Watch: Exclusive timelapse of men's cycle time trial route through the Black Country

The cycling time trial is just around the corner, as Wolverhampton is getting ready to host one of the most popular sports at the Commonwealth Games.

This Thursday, the best cyclists in the Commonwealth will dart through the city as part of a miles-long race – the men's route at 23.2 miles, and the women's nearing 18.

Starting and finishing at West Park, the competition has seen our residential streets transform into a hilly, uneven race track.

Sure to be a challenging ride, our reporters went to see the men's race route for themselves - walking, running and driving as much of it as possible:

Excitement and adrenaline will be in the air on Thursday, and those who can are encouraged to join the fun, support the cyclists and give them a good cheer.

There are plenty of spots to visit to watch the race. As they approach the city centre, Queen's Square is a prime location to catch the competitors, who will also come through the nearby Prince Albert Statue and Wolverhampton Art Gallery.

They'll leave the city centre via Penn Road towards Rookery Lane where thrill-seekers will find plenty of space to observe, as well as outside the Wolverhampton Royal School.

The riders face a challenge at Goldthorn Hill where the road meets Rookery Lane as they face a challenging push up the hill, the first one in the race. You can head up there and witness the suspense for yourself, with lots of viewing space for the public.

Heading along Wolverhampton Road East, notable landmarks to watch the race from will include outside Lawnswood Campus and the Beacon Centre for the Blind, before riders hit the first timing zone in Sedgley as they head down the long section of the A457 towards the Birmingham New Road.

As the riders then turn towards Dudley, they will go past notable landmarks as Wrens Nest and Priory Park before hitting Dudley town centre, with prime viewing positions being at Coronation Gardens, Dudley Town Hall and Stone Square.

The second difficult climb out of Dudley heads up the Broadway towards Upper Gornal, a mile-long section with several climbs, before the riders head back towards Sedgley, with positions available to watch along the route.

From there, the cyclists will proceed down Moden Hill, up Catholic Lane, where another challenge waits; the steep and narrow Moden Hill is followed by a sharp right turn requiring them to stop almost completely, after which they will work to build momentum for the incline up Catholic Lane. It's best to head to the junction between the roads to watch this part.

The race can be watched for free around Gornal at Cotwell End Road, the Straits, Brick Kiln Lane, Himley Road and Himley Hall.

As the men return to Wolverhampton, Stourbridge Road has space for seats, and those wanting a race with a view can head to Penn Common for a nice backdrop, around St Bartholomew's church.

Near the Rose and Crown pub there is further seating space, as well as the area around the Roebuck and Mount Tavern pubs.

Heading back into Wolverhampton city centre, the race can be watched from the side of Penn Road, down School Street and Waterloo Road towards West Park, marking the finish line, much to the cyclists' relief.

Be sure to visit Market Square, where the Birmingham 2022 Festival Site will be set up on the day.