Video: Elia Viviani looks ahead to inaugural Revolution Champions League

Olympic omnium champion Elia Viviani will be back on the track in coming weeks as he and colleagues from Team Sky contest the inaugural Revolution Champions League, which pits riders from WorldTour teams against the leading domestic outfits from the Revolution Series.

Among the riders lining up alongside Viviani for Team Sky will be two-time Olympic team pursuit champion Geraint Thomas, with WorldTour opposition provided by Cannondale Drapac, Giant Alpecin, Lampre Merida, LottoNL-Jumbo, Orica-Bike Exchange and Trek Segafredo.

Viviani said: “I think it’s a good move to take a lot of road riders, especially from WorldTour teams because it is perfect for the fans, they can watch live on the TV or in the venue and they can see the same jerseys that ride Milan San-Remo and the big grand tours, Giro d’Italia and Tour de France.”

JLT-Condor, winner of this year’s Revolution Series, qualify as the top domestic UK team, and will be joined by Maloja Pushbikers, Team PedalSure and Team Wiggins. There will also be an Equipe de France made up of some of the country’s top road and track racers.

Ed Clancy of JLT-Condor, who at Rio this summer won his third successive team pursuit gold, and who also took bronze in the omnium at London 2012, said: “I think the WorldTour teams will make life really hard across two days of racing. At this moment time, it’s hard to pick a winner … In my opinion Viviani is the best all round track rider in the World.

“A guy like that, trying to beat him over a Flying Lap or even a Points Race, it’s no coincidence he’s an Olympic champion. If Team Sky bring him to every race, they are going to be really hard to beat.”

The three rounds take place in Paris on 18/19 November, Manchester on 25/26 November and London on 2/3 December. Tickets can be bought here.

Organisers Face Partnership say that in future years they hope to organise domestic championships in countries besides the UK, with the winners of each progressing to the Revolution Champions League.