Mark Cavendish has reassessed his world road race cycling championships chances, after seeing the course for Sunday's race.

The Manx Missile had hoped to become Britain's first world road race champion since Tom Simpson won the coveted rainbow jersey in 1965.

But the 10 mile circuit in Geelong, which will be lapped 11 times by the peloton, has two steep climbs.

Cav says, "According to what people had been telling me beforehand the rainbow jersey was a possibility, but now that I've been able to check it out for myself, I'll have to revise my ambitions."

Sunday's 163 mile race begins in Melbourne, then heads to the circuit in Geelong, a port city 47 miles to the south west.

Another obstacle for Cav, even if a bunch sprint were to develop at the end, would be the home straight, which rises steadily uphill for around 700 metres before the finish line.