Manx End-2-End to be the biggest on record

In 2009, 834 riders completed the gruelling 75km course

Sunday's Manx End-2-End mountain bike race will see 1,400 riders tackle the 46 mile course between the Point of Ayre and Cregneash.

Now in its 14th year, the race is attracting riders from all over the world to take on the challenge.

Organiser Steve Honeybone told BBC Isle of Man: "The interest has been amazing, if there was no limit we would have had over 1700 on the start line."

Last year 1,069 riders started the race, with 834 completing the route.

Despite the increase in numbers, the only change in the course will be to send the riders up the left hand side of Glen Rushen (Pipe line) rather than the right hand side (Creg ny Croc).

Isle of Man rider Elliot Baxter will lead the Manx challenge after last year's third place finish and Nick Craig will be bidding for his third consecutive win.

The elite riders will aim to complete the course in under three hours but for many it is more of an endurance event.

The race gets under way at 1000 BST on Sunday.