No Cavendish, Wiggins or Thomas for British National Champs

Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish, Geraint Thomas, Chris Froome and Peter Kennaugh have all opted out of riding the 2012 British National Championships road race as they prepare for the forthcoming Tour de France and/or Olympic Games.

Team Sky confirmed on Monday morning that Alex Dowsett, Jeremy Hunt, Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard and Ben Swift will represent the squad at the National Champs in North Yorkshire on Sunday, June 25.

Last year's national champion Wiggins commences his bid to win the Tour de France less than a week after the National Champs, and the race simply doesn't fit into his pre-Tour training schedule. Cavendish too will be aiming to defend his green jersey at the Tour fresh from winning the Ster ZLM Toer in Holland on Sunday. Froome will be supporting both riders at the Tour.

Thomas will miss the Tour de France this year, but is preparing on the track as part of Team GB's team pursuit line-up with Peter Kennaugh.

"In an ideal world we'd have our full British contingent competing, but with the Tour de France and Olympics now very much on the horizon, it simply isn't possible," said Sky coach Rod Ellingworth.

"Bradley, Chris and Mark are all fine-tuning their condition ahead of a busy summer on the road, while Pete and Geraint are now mid-way through a crucial block of Olympic track training."

The 2012 Tour de France starts on Saturday June 30 in Liege, Belgium.

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