Georgia Taylor-Brown is among the favourites to win gold at the World Triathlon Championship Series event in Abu Dhabi ©Getty Images

Britain's Georgia Taylor-Brown will be looking to make the most of the absence of title holder Flora Duffy of Bermuda when she begins her campaign at the opening World Triathlon Championship Series event in Abu Dhabi.

With the reining Olympic and Commonwealth Games champion opting to delay the start of her season, Taylor-Brown will be among the favourite to clinch gold at the United Arab Emirates venue.

The British number one hasn’t finished outside the top two of a series race since 2019, claiming three golds and three silver only for Duffy to come out on top last season.

American Taylor Spivey is expected to challenge in Abu Dhabi but has been battling sickness in her pursuit of hitting peak form.

Other triathletes that are set to be in the mix for medals are the French trio of Leonie Periault and Emma Lombardi, while 2019 world champion Katie Zaferes of the United States is set to make her first appearance at the World Triathlon Championship Series as a mother.

Léo Bergère of France will wear the number one jersey at the Yas Island circuit as he looks to defend his men's title.

Britain’s Alex Yee and New Zealand’s Hayden Wilde, who came up short against Bergère last November, will have added motivation to emerge victorious this season.

The men's and women's races are due to be held tomorrow before the season is set to move to Yokahama in Japan from May 13 to 14.

Cagliara in Italy, Montreal in Canada, Hamburg in Germany and Sunderland in Britain are also scheduled to stage events in the series before the finals are set to be held in Pontevedra in Spain from September 22 to 24.