and 2013 and will be looking to make it a hat-trick come Sunday night.

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And the Barnoldswick rider, who claimed a podium position at the Eddie Soens Memorial Race in Aintree earlier in the season, believes the race will suit his approach.

“I have done every edition bar one and from the first time I did it, it captured the imagination because it was different with off road sections and circuits though villages from different directions,” said Wilkinson.

“It had a European feel to it with the loops you do around the lanes and Melton Mowbray always gives the race a big welcome.

“Using narrow roads as well, it suited riders who want to be aggressive and that was always good for me,” the 36-year-old told the official race website.

Wilkinson certainly won’t have it all his own way though with a strong field entered for the race which has attracted some big names.

Leading British riders such as Wilkinson, Ed Clancy (JLT Condor), Andy Tennant (Team Wiggins), Yanto Barker (ONE Pro Cycling) and Chorley GP winner Ian Bibby (NFTO) will be joined by heavyweights such as New Zealand’s world track champion Aaron Gates, former Tour of Britain stage winner Kai Reus and African star Mekseb Debesay.

There will also be a smattering of East Lancashire stars in the field.

Wilkinson’s Chorey-based team-mate Brad Morgan has not been selected but Colne star Steven Burke will be in the Team Wiggins squad while Padiham’s Simon Wilson will be racing for Polypipe.

The race itself covers 180 kilometres and will see 34 teams take to the start for a tough circuit around Rutland.

Tom Moses (Rapha-Condor) will be back to defend the crown he won in 2014, Morgan meanwhile, was in action last weekend in the Drummond Trophy in Scotland.

And the talented 23-year-old took a fine fourth place as team-mate Karol Domaglaski broke away to take a solo victory.