Some of the best-looking jerseys you'll see this year in the Tour de France won't be those worn by classification leaders, or even just plain old team members – they'll be on the backs of the peloton's new national champions.

The weekend just gone saw road championships held across the northern hemisphere, with the national tunics being swapped between riders in most cases.

Not all of those riders will make the Tour de France selection for their teams of course, but plenty will, and we could see nearly a dozen national champions taking the start line in Barcelona on Saturday.

It's always a great honour for a rider to be able to wear their national champion's colours at a race like the Tour and they'll show them off with pride. Whether some of the team sponsors will be quite so pleased is debatable, with the champion's tops generally watering down the sponsorship somewhat.

Among the new road champions who have already been confirmed as riding in Le Grand Boucle are new Tadej Pogačar's Mexican teammate at UAE Team Emirates-XRG Isaac Del Toro, new French champ Romain Grégoire (Groupama-FDJ United), Germany's Felix Engelhardt (Jayco-AlUla), George Bennett of New Zealand (NSN Cycling), Denmark's Magnus Cort (Uno-X Mobility) and his Norwegian teammate Anders Skaarseth and finally new Kazakh champion Nicolas Vinokourov (XDS-Astana).

These seven are the riders that have been confirmed, but there are likely to be others, not least new British champion Fred Wright (Pinarello-Q36.5) and Quinn Simmons of the USA (Lidl-Trek). Simmons's teammate and new Czech champ Mathias Vacek could be there too, and Egan Bernal, who won the Colombian champs back in February, remains a possible for Netcompany-Ineos.

The new road champions aren't the only riders who will be sporting national champs' jerseys over the coming three weeks – there are also the time trial champions, who get to wear their own national colours during the Tour's two races against the clock: the stage one team time trial in Barcelona, and stage 16's lumpy ITT on the shores of Lac Leman.

So far those riders are set to include Italian TT don Filippo Ganna (Netcompany-Ineos), Spain's Pablo Castrillo (Movistar), Germany's Nils Politt and Austria's Felix Großschartner at UAE Team Emirates-XRG, making it three national champs helping out race favourite Pogačar, and there's also Netcompany-Ineos's Polish stalwart Michał Kwiatkowski and Eric Kirsch of Luxembourg and Cofidis.

Fred Wright sprinted to his second road race victory at the British National Championships in Aberystwyth on Sunday after a brutal afternoon.

Three years after his first title – and only career victory until now – the Pinarello Q36.5 rider was part of a three-man group which made it to the finish. Wright beat Lewis Askey (NSN Cyling) on the line with a bike throw, with Connor Swift (Netcompany-Ineos) following in in third.

The trio had been away with Mattie Dodd (Ineos Grenadiers Racing Academy) and Elliot Rowe (Visma-Lease a Bike Development), but they were dropped with just under 10km to go on the final lap. Rowe won the sprint for fourth, meaning he is the new under-23 British national champion.

The big split happened with around 60km to go of the race, as the five that would decide the destiny of the elite and under-23 race escaped, initially with Jed Smithson (Hagens Berman Jayco) as a member, before he was replaced with Swift. As the quintet entered the local circuit in Aberystwyth for the final few laps, it was clear that the victory would come from this group.

Despite multiple attacks from Askey and then Swift in the closing kilometres, neither could distance Wright, who appeared confident in his ability to win in the end. Swift led the trio out into the finale, before Askey launched the sprint, with Wright rounding him on the line.

"It was a typical National Championships really, attacks from the start, full gas racing until a select group formed," Wright said post-race. "It's random but at the same time it does follow the same pattern: we take chunks out of each other for as long as we can and then a select group forms. I was happy to make that group and then we slowly whittled it down. The three of us were the strongest on the day and I played my cards well in the final. 

"I was trying not to think about it [winning] at the end. The year I had in the stripes was really special and as soon as you're not in them you really miss it. I was trying not to think about it too much in the last 10km. Just think about racing, how you would do things normally, without going too crazy. It's such a special thing, and I'm really happy to hopefully take these to the Tour. That's always special.

"I do love it, I hope I can start the Tour of Britain this year, I don't know what my schedule will be. It's lovely racing on British roads, we've had a really nice day here. We've had a really nice weekend at the seaside."

Results

British National Road Championships, elite men road race (187.3km)

1. Fred Wright, Pinarello Q36.5, in 4:15:47
2. Lewis Askey, NSN Cycling
3. Connor Swift, Netcompany-Ineos, both at same time
4. Elliot Rowe, Visma-Lease a Bike Development, +17s
5. Mattie Dodd, Ineos Grenadiers Racing Academy, at same time
6. Ollie Wood, RCC Racing, +3:05
7. Tom Portsmouth, Guidon Chalettois
8. Adam Mitchell, Vendée U Primeo Energie
9. Jed Smithson, Hagens Berman Jayco, all at same time
10. Danny Riwnyj, Foran CT, +3:12

Zoe Bäckstedt soloed to road race victory at the British National Championships on Sunday, attacking alone with 14km to go in Aberystwyth.

The Canyon-SRAM rider doubled up on her time trial victory from Thursday, holding off Josie Knight (DAS-Hutchinson) to take the elite title for the first time. Millie Couzens (Fenix-Premier Tech), the defending champion, finished third.

Knight might not have won, but alongside Bäckstedt was the standout rider of the race, having been in the early break and then leading for 90km on her own, with a significant gap of up to eight minutes at one point.

However, after joining forces with Matilda McKibben (O'Shea Red Chilli Bikes) and Jo Tindley (Smurfit Westrock), Knight's lead was cut down, before Bäckstedt attacked alone in search of the leader. With 14km to go, the 21-year-old caught Knight, and passed her.

Despite a concerted chase effort behind, Bäckstedt held off the remnants of the peloton, with the gap remaining at two minutes to them.

"The first part was super interesting, there was a break of ones and twos, who got maybe six or seven minutes ahead of us," the victor said, post-race. "On the last lap of the big lap, it was quite hard over that steep climb, and I was hanging on for dear life at the end of that. It wasn’t the most ideal feeling, so I knew it was going to be a hard day. Then on the long climb as we entered the small circuit, I felt really good, and Flora (Perkins) attacked and I followed it and went over the top of her, and then it was a 55km solo day to the finish to try and catch Josie. 

"It’s been a super good week. To win the time trial on Thursday and be on the podium with my sister that was a real highlight. To have her on the side of the road today and in the feed zone for me has been great. To have my whole family here has made it a great week where I could be super relaxed and have fun."

"It was a long old day," Knight, for her part, said. "Last year I got into a break and we worked quite well together, I am not the most confident rider, I don’t do a lot of road racing, so I’m not the most confident in the peloton, so I tried to get into a break to have a good day out. Unfortunately, I did that but I ended up on my own. Once I was gone I got a time gap of 25 seconds to four riders, and I was like, ‘do I wait for them, is it better in a group?’ and then it soon went to 45 seconds, so I knew I was in for a long day.  

"I was having mental battles with myself and asking ‘will they not just catch me already and put me out of my misery?' I was getting the time gaps so I knew Zoe was coming across, so I tried to give it all, but she just came past like a steam train.

"I was just chuffed to hang on for second. My team car kept coming up alongside me and telling me to believe in myself and that I could get second. So I just emptied myself to the line, so I am really happy." 

Bäckstedt also won the under-23 race at the same time. Imogen Wolff (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Erin Boothman (Liv AlUla Jayco Continental) finished in the third group on the road to take second and third in that classification, respectively.

Results

British National Road Championships, elite women road race (128km)

1. Zoe Bäckstedt, Canyon-SRAM, in 3:30:44
2. Josie Knight, DAS-Hutchinson, +1:42
3. Millie Couzens, Fenix-Premier Tech, +2:02
4. Pfeiffer Georgi, Picnic PostNL
5. Anna Morris
6. Imogen Wolff, Visma-Lease a Bike
7. Erin Boothman, Liv AlUla Jayco Continental, all at same time
8. Josie Nelson, Picnic PostNL, +2:03
9. Anna Henderson, Lidl-Trek
10. Noémie Thomson, DAS-Hutchinson, all at same time

Ethan Hayter won for the fourth time in the elite time trial at the British National Championships on Thursday, setting a blistering pace in blistering heat.

The Soudal Quick-Step rider completed the 38.4km course in 44:10, at an average of 52.15kph. Connor Swift (Netcompany-Ineos) finished second, 1:30 behind, with Josh Charlton (Ineos Grenadiers Racing Academy) a further 10 seconds back.

"It’s my second consecutive title and my first victory of the season, so obviously, I’m happy to be on the podium and know that I will keep the jersey for one more year," Hayter said post race. "I liked this course a lot, and as soon as I left the start house, I found my rhythm and kept it the entire time, which shows that I came here with strong legs. We’ll see what I can do on Sunday, when I’m ready to give everything again."

"It was survival and I really benefited from all the overseas training I do," he added. "It was a case of fighting and seeing what you can do. Going into the road championships on Sunday, I’m looking forward to it, but we’ve got such a strong field, we’ll have to see what happens on the day."

Alongside Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM), who won earlier on Thursday, Hayter won for the second year in a row in Lampeter, Wales.

Also on Thursday afternoon, Erin Boothman dominated the under-23 women's time trial. The Liv AlUla Jayco Continental rider set a time of 33:36 around the 25.6km course, which would have placed her third on the elite podium. Awen Roberts (Canyon-SRAM Generation) was second, 1:51 behind, with Abigail Miller (UAE Development) in third, a further 45 seconds back.

"It’s one of the highlights of my year so far, it’s great to do it off the back of a great season so far so it's a great moment," Boothman said. "We knew it was going to be hard, and I went out pretty hot in the first lap, just trying to hold on. I always want to do well at the national championships, this is my first elite one, and I’m super happy to be able to pull it off."

Results

British National Road Championships, elite men ITT (38.4km)

1. Ethan Hayter, Soudal Quick-Step, in 44:10
2. Connor Swift, Netcompany-Ineos, +1:30
3. Josh Charlton, Ineos Grenadiers Racing Academy, +1:40
4. Ethan Vernon, NSN Cycling, +2:05
5. Jack Brough, AVC Aix Provence Dole, +2:52
6. Finlay Pickering, Jayco AlUla, +2:58
7. Matthew Rossiter, HUUB Wattshop, +3:12
8. Joe Laverick, +3:28
9. Charlie Tanfield, +4:02
10. Tom Mead, Team Bottrill Nopinz, +4:55

British National Road Championships, U23 women ITT (25.6km)

1. Erin Boothman, Liv AlUla Jayco Continental, in 33:36
2. Awen Roberts, Canyon SRAM Generation, +1:51
3. Abigail Miller, UAE Development, +2:36
4. Eilidh Shaw, UAE Development Team, +3:00
5. Lily Martin, Loughborough Lightning, +3:05
6. Carys Lloyd, Movistar, +3:10
7. Imogen Wolff, Visma-Lease a Bike, +3:10
8. Lucy Glover, Smurfit Westrock, +3:43
9. Grace Ward, O'Shea Red Chilli Bikes, +4:35
10. Isabel Mayes, +5:04

A stacked field of WorldTour stars, British domestic riders and amateurs are all set to compete at the British National Road Championships next week in Wales.

The event will crown 10 national champions across the elite and under-23 categories, starting with the time trials next Thursday 25 June. The circuit races will follow on 26 June, before the road races on 28 June.

All of last year’s elite winners are on the start list to defend their titles: Millie Couzens (Fenix-Premier Tech) and Sam Watson (Netcompany-Ineos) in the road races, Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM) and Ethan Hayter (Soudal-Quick Step) in the time trials, and Kate Richardson (Handsling Alba Development) and Cameron Mason (Alpecin-Premier Tech) in the circuit races.

