A Tour de France-style atmosphere is set to return to Norwich as cyclists gasp their way up the city's steepest hill.

Friday will see the return of the Gas Hill Gasp.

Organised this year by Push Sport, it will see dozens of riders sprint as fast as they can up the hill, just off Riverside Road.

In previous years, the event, which forms part of the Lord Mayor's celebrations, has seen scores of supporters line the side of the narrow hill which reaches a gradient of 20pc at its steepest point.

Event organiser Tim Bonnett said: 'After the break in 2014, Gas Hill Gasp is back and bigger than ever.

'We have made some subtle changes but there will still be the fast-paced action that people have come to expect.'

Having been revived in 2011 for the first time since the 1980s, the race dropped off the cycling calendar last summer due to clashing with the Tour de France in Yorkshire.

Organisers have since spent the last year planning the high-energy spectacle.

This year's event, sponsored by Barford Van Hire and supported by Norwich City Council, has so far seen 65 entries.

They will compete in a range of categories for different types of bikes: road, mountain bike, fixed gear, BMX and cycle speedway.

In a knock-out format, riders will race in their categories in groups of four in a bid to make it to the final.

There will also be a 'race for pride' which will see the winners of each category race against each other. Currently there are still spaces in the BMX and cycle speedway categories while all of the others have sold out.

The racing will start from 7pm.

Are you organising a cycle event? Email kate.scotter@archant.co.uk