Who will conquer the hills of Hamilton next weekend? In the men's race all signs point to a repeat of last year's champion -- not the racer, but the country.

Italy's Mario Cipolini won't be defending his championship but his countryman Paolo Bettini is the odds-on favourite to follow in his footsteps. Not only is Bettini having a great season, he is backed up by a strong Italian team which proved last year it is willing to work for its leader.

Can an American win the championship on Canadian soil? George Hincapie spent his summer supporting Lance Armstrong at the Tour de France. His spring was spoiled by a virus, but it may mean he has a lot left for the worlds. He left the Vuelta (Tour of Spain) early to prepare for the worlds, and has a very capable U.S. team supporting him.

And if you're superstitious, how about Spain's Oscar Friere? He seems to rise to the occasion in odd years: a two-time world champion in 1999 and 2001. So if he follows form, and he's been riding very well, he should win it in 2003.

Other contenders include Michael Boogerd of the Netherlands, and take your pick from a strong Australian side.

On the women's front, Nicole Cooke of Great Britain is the favourite going in. This Welsh rider only turned 20 this year but she has been a terror on the women's circuit, becoming the youngest rider to ever win the World Cup title. She is a two-time junior road world champion and has a killer instinct when it comes to big races.

Judith Arndt of Germany was the winner of the Tour de l'Aude, considered by cycling aficionados to be the women's Tour de France. She is one of the world's best all-round cyclists and always a threat at the worlds.

What about the Canadians? Canada boasts a very strong team. Genevieve Jeanson is a former world junior champion, and Lyne Bessette has won the Tour de l'Aude and is leader of one of the top women's trade teams in the world. If they can work together (and this has been a problem in the past) one of them could have a shot at the podium. If not, Sue Palmer-Komar, competing in her home town, has always been strong in the big races.

Others to watch include Mirjam Melchers of the Netherlands, and strong teams from Lithuania and Australia.

Mark Connolly brings more than 20 years of experience to his role as commentator for CBC Sports. He's covered a dozen Grey Cup Games, Edmonton Oilers' playoffs and the Brier. He has reported on cycling events for the CBC at the last two Olympic Summer Games. Connolly lives in Edmonton with his wife and their two children.