Also down to compete across the four days is a raft of men’s pro riders, such as: Ben Turner, Ben Swift, Connor Swift (Netcompany-Ineos), Owain Doull (Visma-Lease a Bike), Ethan Vernon, Lewis Askey, Joe Blackmore (NSN Cycling), Fred Wright (Pinarello Q36.5), Bob Donaldson (Jayco AlUla) and Callum Thornley (Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe).

Josh Tarling (Netcompany-Ineos) is named on the start list to race the time trial; however, he is unlikely to compete after breaking his collarbone at last week’s Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes.

The women’s events will count an equally stacked field, including: Cat Ferguson, Carys Lloyd (Movistar), Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek), Imogen Wolff (Visma-Lease a Bike), Pfeiffer Georgi (Picnic PostNL), Flora Perkins (Fenix-Premier Tech), Lauren Dickson (FDJ United-SUEZ), Alice Towers (EF Education-Oatly) and Erin Boothman (Liv AlUla Jayco Continental).

National Series leader Morven Yeoman will compete as part of a DAS-Hutchinson team that includes Noémie Thomson, both of whom have starred in British domestic races this season.

Likewise, Rapha CC duo Matthew Bostock and Ollie Wood, the respective City of London Nocturne and Lincoln GP winners, are also on the start lists.

The full start lists can be found on British Cycling's website: time trials, circuit races, road races.

Speaking ahead of the championships, Bäckstedt hailed the “strong roster” of riders in the UK.

“It’s never going to be easy, but I hope I’ll come into this in good shape and fighting for the win,” the Welshwoman said.

Hayter, a former national road champion and defending time trial champion, will be looking to win a title for the third year in a row.

“Nationals always seem to bring out the best in me,” he said. “Each year the level gets higher, but it makes for aggressive, exciting racing.”

The time trials will take place in Lampeter on 25 June. Both the circuit races and the road races will be held in Aberystwyth, as they were in 2025.

This year’s championships mark the second year in a three-year agreement with the Welsh government to hold the event in the country. Wales will also host the third stage of the UK Tour de France Grand Départ in 2027, which will run from Welshpool to Cardiff on 4 July.

The Lloyds National Road Championships will be held in Ceredigion, Wales for the second year running this June.

The event will take place between 25-28 June, with the time trials, circuit races and road races all held in the west Wales county.

The announcement comes as part of a three-year agreement between British Cycling and the Welsh government to stage the championships, meaning next year’s event, 2027, will also be held in Wales.

“Ceredigion provides the perfect stage for what promises to be another captivating National Championships bringing together the best of British talent,” said Jonathan Day, director of events at British Cycling Ventures, in a statement.

The championships will open with the time trials on Thursday 25 June in Lampeter. The circuit races will then take place on Friday 26 June, before the road races on Sunday 28 June, both starting in Aberystwyth as they did in 2025.

The full routes will be revealed nearer the event.

Last year, Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) and Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step) won the elite time trials; Cameron Mason (Alpecin-Deceuninck) and Kate Richardson (Handsling Alba Development Road Team) won the circuit races; and Millie Couzens (Fenix-Deceuninck) and Sam Watson (Ineos Grenadiers) became national road champions.

Wales will also host the third stage of the UK Tour de France Grand Départ in 2027, which will run from Welshpool to Cardiff on 4 July.

Jack Sargeant, the Welsh Minister for Sport, said Wales is becoming a “top destination for world-class cycling”

“The return of the Lloyds National Road Championships to Ceredigion is further proof of that,” he said in a statement.

“From the streets of Aberystwyth to the mountains at the heart of the south Wales valleys that’ll form part of the Tour de France Grand Départ route, we are determined that every part of Wales has the opportunity to share in the passion and economic benefits that major cycling events bring.”

Prior to last year's edition, the 2023 and 2024 British National Road Championships were held in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire.

The road races this June come less than a week before the start of the Tour de France in Barcelona, meaning the men's elite winner could debut the red, white and blue jersey almost immediately on the sport's biggest stage.

It was when Seb Grindley began searching for his sunglasses, cast off his face to the roadside during the crash, that he realised something was wrong. “I couldn’t turn my head at all,” he remembers. “I was moving my whole torso and keeping my neck completely straight. Then I realised I couldn’t actually move my neck.”

The 19-year-old staggered worriedly to the in-race ambulance. “I was like, ‘I’ve got a really weird feeling in my neck’,” he says. “As soon as I mentioned any sort of head/neck injury, they put me straight on a stretcher, and I didn’t move for the next three weeks. It was pretty crazy.”

A silver medallist in the junior road race at the 2024 UCI World Championships, Grindley’s first year with Lidl-Trek’s development squad, Future Racing, was supposed to bring him a step closer to his WorldTour dream. Instead, from the start of summer, he found himself sidelined for six months – two of which he spent in a neck brace – due to a fractured vertebra he suffered in a high-speed crash at the British National Championships.

The pain, he tells Cycling Weekly, was “just uncomfortable – it was like when you go backpacking, and you’ve got a super heavy backpack on, and it strains the neck a bit.”

Half a year has now passed since Grindley left his last race in an ambulance. He is now strain-free, and looking forward to a fresh start this season. The memory of how his last one ended, however, is still vivid in his mind.

The moment came on the descent of a narrow country lane. Grindley, nestled among the top-20 riders in the bunch, was travelling at around 60kph. Suddenly, a manhole cover jutted out of the ground in front of him. “I hit it, it was quite wet at the time, and I just slipped straight off the bars,” he says. “My chest was where my Wahoo is, on my bars, and my hands were just completely off it… I literally just closed my eyes.”

Like a rag doll tossed across a bedroom, the teenager’s body hurtled into a bush at the side of the road – “there were a few thorns in my helmet”. He then bounced back onto the tarmac, where the charging peloton folded on top of him. He remembers one rider landing on his head. “I think that was what caused the injury.”

Grindley’s first instinct was to find his bike and remount. “But I couldn't actually get myself up off the ground,” he says, “which was a bit scary.

“I knew I'd lost some skin, obviously, from the crash. But it wasn't a bone pain. When I've done my collarbone before, I knew it was instantly broken. I just felt strange. I felt like my neck didn’t have that much support, so I couldn’t get myself up.”

A few hours later, as Ineos Grenadiers’ Sam Watson won the race, Grindley was lying in a hospital bed on the outskirts of Aberystwyth.

Naturally, the 19-year-old began to think about his future. The doctors told him the fracture could be “unstable”. If it was, he asked himself, would he still be able to ride his bike? And what about his contract with Lidl-Trek? He had signed for two years at the start of the season. Now, it looked certain he wouldn’t race for months, with a lengthy spell of recovery to follow. Might his career be over before it had even started?

A call from Lidl-Trek's development team boss, Markel Irizar, put his mind at rest. “It was literally that night or the day after the crash,” Grindley recalls, “and he told me the team were going to support me through the recovery process.

“They extended my contract for another year – with a little bit of a pay rise as well, which was amazing – so I really did not have to stress about the comeback. I could just take my time with it and ensure I was fully healthy... I think that really, really took a lot of pressure off my shoulders.”

After a week in hospital, Grindley returned home, only to spend the next two weeks in another hospital bed his family hired for him. He watched the entire Tour de France lying in a neck brace. He then found himself dissociating from cycling – “I was upset with what I was missing, not because I disliked the sport” – and didn’t watch another race.

Come September, though, three months after the crash, and Grindley was venturing back outside on his bike. His training has since been intensive; he’s gone “full-gas” on Wednesday chain gang rides with his friends, and been on two Lidl-Trek training camps, where he has ridden with the WorldTour squad. His numbers, to his delight, are now better than ever.

“We have some tests that we do every year, and there was a noticeable improvement,” Grindley says. “I had higher watts, and I was slightly lower weight because I lost quite a bit of muscle during that time in bed.

“The team are really happy with where I’m at, and I’m also happy. I feel in a really good position to start the season stronger than I even was last year.”

With his contract now secured until the end of 2027, what are Grindley’s hopes for his second year with Lidl-Trek? “The biggest goal, in general, is to keep learning,” he says. “I also want to get a UCI podium or a UCI win, just to kind of be in the mix again.

“Last year, obviously, it was my first at under-23, it’s all about learning, and it got cut short. I still need to have a little bit more time to learn.”

The teenager will make his long-awaited racing return in Calpe, Spain later this month. After that, his focus will be on building form towards Paris-Roubaix Espoirs in the spring; his debut in the under-23 race last year, which finished in a Lidl-Trek 1-2 and a 20th place for Grindley, was his standout moment of the season.

“This year, it could be another race where we’ve got two leaders, and hopefully it will be myself and Héctor Álvarez,” he says, adding determinedly: “We’ve got a title to defend.”

“I’m just excited to get back into it, more than anything. More than scared or nervous. Just excited.”

Millie Couzens out-sprinted Pfeiffer Georgi and Anna Henderson in Aberystwyth to take victory in the elite women's road race at the British National Road Championships on Sunday.

The Fenix-Deceuninck rider produced an impressive sprint to deny Picnic PostNL's Georgi her third consecutive title, with Lidl-Trek's Henderson finishing on the podium for the fifth time.

Couzens added the elite women's road title - and the red, white and blue jersey - to the victory she took in the under-23 women's time trial on Thursday.

“Nationals is always quite a hard race to play tactically, everyone’s a little isolated and no one wants to commit too much," she said post-race. "There was a point when the break had quite a big gap and I was worried, but luckily I had help from a few other teams and Flora [Perkins] to help control it a little bit.

“I’m so grateful for Flora, without her I don’t think we were going to bring them back. I’m so happy, it’s not the way I thought it was going to go, so it’s a good week.”

The 128km-long race came down to four riders in the end, with Georgi's teammate Josie Nelson in fourth after performing a lead out. The select group of four was only formed on the final lap around Aberystwyth, after more than three hours of racing.

It was Couzens' Fenix-Deceuninck teammate Flora Perkins who did a lot of work to bring the lead pair of Becky Storrie (Picnic PostNL) and Jess Roberts (Spectra Racing).

Georgi looked like the strong favourite to win her fourth national title, given the lead group contained three Picnic PostNL riders at the beginning of the final lap, Storrie being the third.

A strong group behind which contained the elite women's TT champion Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto) and Cat Ferguson (Movistar) could not bridge the gap to the leaders, and therefore the sprint was between Georgi, Nelson, Henderson and Couzens.

Nelson led the four out as the race returned to the seafront, with Couzens opening up the sprint, but could not be rounded, with Georgi running out of road, and Henderson powering to third.

At 21, Couzens also claimed the under-23 title as well as the elite crown, in an incredibly successful few days in west Wales for the rider from Oxfordshire.

Lauren Dickson followed in for fifth, another eye-catching result for the Handsling Alba Development rider in her first full year in racing.

Results

British National Road Championships 2025 - Elite women's road race (128km)

1. Millie Couzens, Fenix-Deceuninck, in 3:28:06
2. Pfeiffer Georgi, Picnic PostNL
3. Anna Henderson, Lidl-Trek, both at same time
4. Josie Nelson, Picnic PostNL, +2s
5. Lauren Dickson, Handsling Alba Development, +45s
6. Zoe Bäckstedt, Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto, +51s
7. Cat Ferguson, Movistar
8. Eilidh Shaw, UAE Development
9. Imogen Wolff, Visma-Lease a Bike, all at same time
10. Grace Lister, Hess Cycling, +54s

Not since 2018 has Geraint Thomas competed at the British National Championships, but that could change later this month, with the Welshman down to make one final appearance before he retires later this year.

