Jacob Adkin heads in as the uphill champion from 2019, which he won at the European Mountain Running Championships, and looks to defend his crown.

It is the first edition of the European Off-Road Running Championships, which combines mountain and trail running, with medals on offer in 10 races.

These include uphill and up-and-downhill mountain races for seniors and under-20 athletes, as well as a senior trail race which is to be held over a distance of 47 kilometres, or just over 29 miles.

However, Jacob Adkin was only today able to leave quarantine following a positive COVID-19 test, meaning others will consider themselves favourites for the event.

Cesare Maestri is the top Italian in mountain running due to the absence of his injured compatriot Henri Aymonod, while Slovenian Timotej Bečan is in contention too.

Adkin's older team-mate Andy Douglas should not be ruled out either, with the two-time Mountain Running World Cup winner having a strong record at the European Championships, finishing in the top 10 at the past six editions, as well as at three World Championships.

Scout Adkin, Jacob's older sister, does not steal headlines in the women's race, but will be among the top athletes in the uphill and up-and-downhill races having had a breakthrough 2021.

Kate Avery, previously known for finishing fourth at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in the 10,000 metres and as a double European cross country silver medallist, has been selected too in a discipline that she is relatively new to.

Maude Mathys of Switzerland is aiming for her fourth victory in the women's uphill, but comes up against Austrian veteran Andrea Mayr, who has won four European titles.

Italian Francesca Ghelfi is also in the mix for the uphill, while her compatriot Alice Gaggi looks like one of those capable of taking the up-and-downhill title.

French athletes Audrey Tanguy and Blandine L'Hirondel, Spain's Nuria Gil and Czechs Barbora Macurova and Marcela Vasinova head into the women's trail race among the favourites, while Rio 2016 Olympian Anna Hahner from Germany is on the entry list too.

Oriol Cardona from Spain, France's Arnaud Bonin and Thomas Cardin and Italians Luca Cagnati and Martin Dematteis are among those expected to near the front in the men's trail race.