Norwich-London 'The Sprinter's Classic' is fast approaching and the 15th edition of this prestigious race is due to be contested on Friday morning.
   With only 2 days remaining until the sign-up period closes, 18 of the World's best teams have announced their squads for what promises to be the most hotly-contested sprint of the entire season.
   Last year's winner, Falkner Doiron of Babon, is currently not listed on the start sheet. Speculation has been rife that his team have been hit by the financial crisis and have pulled out of the sport. So in his absence, who is the favourite to win on Oxford Street?
  
   Bajen Belfast: The Swiss sprinter Hanke Vibbard is looking for his 1st top flight victory after a good stage win in the Nederlandse Tour last season. Has good support in the form of Kruse and Van Leempten, but may struggle against the established sprinting teams.
   Prediction - Outside Top 10.
  
   cway: Fergal Lemire will be desperate for a victory on home soil. The former World No.1 has had a great start to the season, winning the Giro di Firenze, and will be going all out to reclaim his crown. With the best lead-out train in the business, he surely is the man to beat.
   Prediction - 1st
  
   De Pedaaltjes: Dutch champion Roland de Wolf finished 3rd last year and has managed to drag himself to 5th place in the World Rankings, but his chances are slim with a pretty poor lead-out train.
   Prediction - Outside Top 10
  
   Equipo Easy On: Ethan 'Winston' Churchill, winner of Pre-Roubaix, would relish a victory in London and it would surely fire up the English-Welsh rivalry. Swift and the really impressive Lorenzo will provide support in the closing stages.
   Prediction - Top 10
  
   FFL: Pascal Lannoye, fresh from 2 victories in Germany and Portugal, will captain the Welsh squad as he aims to win his first classic and regain World No.1
   Prediction - Top 3
  
   Juno: Dylan Fraser will be looking to exorcise

the Australian's Ashes defeat by beating the English in their premier race. Has a good team behind him, especially the 'Flying Finn' Vanska.
   Prediction - Top 10
  
   kirshim: Tim Hult leads the team this year in the absence of previous winner Andor Almgren. Hult is still looking for his first pro victory and sadly I don't think he'll get it on Friday.
   Prediction - outside Top 10
  
   maccas sprinters: Albert Kern, currently World No.4 is looking for his first victory of the season. 3rd place in the Berliner last week shows he's coming into form. Another Aussie team looking for payback for the Ashes.
   Prediction - Top 5
  
   PCMGeeks: Danish No.1 Tune Lund will be looking to make his mark on the first division. Has an average team at his disposal but may struggle as the sprint heats up.
   Prediction - Outside Top 10
  
   Simoni crew: Swedish No.1 Jorma Nordman, third in the recent Marseille-Nice, will arrive in England with quite a weak team to support him. Got 6th place last year, but will be doing well to repeat that performance.
   Prediction - Outside Top 10
  
   Team airik: Ralph van Bon, the amazing sprint prospect, unfortunately has little in the way of a lead-out train. Will struggle to find himself in a winning position as the race draws to a close.
   Prediction - Top 10
  
   Team Atlantic: Rodney Hodgson, current World No.1, like the Welsh and Aussies really wants a victory on English soil. New signing, Johannes Winkel, will add a new dimension to his lead-out train.
   Prediction - Top 10
  
   Team Norris: Olaf Ansell returns to England with a very strong team, hoping for a repeat performance of his victory 3 years ago. Sundkvist and Moore are probably capable of winning the race themselves, but have to settle for a support role on Friday.
   Prediction - Top 3
  
   Team Trier: Philippe Malchow, the American

champion, will captain the up and coming Team Trier. The relative newcomers to the first division have some good riders in the form of Hoving and Kincheloe, and could prove to be the dark horses in this race.
   Prediction - Top 10
  
   Team Weeny: Lenny Fredsgaard will be looking to make a name for himself in London. The virtual unknown, currently 456th in the World Rankings, captains an average Weeny team and could provide an upset in the English capital.
   Prediction - Outside Top 10
  
   Team Whalers: Ferris Pitkin, a surprise stage winner in Germany last year, captains the US outfit. Expectations will be low considering the quality of his team mates.
   Prediction - Outside Top 10
  
   Team Wonderdee: Gerald Karda, the only other English captain apart from Lemire, looks a promising rider. Vold will be his lead-out man, but they look destined to be also-rans in this race.
   Prediction - Outside Top 10
  
   Team Z: Kenny Haakon returns to Norwich-London hoping to add to his tally of 3 victories. The record-breaking sprinter leads a very strong team as they return to top-flight racing after a long absence from the scene. In what could be his last season, Haakon may upset his younger rivals in the dash for the line.
   Prediction: Top 5
  
   And the line-up for Norwich-London has been confirmed with the final two teams, skils and Telek@m, naming their squads for the English classic.
  
   skils: Archer Houel will lead the Dutch outfit hoping for a repeat of his magnificent victory in Marseille-Nice. The French No.1 will be relying on Veldhuis to bring him to the finish in contention.
   Prediction - Top 10
  
   Telek@m: New signing Pepillo Vendabal will lead England's second-ranked team for their assault on Norwich-London. The team has strength in depth with the likes of Nibali, Nolin and Mercier, which could provide Vendabal with his first ever pro victory.
   Prediction - Top 5