The 39-year-old Ineos Grenadiers rider is one of a host of WorldTour riders named on the provisional start list for this year’s championships. He is entered to race the time trial on 26 June as well as the road race on 29 June, both of which will take place in his native Wales.

A past winner of both events, Thomas earned his sole time trial title in 2018, the year he went on to win the Tour de France. He won the road race in 2010, but hasn’t competed in the event since 2014.

Also on the start list are all of the reigning elite national champions. In the open events, Ethan Hayter, now of Soudal Quick-Step, is set to defend his stripes in the road race, while Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) could score a hat-trick of wins in the time trial, this time on home roads in Aberaeron, provided he has recovered from injuries suffered at the Giro d'Italia.

In the women’s events, Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek), too, could earn her third elite national time trial title. A fourth gold medal is on the line in the road race for Pfeiffer Georgi (Picnic PostNL), who has won three of the last four editions.

Further previous national champions are also set to compete in Alice Towers (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto), Lizzie Holden (UAE Team ADQ), Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) Ben Swift and Connor Swift (Ineos Grenadiers).

Still only 19 years old, double junior world champion Cat Ferguson (Movistar) will enter as one of the favourites in the women’s road race. The teenager is set to race alongside fellow up-and-coming talents Zoe Bäckstedt (Canyon-SRAM zondacrypto), Imogen Wolff (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Carys Lloyd (Movistar), as well as the best of the British domestic scene, including National Road Series leader Robyn Clay (DAS-Hutchinson) and Lincoln GP winner Lauren Dickson (Handsling Alba Development Road Team).

On the men’s start list, other star names include Matthew Brennan, who has enjoyed a winning start to the year at Visma-Lease a Bike, tallying eight victories, and last year’s breakthrough rider Joe Blackmore (IPT).

The Lloyds British National Championships will open with the time trials on Thursday 26 June, on a 41km course for the elite men and 27km for the elite women. The circuit races will then follow in Aberystwyth on Friday 27 June, before the road races, also in Aberystwyth, on Sunday 29 June. The men will race 187km, while the women will race 128km.

Thomas’s appearance would make for the Welshman’s penultimate race on British soil before his retirement. He is expected to call time on his career at the Tour of Britain Men in September, which is slated to finish in his hometown of Cardiff.

It is worth noting that, just because a rider’s name is on the start list, it does not necessarily mean that they are certain to compete. Many riders enter events provisionally, with plans subject to change nearer the date.

The British National Road Championships will take place in Wales this year, next year, and the year after, British Cycling has announced.

The UK’s governing body for cycling has signed a “landmark” deal with the Welsh Government that will see the country host the event for the next three years, through to 2027.

Wales will also welcome a stage of the Tour de France in 2027 in a historic first for the country, it was revealed last week.

This year’s National Road Championships, now sponsored by Lloyds, will take place in Aberystwyth in the county of Ceredigion, the home of Flèche Wallonne winner Stevie Williams and reigning British time trial champion Josh Tarling.

The event will begin with the time trials on Thursday 26 June, followed by the circuit races on Friday 27 June. It will then close with the road races on Sunday 29 June. Plans for 2026 and 2027 are yet to be released.

The three-year agreement with the Welsh Government marks a “huge milestone”, according to Jonathan Day, managing director of British Cycling Events.

“Wales has been a huge supporter of hosting major cycling events,” Day said in a press release. “The popularity of this event among riders and fans continues to grow, so it is fantastic to be working with partners in Wales where I am sure it will be a huge success.”

Last year, the first two stages of the Tour of Britain Women took place in Wales, while the country has also hosted the Tour of Britain Men in recent years.

A representative from the Welsh Government said the National Championships deal now comes as “excellent news” to the country.

“With this exciting announcement following confirmation that the Tour de France will come to Wales for the very first time in 2027, it helps cement our position as a premier destination for elite cycling events,” said Rebecca Evans, cabinet secretary for economy, energy and planning.

The last two editions of the British National Road Championships were held in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, North Yorkshire. Last year’s elite road races were won by Ethan Hayter (Soudal Quick-Step) and Pfeiffer Georgi (Picnic PostNL). The time trials were won by Anna Henderson (Lidl-Trek) and Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers).

Specific details of the routes for this June's edition will follow in the coming weeks, a British Cycling spokesperson said.

Ethan Hayter outpaced Lewis Askey the final time up Saltburn Bank to win the men's British National Road Race on Sunday.

The Ineos Grenadiers rider was part of a select group of three, along with Askey of Groupama-FDJ and Max Walker (Astana-Qazaqstan Development) who entered the bottom of the last climb in contention for victory, but timed his attack perfectly to round Askey and take the win.

It is the first time Hayter has won the elite road race title, although he has twice won the national champs time trial before.

"It's my first time, so that's really special," he said post-race. "It has been quite a hard period, I haven't won a race since I broke my collarbone for the second time last year, so it's really nice.

"There were about 100 different groups and attacks so it was a hard part of the race getting that right. As a team we rode really well, you can't be in every move yourself. One of us was there, and you can use other team. We rode really well, then in the second half of the race I was always on the front foot and felt quite good. I just knew I had to be patient and puck and choose the right time to go, because everyone was looking at me a little bit.

"I had to hesitate a little bit when he [Askey] came past me on the hairpin, I had to back off to not hit his back wheel. He was really going strong, but I was hoping I had a little bit extra as it levelled off to come over the top." 

Asked if he was excited to be national champion, Hayter said: "I can't wait to wear them."

The final trio had separated from an earlier quintet, which also included Bob Donaldson (Trinity) and Jake Stewart (Israel-Premier Tech), which had set off the front with under 80km to go of the 182km race.

They were later joined by Joe Blackmore (Israel-Premier Tech) and former British champion Connor Swift (Ineos Grenadiers), which allowed Stewart and Hayter to do less work. 

With around 40km to go, the decisive split happened, with Walker, Hayter and Askey going up the road. A late surge from Swift from behind also allowed his teammate Hayter to do a bit less pulling in the break.

"One of the motorbikes with the chalkboards told me Connor Swift [his teammate] was coming across, and you don't want to use the other guys like that, but that's bike racing," Hayter explained. "Connor trying to come across really gave me that extra bit at the end."

Donaldson of Trinity won the under-23 race.

Results

British National Road Championships 2024, road race: Saltburn-by-the-Sea > Saltburn-by-the-Sea (182km)

1. Ethan Hayter, Ineos Grenadiers
2. Lewis Askey, Groupama-FDJ
3. Max Walker, Astana-Qazaqstan Development
4. Connor Swift, Ineos Grenadiers
5. Owain Doull, EF Education-EasyPost
6. Bob Donaldson, Trinity
7. Josh Tarling, Ineos Grenadiers
8. Joe Blackmore, Israel-Premier Tech
9. Matt Walls, Groupama-FDJ
10. Dan McLay, Arkéa-B&B Hotels

Ctrl+C, Ctrl+V. That's how simple it was for Pfeiffer Georgi on Sunday, as the dsm-firmenich PostNL rider "copied and pasted" her ride at the 2023 British national road race to aplomb at the 2024 edition.

The 23-year-old became the first rider since Nicole Cooke to win British National Road Race titles back-to-back, and a three-time winner in the process, demonstrating her dominance in the race in recent years.

Georgi attacked up Saltburn Bank on the final lap of the 130km race, and went clear, winning from Anna Henderson (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Lizzie Deignan (Lidl-Trek).

She was set up by her teammate, Josie Nelson, and had such a gap by the finish line that she was able to sit up and celebrate. North Yorkshire clearly suits her.

Sophie Wright (Fenix-Deceuninck) tried something late on, with a fierce attack, but punctured as her attempt came to nothing. Her teammate Flora Perkins won the under-23 title, finishing fourth overall.

"I actually just kind of copied and pasted my tactics from last year," Georgi said post-stage. "I told Josie to take the corners first and sprint as fast as she could, and then I came on the inside and sprinted from the bottom. Near the top of the climb, I heard someone say 'you’ve got it,' so I took a quick peek, and I was able to celebrate in the last 100m."

It was her first victory of 2024, although this year did see her take a marquee result at Paris-Roubaix, where she finished third. Another year in the red, white and blue national champion's bands awaits. 

"I can’t believe it," Georgi said. "I doubted a lot today. With a lap to go I wasn’t sure how I was feeling but my team supported me fully. We had a plan and we committed and luckily, it paid off. I felt a bit of pressure from myself, I really wanted to win and pay the girls back."

Saltburn Bank and its fearsome incline was always set to crown the winner, but there were aggressive riders from Alice Towers (Canyon-SRAM) among others. Wright, in particular, shook up the race with a late attack which saw her lead by 30 seconds inside the final 10km, but a puncture snuffed out her lead. 

Results

British National Road Championships 2024, road race: Saltburn-by-the-Sea > Saltburn-by-the-Sea (130km)

1. Pfeiffer Georgi, dsm-firmenich PostNL
2. Anna Henderson, Visma-Lease a Bike
3. Lizzie Deignan, Lidl-Trek
4. Flora Perkins, Fenix-Deceuninck
5. Millie Couzens, Fenix-Deceuninck
6. Alice Towers, Canyon-SRAM
7. Josie Nelson, dsm-firmenich PostNL
8. Claire Steels, Movistar
9. Elinor Barker, Uno-X Mobility

Anna Henderson powered to victory in the elite women's time trial at the British National Road Championships on Wednesday.

The Visma-Lease a Bike rider took her second national title on the roads of North Yorkshire, beating Claire Steels (Movistar) by 33 seconds. Elinor Barker (Uno-X Mobility) came third, 1:02 behind Henderson.

The winner was almost 40 seconds ahead of Steels at the 15km checkpoint, and increased her lead by the finish on the 30km course.

Interestingly, it was the first victory taken by a rider wearing the Giro Aerohead 2.0, which was launched with much fanfare earlier this year at Tirreno-Adriatico.

Earlier in the day, Josie Nelson (dsm-firmenich PostNL) won the first British national title of the week, in the under-23 women's time trial. 

The 22-year-old beat second-placed Maddie Leech of Lifeplus Wahoo by 1:54, with Flora Perkins (Fenix-Deceuninck) a further 18 seconds behind.

The circuit was the same for both the under-23 riders and elites, with two laps of a 15km course, meaning 512m of elevation - it was not a rouleur's favourite.

With last year's elite women's champion, Lizzie Holden, missing from the start list, there was due to be a new woman in the red, white and blue bands.

A solid time was set early on by Lucy Lee (DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK), who finished in 50:26.3, which saw her take over the hot seat.

Steels took over the lead late on, setting the fastest split time of 23:14.82, and followed this up with a finishing time of 46:39.9.

However, Henderson was hot on her heels, going faster than Steels at the intermediate check by almost 40 seconds, and finished in 46:07.0 at an average speed of 39.03 km/h. 

It was a reminder of her time trialling prowess, which saw her finish fourth at the World Championships last summer, and second at the European Championships in the same event. She is a favourite to medal at the Paris Olympics.

Earlier on Wednesday, Josie Nelson dominated the under-23 event, setting 24:01.48 at the halfway mark and finishing with a time of 47:58.97. Raced at 37.5km/h, her time would have meant fifth in the elite women's race, proving how impressive her ride was.

Last off was Maddie Leech, the defending champion, who was just 31 seconds down at the halfway mark, but conceded more time on the second lap, eventually finishing in 49:52.5.

