David Millar came second in the time trial at the 2010 World Championships. Photograph: AFP/Getty Images

While track cycling at the Commonwealth Games has been hit by the absence of some big names, the road events look in better shape.

The main worry for organisers is that the Games follow hard on the heels of the Road World Championships in Melbourne - so there is a danger of fatigue or more withdrawals.

Star attraction will be in-form Isle of Man rider Mark Cavendish. The Manxman will be hoping to arrive in Delhi as Britain's first road world champion since Tom Simpson, back in 1965.

Scotland's David Millar should be a big threat in the time trial but Wales's British road race champion Geraint Thomas has withdrawn from the competition.

They will all be up against an Australian team that includes defending road race champion Mathew Hayman and top sprinters Mark Renshaw and Chris Sutton.

The women's competitions are equally tantalising, with both British medallists from Beijing - Nicole Cooke and Emma Pooley - riding in Delhi.

The pair will be on different teams, and there is an additional bit of friction which stems from the British Road Championships, when England's Pooley won and Cooke refused to shake hands on the podium.

With no Bradley Wiggins or Geraint Thomas, England's Chris Froome is among the favourites for gold in the men's 40km time trial, along with Scotland's David Millar.

Australia have won six of the nine medals from previous men's time trials but they will be without Richie Porte, who will not be in Delhi after his pro-team refused to release him to ride in the Games.

New Zealand rider Gordon McCauley, who won bronze in Melbourne, is in medal contention while Canada's hopes will rest with veteran, Svein Tuft, silver medallist in the time trial at the 2008 Road World Championships.

The women's 29km time trial will be more competitive than the men's, with England's Emma Pooley, Olympic time trial silver medallist and British champion, up against Northern Ireland's Wendy Houvenaghel and Wales's former world junior time trial champion, Nicole Cooke.

New Zealand have strong claims with Linda Villumsen, who was a time trial bronze medallist at the 2009 Road World Championships.

The pan-flat course in Delhi should play into the hands of the sprinters, and so the Isle of Man's Mark Cavendish must be among the favourites for gold.

Cavendish won the green jersey at the Tour of Spain this summer

Cavendish has notched up a heap of stage wins this year, including five in the Tour de France as well as the green jersey at the Vuelta a Espana in September, but national team-mate Peter Kennaugh, runner-up at the British Road Race Championships in June, is not racing.

Defending champion Mathew Hayman will be joined in Australia's team by Mark Renshaw, who is usually Cavendish's lead-out man for their professional team HTC-Columbia, while David Millar and Evan Oliphant compete for Scotland and Jeremy Hunt represents England.

New Zealand are weakened by the withdrawals of Greg Henderson and Julian Dean, so two-time Olympic medallist Hayden Roulston fronts their team, while Canada have Michael Barry, ninth in the road race at the 2008 Olympics, in their ranks.

Nicole Cooke, who won the women's road race in Manchester in 2002, is in contention to add a second gold to her tally, although she could be exposed because of the relative lack of strength of her Wales team-mates.

England's medal chances should be helped by Emma Pooley, Lizzie Armitstead and Sharon Laws all riding for the same pro-team, Cervelo.

Australia's hopes rest with former Commonwealth track medallist, Rochelle Gilmore, while New Zealand's team is centred on Denmark-born Linda Villumson and Beijing Olympian Cath Cheatley.

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