The 31-year-old Englishwoman has three wins to her name on the Aonach Mòr course, with those coming in 2013, 2015 and 2016.

But she has also had her fair share of misfortune there, including crashes and injuries.

In 2017, she dislocated her shoulder.

"Over the years I used to hate it," she said of the course last year.

"It's a big track – you have to be strong and fit, but I learned to love it and trained into it.

"You develop yourself as a rider to love Fort William."

Among the other women’s elite contenders is Britain’s Tracy Moseley, who has five victories at the event.

Another Briton, Tahnée Seagrave, is the defending champion.

In the men’s elite competition, three-time world champion and three-time overall UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup winner Greg Minnaar is the one to watch.

The most decorated downhiller ever has triumphed seven times at Fort William, from his first in 2004 to his three consecutive wins from 2015 to 2017.

Behind the big South African are two men with two wins each, Britain’s Gee Atherton and Australia’s Sam Hill.

France’s Amaury Pierron was the men’s elite champion in 2018.

The Scottish leg of the UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Cup has been ever present on the circuit from 2002 and this year's edition follows the opening stage in Slovenian city Maribor last month.