Results

British National Road Championships: Women's elite time trial (30km)

1. Anna Henderson, Visma-Lease a Bike, in 46:07
2. Claire Steels, Movistar, +33s
3. Elinor Barker, Uno-X Mobility, +1:02
4. Pfeiffer Georgi, dsm-firmenich PostNL, +1:35
5. Elynor Bäckstedt, Lidl-Trek, +2:07
6. Anna Morris, +2:50
7. Hayley Simmonds, Doltcini O'Shea, +3:21
8. Lucy Lee, DAS-Hutchinson-Brother UK, +4:19
9. Sarah Storey, +4:30
10. Alice Wood, Human Powered Health, +4:36

British National Road Championships: under-23 women's time trial (30km)

1. Josie Nelson, dsm-firmenich PostNL, in 47:59
2. Maddie Leech, Lifeplus Wahoo, +1:54
3. Flora Perkins, Fenix-Deceuninck, +2:12
4. Ellie Parry, Watersley R&D Road Team, +2:27
5. Niamh Murphy, Doltcini O'Shea, +5:14
6. Ella Jamieson, Lifeplus Wahoo, +5:53
7. Matilda McKibben, Doltcini O'Shea, +6:32
8. Isabella Johnson, +9:51
10. Lowri Richards, Pro-Noctis–200° Coffee-Hargreaves Contracting, +10:08

Pfeiffer Georgi, Stevie Williams and Lizzie Deignan are among the names aiming for glory at the British National Road Championships this month, as the start lists were released on Monday.

The road, circuit and time trial events will take place in the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire over 19-23 June, and mark the second year in a row that the championships are held in the region, with the road races starting and finishing in Saltburn, as they did in 2023.

Georgi of dsm-firmenich PostNL will be seeking to retain the bands she won for a second time in 2023 in the women's road race, but will face stiff competition from the likes of Deignan (Lidl-Trek), and Anna Henderson (Visma-Lease a Bike), with the latter finishing second last year and also at the Tour of Britain Women.

Deignan won the mountains jersey at the Tour of Britain, proving her climbing prowess in the process. 

"I am delighted to be back racing at another national championships, especially at home on Yorkshire roads," she said in a press release. "The cycling fans here are the best in the world and it will be great to have people cheering from the roadside. Both the men's and women's fields are really strong line ups so it will be a great week of racing."

"Winning my second national title last year on Saltburn Bank was just amazing, and wearing the national jersey on the world stage is so special," Georgi added. "Women’s racing at the minute is so exciting and we had such a good battle last year. I can’t wait to race in front of home crowds again and try and retain my jersey once again."

Other favourites for the women's race will include Elinor Barker (Uno-X Mobility), former champion Alice Towers (Canyon-SRAM) and Claire Steels (Movistar).

The men's road race was won in 2023 by Fred Wright, who is on the start list for 2024, but it is unknown if he is set to defend his title.

Rivalling him for the British champion bands will be the pair who finished on the podium behind Wright last year, James Knox (Soudal Quick-Step) and Stevie Williams (Israel-Premier Tech). Williams has had a sensational year, winning the Tour Down Under in January, before becoming the first British man to win La Flèche Wallonne in April. He will likely be the favourite.

Also challenging in the road race will be the Groupama-FDJ trio of Sam Watson, Lewis Askey, and Matt Walls, EF Education-EasyPost's Owain Doull, James Shaw, and Lukas Nerurkar, and Visma-Lease a Bike's Ben Tullett and Thomas Gloag.

The Ineos Grenadiers contingent contains Luke Rowe in his last National Championships, along with former champions Ben and Connor Swift, Ethan and Leo Hayter, Ben Turner, and Josh Tarling.

Tarling, defending his title, will be the outstanding favourite for the men's time trial, with the European champion regularly mixing it with the best on the world stage. He will face competition from Ethan Hayter and Connor Swift.

"I’m really excited to race at nationals this year," he said. "The national championships are always really special and it's been amazing to wear the national stripes in the time-trials this year. It will be great to be back racing on British roads and I'm looking forward to some top-level racing."

The women's time trial will be targeted by defending champion Lizzie Holden, but the field is stacked with talent, including former winner Henderson, Joss Lowden (Uno-X Mobility), and last year's podium finishers Anna Morris and Barker.

The full start lists for the road races, circuit races, and time trials are available on British Cycling's site.

This year’s British National Road Championships will take place in the Tees Valley and North Yorkshire, British Cycling has announced. 

The event, scheduled for 19-23 June, will mark the second year in a row that the championships are held in the region, with the road races starting and finishing in Saltburn, as they did in 2023.

This year’s edition, however, will bring a "modified version" of the route with "fewer climbs", British Cycling outlined in a press release. Fred Wright and Pfeiffer Georgi earned national honours on Saltburn Bank last year, climbing 4,073m and 2,826m respectively on their way to victory in the men’s and women’s elite races.

"To win my first elite national road title on Saltburn Bank was incredibly special and it has been such a privilege to wear the national jersey in the pro peloton," Wright said. "It meant a huge about to win last year and I can’t wait to head back to the seaside and battle it out against the best riders in the country with some amazing crowds."

The championships will open with the time trial events on 19 June in North Yorkshire. Darlington town centre will then host the circuit races on 21 June, following on from last year’s event less than 30 miles away in Redcar. 

The road races will take place on 23 June, with laps through Saltburn and out onto the rolling terrain of the Tees Valley. "We had such a good battle last year," said Georgi, who won from a seven-rider move. "I can’t wait to race in front of home crowds again and try and retain my jersey once again."

The event’s return to the Tees Valley comes as part of an effort to grow cycling in the northeastern region. 

Councillor Carrie Richardson, deputy leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council, said her borough is "absolutely committed" to staging cycling events. 

"[It] gives us the opportunity to boost tourism and showcase the area as a great place to come on holiday and cycle with some of the best coastal and country views in the nation," she said. "We’ve become a key area for major cycling events in the last few years and long may that continue."

The detailed routes for the events will be released in due course. It is unknown at this stage if the road races will finish once again on Saltburn Bank, with its 22% maximum gradient, or somewhere else in the seaside town. 

Pfeiffer Georgi won the British National Road Championships for a second time on Sunday, and will once again don the tricolour bands of the national jersey. 

The 22-year-old DSM-Firmenich rider proved the strongest on a challenging circuit in Redcar and Cleveland, breaking away solo on the final ascent of Saltburn Bank, and crossing the line alone. 

Claire Steels of Israel-Premier Tech-Roland followed in second, while Jumbo-Visma’s Anna Henderson came third. 22-year-old Anna Shackley, who rides for SD Worx and finished fifth, was awarded the under-23 national title.

Speaking to the media after the race, Georgi said: “I'm so happy. The last hundred metres when I looked behind and I saw there was no one there, I was just in disbelief and just pure happiness to pull it off again.

“I’m a bit shocked and was like, ‘Oh, I've actually done it!’. It was so hard, the final climb. I went into the final lap with a plan to keep it together. I tested the waters with one lap to go to see if I could have the legs on the last climb, and just wait until then. I was feeling strong, so I just tried to keep it together and then just close my eyes, full gas up the climb, and in the end, it paid off. It feels amazing.” 

The victory came two years after her triumph at the 2021 Championships, when she powered up the steep, cobbled Michaelgate climb in Lincoln to take just her second professional win. 

"I think I came in with a bit more pressure than Lincoln, mostly from myself," she explained. "I was really hungry for winning, so it's amazing. It was a really hard course, attritional. I think the key was staying hydrated, fuelled, not doing too much in the beginning because this course wears you down. Constantly up and down, short, sharp climbs, and the heat also paid a part.

"It was nice to hear my name a few times, which doesn't happen much. This last climb was a wall of noise."

Sunday’s race played out like a Classic. After a few early attacks, the peloton splintered, before a strong nine-rider move went up the road. 

The group would wait until the sixth of seven laps to start their assaults. Steels was the first to force gaps, before Georgi dropped her breakaway companions on the penultimate ascent of Saltburn Bank. Though the move shortly came back together, the attack foreshadowed what the DSM-Firmenich rider would do in the finale, when nobody could hold the wheel of her race-winning kick. 

Born in Herne Hill, London, Georgi has developed into one of the strongest all-rounders in the peloton. The 22-year-old took on new duties as DSM-Firmenich’s road captain this year, and claimed her first WorldTour victory in March, winning the Classic Brugge-De Panne with a late breakaway attack. 

She will now swap out her black trade team jersey for a red, white and blue national champion’s kit, which she will wear at next month’s Tour de France Femmes avec Zwift.

Josh Tarling became the youngest rider to ever win the elite men's time trial at the British National Road Championships on Wednesday, after he stormed to victory by over a minute in North Yorkshire. Such is his youth, at 19 years and 126 days, that he was younger than the winner of the under-23 title, too.

On a flat, fast course the Ineos Grenadiers rider was the only man to average in excess of 50km/h over the 41.1km course, setting a time of 48-50, beating Fred Wright (Bahrain-Victorious) by 1-03. Tarling's Ineos teammate Connor Swift came in third, a further seven seconds back.

Earlier on Wednesday afternoon, Lizzie Holden (UAE Team ADQ) was last on the course in the elite women's race, but managed to beat everyone who had come before her, narrowly besting Anna Morris (WardPerformanceUK.com) and Elinor Barker (Uno-X) by 14 and 16 seconds, respectively. 

Holden powered round the 27.4km course at an averaged of 44.39km/h to take the first win of her professional career, aged 25. 

The day began with the under-23 races for both men and women over 27.4km. Josh Charlton (Saint Piran) won the men's event comfortably by 22 seconds over Max Walker (Trinity Racing), with Joshusa Golliker (Continental Groupama-FDJ) a further 11 seconds back.

Shortly after, Maddie Leech (Lifeplus Wahoo) dominated a small field in the women's equivalent, beating Lucy Gadd (Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime) by a minute, with Flora Perkins (Fenix-Deceuninck Continental) trailing by another 16 seconds.

The first elite woman to spend a significant amount of time in the hot seat following the time trial was Katie Archibald (Ceratizit-WNT) with the Olympic track champion beating former champion Alice Barnes (Human Powered Health) during her time in the lead.

She was unseated by Barker, another Olympic champion, before a surprise rider, Morris, went even faster. This left it all on Holden on the course, with the 25-year-old fighting through the pressure to victory. One surprise was Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma), with the former champion appearing to suffer a mechanical during the run.

“It feels really special. I always looked up to those in the national jersey, and I guess now I have one of my own," Holden said post-race. "It doesn't feel real yet. This was something I wanted to aim for because I've been close before, but part of me was like I don't know if I can actually do it. I just did what I could do and thankfully it paid off."

For the men's race, it always felt inevitable that the race would come down to the powerhouses on the second half of the start sheet and so it proved, with John Archibald and Michael Gill (both HUUB Wattshop) and Lewis Askey (Groupama-FDJ) the only men from the first wave to make it into the top ten.

Swift set the fastest time, in 50 minutes, only to see his time beaten by his teammate, eight years younger, by 70 seconds. Then it was only a case of seeing whether Wright would beat the electric time set by Tarling, which he could not managed, instead taking the fifth second-place of his promising career.

Dan Bigham (HUUB Wattshop), whose full-time job is a performance engineer for Tarling's Ineos team, was last man out on course, but could not challenge the podium, fading on his last lap to finish seventh.

“It's a bit weird to have won," Tarling explained. "Weird, but super happy. Super cool to have won against some big hitters and really nice that I get to wear this in some cool races now. I think it was important not to go too hard at the start. I didn't want to go too easy when I felt good."

Asked why he entered the elite race when he would have comfortably qualified for the U23 version, he told The British Continental: "I get all the help with Ineos... so I think it would be unfair to enter the under-23 because a lot of them don’t get the help I get."

Away from Jonas Vingegaard's domination at the Critérium du Dauphiné earlier this month, there was one result which might have gone unnoticed: Fred Wright's fourth place in the punchy stage four time trial, just 34 seconds behind Mikkel Bjerg in first, mixing it with some of the best time triallists in the world.

It is this form, plus the fact that two-time winner - and Wright's former housemate - Ethan Hayter is missing through injury, which gives the Bahrain-Victorious rider confidence going into Wednesday's race.

"I think I've got a good shot at winning it, especially with Ethan having crashed and broken his collarbone," Wright explained on Tuesday. "What happened with Ethan did influence my decision to ride the time trial. 

"Obviously, it's good to have a hit out, but the Tour de France is on the forefront of my mind at this point of the season. The road race is going to be tricky, but I'm really looking forward to tomorrow [the time trial] and leaving it all out there."

The elite men's time trial on Wednesday will see the riders complete three circuits around Dalton-on-Tees, along with a circuit around Croft Circuit, totally 41.4km. On Sunday, the men's race finishes and ends in Saltburn-by-the-Sea, with 10 laps of an 18.8km loop meaning 189kmkm in total. However, it is the climbing which is the real draw, with 4,073 verical metres over the course. It's a mini Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

Wright feels in form, that much is clear, and enters both the time trial and the road race as a favourite, despite never winning a race as a professional.

"I think my time trial is in a really good place," he said. "I feel really confident in my position and everything. Things like that have improved a lot in the last six months to a year. I was really happy with my Dauphiné TT, so I'm looking forward to it. I just hope the power is there. I'll be extra fresh, because it's pissing it down with rain today."

Threats will likely come from the Huub-Wattshop rider Dan Bigham and Ineos Grenadiers duo of Geraint Thomas and Josh Tarling in the time trial, with the latter junior world champion at the discipline.

The road race is something Wright has almost tasted success in before - second in 2021 - and despite the climbing is one he is also confident for.

"Every year that I come close to winning, I think about what could have been if I'd beaten Swifty [Ben Swift] up Michaelgate in 2021, that was really close," Wright said. "It's such a hard race, always, such a difficult one to predict. Everyone rides flat out until there's a strong group up the road, and they fight it out for the win. I've just got to make that strong group and see what happens.

"That's much easier said than done. I'm hopeful. It'll be interesting to see the course though, because it's quite hilly. I'm on my own, which makes it difficult. I'm on my own, and everyone knows I'm one of the favourites.

"With how I'm feeling on the bike, I'd say it suits me. I'm not worried about it. I should be alright, but we will see."

Ineos Grenadiers are sending an eight-man squad including Geraint Thomas to the road race, which might mean overwhelming numbers for Wright to compete against.

"I could very easily knacker myself out," he said. "Ineos have a few guys, and if they keep hitting it, that might be difficult. They all want to win nationals as well... You just have to gamble."

The build-up to the National Championships has been put into perspective by the death of Wright's teammate Gino Mäder at the Tour de Suisse last week. It is not something the 24-year-old wants to talk about publicly, understandably. He just wants to ride.

"I'd be really happy to win, but with everything that has happened, I just really want to race my bike," he said. "You find a new appreciation for it really."

The British national championships are taking place on Sunday, July 25 and similarly to last year’s edition, there will be a whole host of high profile riders lining up in Redcar and Cleveland for the time trials and road races.

Last year in Dumfries and Galloway, Mark Cavendish grabbed the headlines by winning the national road title for a second time, out-sprinting both Alex Richardson and Sam Watson.

Cavendish is sitting out this year’s championships due to its close proximity to his final Tour de France. The Manxman is gunning for a record breaking 35th Tour stage win to jump ahead of Eddy Merckx, who he’s currently tied with, in the list of most stage wins. 

Geraint Thomas and Fred Wright will be the two most high profile WorldTour riders in the men’s race. Thomas recently finished second at the Giro d’Italia, dramatically losing out to Primož Roglič in the quest for the pink jersey. Wright will relish the opportunity to take the national title on the punchy, hilly circuit in north Yorkshire.

Meanwhile two-time Olympic gold medalist Katie Archibald will be present along with Olympic team-mate Elinor Barker and returning road race champion Alice Towers.

Other major contenders to take to the start line in the women’s road race and time trial will include the lines of Elynor Bäckstedt, Anna Shackley and Lizzie Holden. Here are six other riders to watch out in the road races once the championships get underway.

Fred Wright

The classics and track specialist seems tailor made to the short punch climbs that the national road race is built around. 

He comes off the back of a strong showing at the classics and an altitude camp and a very impressive fourth place in elite company in the time trial at the Criterium du Dauphine.

An amiable and well liked figure in the bunch few victors would be as popular as Wright, especially as it'd be his first road win since turning pro in 2020.

Rob Scott

Before moving to France to join Steve Chainel’s Cross team Legendre, Rob Scott was one of the most prolific winners regularly competing on British soil.

As part of the now defunct AT85 set up, Scott won a variety of races in 2022 including the Lancaster GP, Paris-Troyes and the Tour de la Mirabelle.

A punchy, aggressive rider, Scott should relish the lumpy circuit which includes the Saltburn bank climb.

When the latter half of the day arrives, expect Scott to be alert and ready to pounce on the final climb. The Yorkshireman won’t be intimidated by the prospect of racing against WorldTour riders and will be more than ready to make his mark. 

Alex Richardson

A serial winner across Britain, Alex Richardson will arrive in Redcar and Cleveland as a serious challenger for the national road race title.

If last year’s finish in Scotland had been slightly more punchy, the Londoner would have almost certainly dispatched Cavendish to take the title from under the Manxman’s nose. Richardson rode for Alpecin-Deceuninck in their former guise of Alpecin-Fenix until 2021, and has vast experience of racing at the top level.

Since moving to Saint Piran, the Londoner has flourished under the watchful eye of DS Steve Lampier. Richardson won the Ryedale GP last season, he then matched that achievement in 2023, winning the Lincoln GP for a second time.

More than capable of winning from the breakaway, or in an uphill dash to the line, Richardson will be a huge challenger to the likes of Thomas and Wright next weekend. 

Pfeiffer Georgi 

Pfeiffer Georgi has had a solid campaign so far for DSM in 2023, winning the Classic Brugge-De Panne in March as well as helping teammate Charlotte Kool to win multiple races, including the overall at the RideLondon Classique.

The Londoner has also won the national championships in 2021, and knows how to deliver on the big occasions. A classics specialist at heart, the DSM rider won’t be fazed by the hilly, challenging circuit and has the racing nous to keep herself right in contention throughout the day.

However, Georgi will be going up against the likes of Zoe Bäckstedt which will present a huge challenge. With that said, if anyone’s capable of distancing Bäckstedt then it’s certainly Georgi which makes her a contender for the victory.  

Thomas Gloag

Arriving on the back of a successful Grand Tour debut at the Giro, Thomas Gloag comes into the nationals as a serious contender for the road race title.

A former winner of stages at the Tour de l’Avenir, Gloag is just one of a handful of competitors from the WorldTour.

The Londoner on Jumbo-Visma famously didn’t like to look at the Giro parcours in advance, so when he wakes up in Redcar and Cleveland, he’ll be looking at Saltburn bank and smiling. Gloag is a climber at heart and has impressed whenever the road’s gone uphill in his career to date. However, Gloag often prefers longer climbs in the mountains to short, sharp ramps in Yorkshire.

Nevertheless, if the Jumbo rider has the legs next weekend, he’ll certainly be lively and will look to upset the Ineos apple cart who will be all in for Thomas or former winner Ben Swift. 

Zoe Bäckstedt

Current reigning female junior road and time trial world champion Zoe Bäckstedt will be a huge threat in the female road race.

Bäckstedt is one of the most exciting young talents currently operating at the top level of cycling and has already excelled since stepping up to the pro ranks with EF Education-Tibco -SVB. Earlier this year, the 18-year-old won the elite female title at the national cyclocross championships and will be aiming to replicate her dominant win out on the road in Recard and Cleveland.

At last year’s road world championships, Bäckstedt successfully defended the rainbow jersey she had won the year before with a 57 kilometre solo breakaway in Wollongong, Australia. Possessing a phenomenal engine, with a quick turn of speed, she’s more than capable of winning from a variety of different scenarios and will certainly be one to watch next week.  

Tour de France stage winner Tom Pidcock has tipped fellow Brit Sam Watson for great success when he makes the jump to the Groupama-FDJ WorldTour team in 2023. 

The 20-year-old from Leeds is part of a group of seven riders that Groupama-FDJ announced this afternoon will make the step up from their Conti team to the WorldTour squad.

Watson has already had a remarkable season, and this contract will be the icing on the cake for the young British rider. In June, he was crowned under-23 British national road champion as part of a string of impressive results in 2022. 

He said: “Turning professional is something I’ve dreamed about since I was a kid. I’ve always been attracted to anything with wheels, I rode my bike to school and then I discovered cycling through the Pidcock family. All I knew was that I wanted to do it for a living. 

“I particularly enjoyed this year at the Conti and I’m happy to continue with Groupama-FDJ. It’s the perfect place. This season, I learnt how to protect the sprinters and climbers so that they could express themselves as well as possible, which was new for me. Personally, I am more of a puncheur and I hope to become a Classics rider.”

Tom Pidcock (Ineos Grenadiers), along with his brother Joe who currently rides for Groupama-FDJ's development squad with Watson, is a childhood friend of Watson. When asked about Watson by Cycling Weekly during the Tour de France, Pidcock joked that his friend from Leeds always had a talent for spotting the best deals on kit and bikes.

Pidcock said: “He was always on eBay, finding good deals. He’d get a decent bike and kit…I remember he would come along with us to races and he was always able to look and learn from people and never need to be told anything…much better than my brother!” 

Pidcock added: “With the talent he [Watson] has, it’s not a surprise he’s so successful now. I was actually really proud to see him perform well at the Nationals, it was really nice to see. He’s going to win some big bike races, he’s switched on and knows what he’s doing.” 

In March this year, Watson took an impressive win at the under-23 edition of Gent-Wevelgem. The Leeds-born rider then would challenge at the sharp end of the road race at the British National Championships.

Watson told Cycling Weekly that racing against the likes of Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl), was a surreal experience, although one he wished wasn’t unfolding when he ended up in a sprint with the Manxman for the overall title in Scotland.  

He said: “You look up to guys like Cavendish and wish you could race against them but then I ended up with him with just a few kilometres to go and I was just wishing he wasn’t there to be honest.

"I tried a few times to get away from him but he’s obviously a tough bike racer. He won that day fair and square.” 

The other riders turning professional with Watson are Lorenzo Germani, Romain Gregoire, Lenny Martinez, Enzo Paleni, Laurence Pithie and Reuben Thompson. 

Marc Madiot, general manager of the Groupama-FDJ team explained that recruiting the riders to the professional ranks was a "logical choice". 

He said: "The Conti model, which we implemented in 2018, has proven itself. The young athletes train and live together, have access to quality performance facilities and can switch to the WorldTour team in certain races. 

“When we recruit them to the WorldTour team, we know they are ready and they know what they are getting into. They already have the DNA of our team and they want to evolve with us. 

"Next year, I think we will break records in terms of average age. We were at a crossroads for the team, there was an opportunity in front of us, we had to take it.”

According to reports from Het Nieuwsblad this morning, team management at Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl have made the decision to leave Julian Alaphilippe out of their Tour de France selection. 

Alaphilippe finished 13th in the French National championship road race on Sunday. The two-time world champion hadn’t raced since April after suffering a horrendous crash at this year’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège in which he suffered extensive injuries. 

“I can't say that I had a lot of fun on the bike, but it went better than expected. So I'm happy," said Alaphilippe post-race. 

Prior to racing on Sunday, the Frenchman had admitted to L’Equipe that he had felt nervous about his return to action. “

“It’s not that I’m scared, but I think on some descents, some things may have changed a bit,” he said. 

“These may be things that will seem weird at first. That’s also why I’m here at nationals, to become automatic again [in racing], not just to see where I am physically,” Alaphilippe added. 

The hotly anticipated Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl lineup is expected to be announced later today. With Alaphilippe returning to racing and Mark Cavendish taking his second British National Road victory over the weekend, all eyes will be on the announcement. 

Dutch sprinter Fabio Jakobsen is expected to be named in the selection for the Belgian team along with Danish rider and 2021 Tour of Flanders winner, Kasper Asgreen. 

Mark Cavendish (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) put in an incredible performance to win the British National Road Championship for a second time, sprinting to victory after being part of the day's early breakaway.

The 37-year-old displayed the aggression and quality that has helped him to build up a vast palmarès throughout his career during a relentless national road race in Castle Douglas.

However, in Scotland it was Cavendish doing it all himself - no leadout train in sight - as he eventually beat off Sam Watson (Groupama-FDJ) and Alexandar Richardson (Le Col) in a three-up sprint after they escaped with 30km to go.

The Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl rider's other national championship win also came in Scotland, when he sprinted to road race victory in Glasgow nine years ago.

Watson, who put in a ride well beyond his years, picked up the U23 title alongside his second place finish.

HOW IT HAPPENED

A 201.2km route around Dumfries and Galloway awaited the riders as they battled it out to wear the British national champion’s jersey on the road for the next year.

A lumpy and relentless course that started and ended in Castle Douglas included four laps of a longer 22.9km circuit before eight laps around a shorter 13.7km loop.

The brutal weather conditions that played a key role in the women’s race earlier in the day had fortunately departed by the time the men had rolled out.

Once up and running, it didn’t take long for the race’s early breakaway to form, holding an advantage of around half a minute by the end of the first of the four longer laps.

Nicholas Cooper (Sweden Cycling Academy) and Damien Clayton (WiV Sungod) were joined, somewhat surprisingly, by a former winner of the race in Mark Cavendish.

Time-trial specialist John Archibald (Private Member) managed to bridge across to the leading group just as a crash in the peloton halted their chase.

All too aware of the strength of the breakaway, Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) was the next rider to set off in pursuit of the four escapees and soon joined them with around 170km to go.

As the kilometres ticked by, Cooper was dropped from the break and the gap between the leading quartet and the peloton bounced between just 10 and 20 seconds.

With a short advantage for the break, and 140km remaining, a group of seven riders, including Ben Turner (Ineos Grenadiers), Alexandar Richardson (Le Col), Matt Bostock (WiV sungod), Jake Stewart, Finlay Pickering (Groupama-FDJ), Sam Culverwell and Max Walker (TRINITY Road Racing), managed to make the junction from the bunch.

However, as the break swelled to 11 riders, the bunch were even less keen to let them out of sight. 

As they entered the second phase of the race, eight laps of a shorter 13.7km circuit, another chasing group, with Owain Doull (EF Education-EasyPost), Connor Swift (Arkea-Samsic), Scott Thwaites (Alpecin-Fenix) among them, latched onto the back of the break.

The leading group, ahead of the peloton by more than half a minute for the first time in the race, now contained around 25 riders and it wasn’t long before counterattacks were made.

Turner, Cavendish and Culverwell were joined back at the front of the race by Lewis Askey (Groupama-FDJ), after the quartet managed to snap the elastic within the group and build up a gap.

However, those four riders were then caught with 75km remaining, although the group still held a 40 second advantage over the peloton.

That gap had extended to beyond a minute by the time the lead group reached the finishing straight to signal five laps remaining.

Hayter, who took the time-trial title for a second straight year on Thursday, set off on a lone attack soon after but he was then reeled in with 50km to go.

The racing in the front group was relentless and with three short laps left, no rider could find a way to go clear of the rest.

A number of the riders in the lead group were beginning to tire from the non-stop action though, as Turner, Cavendish, Bostock, Richardson and Sam Watson (Groupama-FDJ) eventually managed to make a move.

After several attacks that didn’t manage to stick, this one did, with the five riders forging a healthy gap of half a minute on the penultimate lap of the race.

Bostock was dropped from the lead group with 22km to go when he seemingly lost concentration momentarily and came off his bike.

The lead group entered the final lap of the circuit with a gap of a minute, and a winner looked more and more likely to be coming from this quartet.

Turner was the first rider to blink on the final lap, attacking with 10km to go and causing some hesitation amongst the rest of the break.

Yet an emphatic effort from Watson drew the Ineos Grenadiers rider back in on the climb before Turner paid for his efforts soon after when the trio dropped him.

The three riders pushed on, knowing that a medal would await each of them if they reached Castle Douglas as they were.

Richardson sat in the wheel as both Cavendish and Watson attacked each other but they couldn’t be separated going into the final few kilometres.

The pace dropped to almost a track start as they rode onto the finish straight, Cavendish sitting at the back of the trio, lying in wait and ready to pounce.

Watson and Richardson opened up their sprints first, but they were left helpless when the sport’s greatest sprinter got up to speed.

The Manx missile won by a bike length in the end, ahead of Watson who secured the U23 British National Road title in the process.

Richardson rounded out the podium, with Turner coming across the line half a minute later.

RESULTS

BRITISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - MEN'S ROAD RACE: CASTLE DOUGLAS - CASTLE DOUGLAS (201KM)

1. Mark Cavendish, Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl
2. Sam Watson, Groupama-FDJ
3. Alexandar Richardson, Le Col
4. Ben Turner, Ineos Grenadiers
5. Matthew Bostock, WiV Sungod
6. Lewis Askey, Groupama-FDJ
7. Connor Swift, Arkea-Samsic 
8. Owain Doull, EF Education-EasyPost
9. Ethan Hayter, Ineos Grenadiers
10. John Archibald, Private Member

Alice Towers (Le Col-Wahoo) won the British National Road Championships after a memorable solo attack from 40km out despite brutal weather conditions in Dumfries and Galloway.

The 19-year-old from Yorkshire could not be caught by the chasing group that included a number of Women's World Tour riders, crossing the finish line with an advantage of over a minute.

Last year's champion Pfeiffer Georgi (Team DSM) edged out Anna Henderson in the sprint for second place.

Towers' teammate Lizzie Holden narrowly missed out on a podium spot, finishing fourth.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The battle to be crowned British National Road Champion took place over a 128km route around Dumfries and Galloway for the country's best women, starting and finishing in Castle Douglas.

Two laps of a 22.9km circuit were followed by six shorter laps of 13.7km over an undulating parcours that had a total of 750m of climbing.

Conditions for the race were typically Scottish – driving rain and strong winds that made the testing course even more challenging.

Headwinds for the opening half of the circuit made early attacks an unenviable task, however Christina Wiejak (Saint Piran WRT) managed to force a gap between herself and the rest of the field after just 7km.

The 29-year-old benefitted from the peloton becoming stretched by a crash at the back of the bunch.

Monica Greenwood (Team Boompods) attempted to follow Wiejak but struggled to completely bridge the gap.

The peloton finished the first lap a further 50 seconds behind before reeling in Greenwood with 100km to go.

Dame Sarah Storey (Storey Racing) went to work at the front of the pack, cutting down Wiejak’s lead to less than two minutes during the second of the two longer laps.

With 82km to go, and the race now moving onto the shorter circuit, the gap between the lone leader and the peloton sat at under a minute.

The conditions around the course were miserable, as the rain and wind continued to cause havoc.

With the race now onto the shorter circuit, the roads narrowed and Wiejak’s lead dwindled.

By the time the Saint Piran WRT rider had reached the end of the first small circuit laps she was in touching distance for the chasing peloton.

Wiejak held out for half a lap, but she was eventually consumed by the bunch, who were now nervy as they awaited the next attacker.

However, the awful weather conditions across the circuit meant that the riders still in contention appeared keen to keep their cards close to their chests.

With 50km to go, Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma) attacked on the steepest section of the circuit, with several of the pre-race favourites momentarily joining her off the front of the peloton.

A group of 15, including Henderson, five riders from Le Col–Wahoo, Pfeiffer Georgi (Team DSM), Elynor Backstedt (Trek-Segafredo) and Abi Smith (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) managed to push on.

Le Col-Wahoo played the numerical game though, with Alice Towers going clear on her own with less than three laps to go.

As Towers raced away, the chasing group was caught by the peloton behind.

Attacks were coming thick and fast now as the race entered the final 30km, with Georgi attempting to whittle down the remaining riders left in the pack with a burst of speed, however last year’s champion was tightly marked.

Towers remained clear though, with a gap of 45 seconds as she headed into Castle Douglas with two laps remaining.

CAMS-Basso’s Sammie Stuart did manage to get away from the group to go off in hunt of Towers, but the gruelling conditions made hunting down the lone leader a tricky task for the full-time firefighter.

Towers’ lead over Stuart was around minute, but even more reassuring for the Le Col-Wahoo rider was her gap over the peloton - standing at more than two minutes with 20km remaining.

The bunch were not going to lie down and let Towers ride comfortably to the finish though.

Georgi attacked up the sole climb on the short circuit, taking Henderson, Backstedt and Lizzie Holden (Le Col-Wahoo) with her.

The chasing quartet were closing in on Stuart as they heard the bell, indicating one last lap of the 13.7km circuit, with a time gap of more than 90 seconds to Towers.

Stuart was caught early into the final lap, and the group of five began to try to reel in the sole leader.

With around 6km remaining, Towers had a gap of just over a minute as she tackled the steepest section of the course for one final time.

The chasing group then attempted to attack each other in a bid to boost their chances of a podium spot, and this only played into Towers’ hands more as her lead of a minute remained intact.

Backstedt and Stuart were dropped as Henderson, Georgi and Holden – Towers’ teammate – continued to hunt the youngster down.

The tailwind to the finish line made for a pacy finale, however, Towers safely weaved her way through the wet streets of Castle Douglas to reach the line with an advantage of over a minute. 

In the battle for the podium spot, Holden led out the sprint on the false-flat drag to the line in Castle Douglas, but it was Georgi who had the power to take second place, beating off Henderson inside the final 100m.

Alongside the elite title, Towers also secures the U23 crown with Georgi and Backstedt rounding out the podium in that competition.

RESULTS

BRITISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - WOMEN'S ROAD RACE: CASTLE DOUGLAS - CASTLE DOUGLAS (128km)

1. Alice Towers, Le Col-Wahoo
2. Pfeiffer Georgi, DSM
3. Anna Henderson, Jumbo-Visma
4. Lizzie Holden, Le Col-Wahoo
5. Elynor Backstedt, Trek-Segafredo
6. Sammie Stuart, CAMS-Basso
7. Alice Barnes, Canyon-SRAM
8. Eluned King, Le Col-Wahoo
9. Abi Smith, EF Education-TIBCO-SVB
10. Danielle Khan, Solihull CC

Matthew Bostock (WiV SunGod) took a comfortable victory in the British circuit race this evening ahead of Sam Watson (Groupama-FDJ).

The rider from the Isle of Man had his gear selection perfected in the final lap and unleashed a powerful sprint to beat both Watson and junior rider Joshua Tarling (Wales racing Academy). A widely popular winner in Dumfries, Bostock enjoyed a lap of honour receiving congratulations from other riders. 

Under the shadow of MacLellan’s Castle, the elite men’s race got underway with plenty of elbow bashing and eagerness to get onto the front of the action from the off. The absence of the defending champion Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) meant that the race would was wide open and a variety of riders clearly fancied their chance at victory.  

The opening lap was raced in less than 1-30, meaning that we were in for a relentless evening's racing. Barely 15 minutes into the race riders were struggling.

The bunch was already stretched out due to the vicious pace set by Groupama-FDJ on the front. 

With 20 minutes gone, 35 riders were left at the front and Harry Tanfield (Ribble-Weldtite) was picking his way towards the sharp end of the race.  Bostock then put in an acceleration and would soon have a huge gap. Sam Watson (Groupama-FDJ) buried himself to get across along with Joshua Tarling (Wales Racing Academy). Robert Donaldson (Team Inspired) would join the leaders and they swiftly united in collaboration. The four, riding like a team pursuit, to increased their advantage to 12-9 seconds. 

Matt Gibson (Human Powered Health) was doing everything he could on the front of the main group but the chaotic response meant the leaders were getting further ahead. Askey was locked on to any attempt to bridge across, knowing that his teammate, Watson, was up the road. Meanwhile, Donaldson was beginning to grimace in the leading group and would soon be dropped. 

On the final run into the finishing line Bostock unleashed a huge sprint with the line in sight. Watson was rapidly trying to get on terms with the WiV SunGod rider but in the end, Bostock had too much power and had time to punch the air to celebrate a resounding victory. 

Nelson triumphant

Earlier on in the evening, Josie Nelson (Coop Hitec) took victory in the women’s circuit race, as she timed her final attack to perfection in the final sprint for the line, which was decided in a photo finish. Flora Perkins (Le Col-Wahoo) rounded out the top three. 

The bagpipes rang out through Kirkcudbright as the women ripped through the course. Cams-Basso were one of the main protagonists as they consistently showed they were intent on dethroning last year’s champion, Jo Tindley (Pro Noctis). Tindley along with her Pro Noctis team mates, put in a series of stinging moves looking to stamp their authority on proceedings but Sammie Stuart (Cams-Basso) was having none of it. 

Amy Gornell (Pro Noctis) was proving herself to be a superb ally for defending champion Tindley, constantly giving Tindley a wheel to sit on in each of the team’s moves. 

As the speed lifted on the 30 minute mark, a huge crash took more than 10 riders out of contention although Tindley (Pro Noctis) was well placed at the front and protected having been hovering between second and fifth wheel throughout the race. 

The first hour of racing went by in a frantic blur as the riders realised timing would be everything to get the win.

As they entered their final five laps, Stuart (Cams-Basso) and Tindley were locked in a fierce duel for position in each and every corner. Ultimately the battle with Stuart would be Tindley’s undoing as she took the wrong line in the final lap leaving her out of contention.

That presented an opportunity for Josie Nelson (Coop Hitec) to stamp her mark on the race. Emma Jeffers (JRC-Interflon) and Nelson had a clear run into the finish with Jeffers locked in on Nelson’s wheel. 

There would be no stopping Nelson as she held off Jeffers by millimetres to become the new national champion.

 RESULTS 

BRITISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS CIRCUIT RACES 2022: DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY, SCOTLAND

Men’s race:

1.  Matthew Bostock (WiV SunGod)
2.  Samuel Watson (Groupama-FDJ)
3.  Joshua Tarling (Wales Racing Academy)
4.  Leon Mazzone (Saint Piran)
5.  Lewis Askey (Groupama FDJ
6.  Benjamin Peatfield (Vendee U - Pays de la Loire)
7.  Jim Brown (WiV SunGod)
8.  Matthew Gibson (Human Powered Health
9.  Joseph Beckingsale (Wales Racing Academy)
10. Oliver Stockwell (Cycling Team Friuli ASD) 

Women’s race: 

1.  Josie Nelson (Team Coop-Hitec)
2.  Emma Jeffers (JRC Interflon)
3.  Flora Perkins (Le Col-Wahoo)
4.  Eluned King (Le Col-Wahoo)
5.  Kate Richardson (Alba Development Road Team)
6.  Charlotte Broughton (Awol-O’Shea)
7.  Jo Tindley (Pro Noctis)
8.  Amira Mellor (Spectra Wiggle)
9.  Sophie Enever (Alba Development Road Team)
10.  Sammie Stuart (CAMS-Basso) 

Joss Lowden (Uno-X Pro Cycling) produced an impressive performance to become the new British time trial champion in Dumfries, Scotland, winning with a time of 28-44.

Completing the 22.1km circuit faster than the other riders, Lowden managed to beat second-placed Leah Dixon (Bianchi Hunt Morvelo) by 23 seconds, helping her to take the coveted white jersey with the blue and red hoops. 

The 34-year-old was also the only rider able to break the 29-minute barrier, highlighting her impressive strength around the Scottish circuit. She hasn't won since the fourth stage of the 2021 Tour de Feminin, where she also triumphed on GC and in the mountains classification. 

Elizabeth Holden (Le Col-Wahoo) crossed the line with the third fastest time, completing the circuit in 29-13. Emily Meakin (Awol-O'Shea) missed out on a podium spot by just 0.6 seconds, as she ultimately had to settle for fourth.  

Lowden's performance means she managed to go one better than the second place she achieved in 2021. On that occasion Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma) beat her by over a minute, but this time around Henderson didn't manage to finish in the top-three. Dixon also went one better in 2022 than she managed last year, where she finished third. 

Anna Shackley (SD Worx), last year's U23 time trial champion, also competed in the elite women's category for the first time in her career, but she failed to challenge Lowden at the top of the time sheets. Shackley just missed out on a podium spot, coming home four seconds after Holden, while Henderson finished sixth, with a time of 29-31.

At the halfway stage, though, it was Sarah Storey (Storey Racing) who was leading the TT, with a time of 29-45. Britain's most successful Paralympian last competed in the British National Road Championships in 2019, finishing ninth in the time trial.
Storey's performance helped her achieve eight position. 

Stronger riders were still to finish their TTs at that stage, though, with Lowden proving the strongest of all the British riders on this occasion. 

BRITISH ROAD NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2022: WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIAL, DUMFRIES TO DUMFRIES (22.1KM) 

1. Joss Lowden (Uno-X Pro Cycling), in 28-44-91
2. Leah Dixon (Bianchi Hunt Morvelo), in 29-07-44
3. Elizabeth Holden (Le Col-Wahoo), in 29-13-52

Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) rode imperiously to retain the British championship time trial crown he won last year, as he produced an blistering  performance in Dumfries, Scotland.

Hayter's time of 50-38 saw him win the TT by one minute and 14 seconds, as he takes the famous white jersey with blue and red hoops for the second-successive year. The 23-year-old's victory also capped a fine day for the Hayter family, with Ethan's younger brother Leo winning the U23 title in the same discipline earlier this morning. 

The time trial covered 44.2km, taking place over two laps of a 22.1km circuit starting and finishing in Dumfries. It contained multiple non-starters, among them Fred Wright (Bahrain-Victorious) and Connor Swift (Arkéa–Samsic). Despite this, the main contenders for the title were still fit and raring to go, but just had to wait their turns as the opening riders set off on the course.

At the halfway point of the men's elite time trial, Oliver Peckover (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) led the standings with a time of 53-02. Ashley Cox (Bottrill) was right behind him in second, while Zeb Kyffin (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) had the third fastest time at this stage. 

However, the favoured riders hadn't completed their TTs yet, meaning the standings soon changed. 

Upon completion of the first lap of the circuit, Ethan Hayter had the quickest time, with Dan Bigham (Ribble Pro Cycling) and James Shaw (EF Education-EasyPost) closely behind. The trio all finished on the podium in last year's national time trial, too, and it seemed as if history would repeat itself. 

With the three aforementioned riders still to come, John Archibald (Unattached), Charlie Quarterman (Phillippe Wagner Cycling) and Owain Doull (EF Education-EasyPost) replaced the top-three of Peckover, Cox and Kyffin. Archibald led the standings with a time of 52-24. 

However, James Shaw quickly knocked Archibald off of top spot, coming through with a time of 52-09. His time in first didn't last long, though, as Dan Bigham became the first rider to break the 52 minute barrier with a time of 51-52.

With Hayter the last man out on the road, all eyes were fixed firmly on the times. His time trial dominance soon reared its head when he finished a full 1-14 quicker than Bigham. Both Shaw and Bigham had to settle for the same position they finished in last year, producing a repeat of the 2021 podium. 

BRITISH ROAD NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2022: MEN'S INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIAL, DUMFRIES TO DUMFRIES (44.2KM) 

1. Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers), in 50-38-525
2. Dan Bigham (Ribble Pro Cycling), in 51-52-629
3. James Shaw (EF Education-EasyPost), in 52-09-869

Pfeiffer Georgi (Team DSM) and Leo Hayter (Hagens Berman Axeon) both lived up to their pre-race favourite tags and stormed to victory in the women's and men's U23 time trial national championships.

Hayter retains his U23 British time trial title after powering to victory around the 22.1km circuit to finish with a time of 26 minutes flat. Setting off last out of the field of riders, Hayter knew full well the time he had to beat to ensure he stood on the top step of the podium once again. 

The 20-year-old duly navigated the course in expert fashion, finishing a full 17 seconds ahead of second-placed Callum Thornley (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli). Charles Bailey (Unattached) crossed the line in 26-28, giving him third place in a tightly fought encounter.

Ten riders in the men's U23 time trial - which started first on the day - managed to achieve a sub 27-minute time. Fresh from winning the Baby Giro last week, Hayter's stock is only continuing to rise rapidly. He told Cycling Weekly that he is working through offers from top teams, though he is yet to decide his future. 

Meanwhile, Pfeiffer Georgi saw off the competition in the U23 women's field, beating Elynor Bäckstedt (Trek-Segafredo) by 11 seconds around the 22.1km course. The two riders finished with respective times of 29-42 and 29-54, and were the only two in the field to break the 31-minute barrier. 

Georgi, like Hayter, set off last, which served her well as she powered around the course, targeting Bäckstedt's impressive time. Georgi's win will doubtless taste a little sweeter given she lost out to Anna Shackley (SD Worx) last year by over 90 seconds.  

After winning both the U23 and elite women's road race last year, the 21-year-old will now attempt to retain her title in the women's race again on Sunday. She is in some fine form, too, having finished fourth at Dwars door Vlaanderen and ninth in both Paris-Roubaix Femmes and Omloop van het Hageland this season. 

Lucy Gadd (Storey Racing) comfortably finished in third, over 30 seconds ahead of the next-best placed rider.

The 2022 British National Road Championships race take place between Thursday 23 June and Sunday 26 June, with the time trial kicking off proceedings, before the circuit races get underway on Friday, and the road races conclude the Championships on Sunday. 

Dumfries and Galloway will host each event, with ten national champion's jerseys on offer - for the elite men, elite women, U23 men and U23 women - across the three days of racing. 

The British National Road Championships start lists for 2022 contain a host of high profile names, with the likes of Mark Cavendish, Ben Swift, and Pfeiffer Georgi among the WorldTour stars to take to the start line; Elinor Barker is set to make her racing return after giving birth to her son in March.

British Cycling CEO, Brian Facer, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be taking the British National Road Championships to Dumfries and Galloway, with three exciting routes on some of the most picturesque roads in Scotland.

“Last year in Lincoln we saw the really positive impacts of bringing together the time trials, circuit races and road races into one weekend. It will be fantastic to give cycling fans in Scotland the opportunity to see outstanding racing on their doorstep a year out from the UCI Cycling World Championships, and to encourage fans from across the country to travel and enjoy the area’s hospitality.

“I can’t wait to see thousands of fans lining the roads to cheer on the country’s best road riders and stars of tomorrow, as they battle it out for the honour of being crowned national champion.

“We’re incredibly thankful for the support of Dumfries and Galloway Council and EventScotland to put on this brilliant event and I’m sure we’ll be treated to some incredible racing one again at this year’s championships.”

British National Time Trial Championships 2022 route

The time trials will start and finish at Crichton Estate in Dumfries, located in the south of Scotland. 

Including just 43 metres of climbing, the time trial route is largely flat, making for a fast course as it passes the Caerlaverock Castle and Nature Reserve during the lap.

The U23 women, U23 men and elite women will set a time over one lap of the route, totalling 22.1km, while the elite men will complete two laps to make 44.2km.

Taking place on Thursday 23 June, the time trials will signal the start of the British National Road Championships. 

British National Circuit Race Championships 2022 route

The circuit races will be contested around a technical 1km route, around the harbour town of Kirkcudbright in the western Southern Uplands. The circuit passes the 16th century fortress, MacLellan's Castle, during the race.

The duration for both the men's and women's race is one hour, plus five extra laps. The circuit races will take place on Friday 24 June. 

British National Road Race Championships 2022 route

The road races will start and finish in Castle Douglas, which featured as a stage finish at the 2016 Tour of Britain, and hosted a round of the Tour Series in 2021, too. 

Two loops will feature in the road race, with a longer 22.9km route coupled with a shorter 13.7km one. Each loop passes through Castle Douglas. 

Featuring four laps of the longer route followed by eight of the shorter, the men's race will cover 201.2km in total. The challenging terrain also includes over 750 metres of climbing.

Meanwhile, the women's race of 128km is made up of two laps of the longer loop followed by six laps of the shorter route, and just under 500 metres of climbing.

The road races will conclude the championships on Sunday 26 June. 

Elinor Barker is set to ride the British National Championship road race on Sunday 26 June, just three months after giving birth to her son, in March.

The Uno-X Pro Cycling rider is on the startlist for the event in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, and sources have confirmed to Cycling Weekly that she does plan to race, with her return to training going well. 

Cycling Weekly understands that the 27-year-old intends the race to form part of her return to competition, and won't be placing any expectations upon her performance if she does take to the start line this month. 

Barker returned to the road with Uno-X this year, but has not raced for the team to date due to her pregnancy. Earlier this year she BBC Sport: "My plan A does involve some racing this year, which is possibly a little bit ambitious."

She found out she was expecting shortly after winning a silver medal on the track at the Tokyo Olympics.

Barker has also been selected for the Commonwealth Games, riding the road race for her home nation of Wales. That will take place on the 7 August.

She announced the news in an Instagram post on Wednesday morning.

"I’m so happy to announce that I’ve been selected for my third commonwealth games," Barker wrote.

"Until a few years ago, I had assumed having a baby would mean the end of my career, now it doesn’t even have to mean the end of my season. Absolutely thrilled to be able to add Welsh Cycling and Team Wales to the list of people who have given my comeback their full support.

"I put myself up for selection for the road race before Nico was born as part of my “Plan A,” shooting for the moon return to racing dream, which I’d suspected was a little ambitious. Feels completely surreal that I’ll get the honor [sic] of representing Wales again before my boy is even 5 months old.

"8 weeks to find my racing legs!! 😁"

Birmingham will be her third Commonwealth Games; she won silver and bronze medals on the track in Glasgow in 2014 before winning gold in the Points Race in 2018 at Gold Coast.

With the National Championship road race coming over a month before the Commonwealth Games, it will be a test of Barker's form and ability to stay with some elite riders.

Also competing for Wales on the road at the Commonwealth Games will be former Tour de France champion Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers).

Mark Cavendish, Ben Swift, and Pfeiffer Georgi are among the WorldTour stars set to ride the British National Championships in a fortnight's time. 

The Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl, Ineos Grenadiers and Team DSM riders are among the hundreds down to ride the road race, time trial and circuit race events. They will take place from Thursday 23 - Sunday 26 June in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland this year.

All of the defending champions from the elite events last year will be present: Swift and Georgi, who won the road races; Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma) and Ethan Hayter (Ineos-Grenadiers), who won the time trials; and Jo Tindley (Pro-Noctis-Rotor-Redchilli Bikes presented by Heidi Kjeldsen), who won the women's circuit race, with Hayter who won the men's equivalent.

There are multiple former champions competing, including Cavendish, Connor Swift (Arkéa Samsic), and Alice Barnes (Canyon-SRAM) in the road race. In the time trial, Alex Dowsett (Israel-Premier Tech) will be looking to reclaim his crown for the seventh time, while former Hour Record holder Joss Lowden (Uno-X Pro Cycling) will hope to prove her prowess on the road.

The British National Championships routes for all the events have already been released, with all being largely flat. While it is impossible to predict a National Championships, it is likely the road races will end in some form of sprint. In the men's event, there is 752 metres of climbing over 201.2km, while the women tackle 495 metres in 128km. It is a change from the punchy hills of Lincoln that were raced last year.

Fred Wright (Bahrain-Victorious) and Hayter will be looking to improve on their podium placings in the road race last year, while Josie Nelson (Team Coop-Hitec Products) and Lowden will hope to do the same in the women's equivalent.

The podium finishers from last year's time trials will also be in Scotland aiming to go better: James Shaw (EF Education-EasyPost) and Dan Bigham (unattached) in the men's, and Lowden and Leah Dixon (Bianchi Hunt Morvelo) in the women's.

Bigham holds the British Hour Record, and has been working with Ineos Grenadiers this year as a Performance Engineer, while not racing for the team.

Anna Shackley (SD-Worx), the 2021 U23 time trial champion, will be stepping up to the elite races in both the race against the clock and the road race.

In the U23 races themselves, defending time trial champion Leo Hayter (Hagens Berman Axeon) and Lewis Askey (Groupama-FDJ) will be among those competing in the men's events. Georgi and Elynor Bäckstedt (Trek-Segafredo) will be taking to the startline of the women's U23 TT.

British Cycling National Championships men's road race: full start list

1 Ben Swift Ineos Grenadiers
2 Ethan Hayter Ineos Grenadiers
3 Ben Tulett Ineos Grenadiers
4 Ben Turner Ineos Grenadiers
5 Callum Macleod ABLOC CT
6 Max Rushby Acrog‐Tormans
7 Henry Lawton AG2R Citroen U23 Team
8 Scott Thwaites Alpecin‐Fenix
9 Joseph Laverick Axeon Hagens Berman CT
10 Stephen Williams Bahrain‐Victorious
11 Fred Wright Bahrain‐Victorious
12 Mark Stewart Bolton Equities Black Spoke Pro Cycling
13 Matthew Walls BORA ‐ Hansgrohe
14 Louis Sutton Brocarale
15 Calum Johnston Caja Rural ‐ Seguros RGA
16 Tyler Hannay CC Etupes
17 Adam Mitchell Cycling Sheffield
18 George Wood Cycling Sheffield
19 Oliver Stockwell Cycling Team Friuli ASD
20 Joseph Sutton Cycling Team Projectbouw
21 Oscar Onley Development Team DSM
22 Max Poole Development Team DSM
23 Jack Crook Dolan Ellesse Race Team
24 Joe Wilson Dolan Ellesse Race Team
25 Simon Carr EF Education ‐ EasyPost
26 Owain Doull MBE EF Education ‐ EasyPost
27 James Shaw EF Education ‐ EasyPost
28 Cameron Biddle Embark ‐ Bikestrong
29 Jamieson Blain Embark ‐ Bikestrong
30 Michael Chadwick Embark ‐ Bikestrong
31 David Hird Embark ‐ Bikestrong
32 Joseph Rees Embark ‐ Bikestrong
33 Dylan Westley Equipo Lizarte
34 Rhys Britton EvoPro Racing
35 Lewis Askey GROUPAMA ‐ FDJ
36 Finlay Pickering GROUPAMA ‐ FDJ
37 Joe Pidcock GROUPAMA ‐ FDJ
38 Jake Stewart GROUPAMA ‐ FDJ
39 Samuel Watson GROUPAMA ‐ FDJ
40 Leo Hayter Hagens Berman Axeon
41 Toby Perry Hagens Berman Axeon
42 Lucas Towers Holohan Coaching Race Team
43 Thomas Day Home Solution ‐ Soenens U23 Development CT
44 Alex Dowsett Israel ‐ Premier Tech
45 Marcus Burnett Kuwait Pro Cycling Team
46 James Jobber Kuwait Pro Cycling Team
47 Alexandar Richardson Le Col
48 Alex Haines Leicestershire Road Club
49 Jack Freeman Meudon Pedal Heaven Le Col RT
50 Matthew Houlberg Meudon Pedal Heaven Le Col RT
51 Ben Pease Moonglu Race Team
52 Thomas Stringer Moonglu Race Team
53 Tom Martin Netllar Telecom‐Alé
54 Cameron McLaren Nopinz Motip Race Team
55 Matt Witts Nopinz Motip Race Team
56 Charles Quarterman Phillippe Wagner Cycling
57 Jordan Giles Primera‐TeamJobs
58 Dan Gardner Project 51
59 Mark Cavendish MBE QUICK‐STEP Alpha Vinyl
60 James Knox QUICK‐STEP Alpha Vinyl
61 Ethan Vernon QUICK‐STEP Alpha Vinyl
62 Stuart Balfour Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
63 Finn Crockett Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
64 Cameron Jeffers Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
65 Matthew King Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
66 Zeb Kyffin Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
67 Ross Lamb Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
68 Oliver Peckover Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
69 Alex Peters Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
70 Harry Tanfield Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
71 Charlie Tanfield Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
72 Samuel Asker Richardsons Trek DAS
73 Peter Cocker Richardsons Trek DAS
74 Conor McGoldrick Richardsons Trek DAS
75 Steven Parsonage Richardsons Trek DAS
76 William Scott Richardsons Trek DAS
77 William Bjergfelt Saint Piran
78 Stephen Bradbury Saint Piran
79 Jake Crossley Saint Piran
80 Gabriel Cullaigh Saint Piran
81 Michael Gill Saint Piran
82 Oliver Hucks Saint Piran
83 Tom Mazzone Saint Piran
84 Leon Mazzone Saint Piran
85 Theodor Obholzer Saint Piran
86 Charles Page Saint Piran
87 Bradley Symonds Saint Piran
88 Jacob Vaughan Saint Piran
89 Jenson Young Saint Piran
90 Ewan Mackie Saris Rouvy Sauerland Team
91 Michael Mottram Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
92 William Perrett Spellman ‐ Dublin Port Track Team
93 Joe Hill Spirit BSS
94 Nicholas Cooper Sweden Cycling Academy
95 Sean Flynn Swiss Racing Academy
96 Daniel Mclay Team Arkea‐Samsic
97 Connor Swift Team Arkea‐Samsic
98 Mark Donovan Team DSM
99 Harry Birchill Team Inspired
100 Ross Birrell Team Inspired
101 Jack Brough Team Inspired
102 Josh Charlton Team Inspired
103 Robert Donaldson Team Inspired
104 Joshua Giddings Team Inspired
105 Oscar Nilsson‐Julien Team Inspired
106 Jack Rootkin‐Gray Team Inspired
107 William Tidball Team Inspired
108 Sam Brand Team Novo Nordisk
109 Jacques Coates Team PB Performance
110 Charlie Beake Team Tor 2000 Kalas
111 Christopher Lawless Total Direct Energie
112 Samuel Clark trainSharp Elite
113 Sam Culverwell TRINITY Road Racing
114 Thomas Gloag TRINITY Road Racing
115 Aidan Lawrence TRINITY Road Racing
116 Cameron Mason TRINITY Road Racing
117 Lukas Nerurkar TRINITY Road Racing
118 Oliver Rees TRINITY Road Racing
119 Max Walker TRINITY Road Racing
120 John Archibald Unattached
121 Daniel Bigham Unattached
122 Alfred George Vendee U ‐ Pays de la Loire
123 Benjamin Peatfield Vendee U ‐ Pays de la Loire
124 Zak Coleman VolkerWessels Cycling Team
125 Samuel Beckett Wales Racing Academy
126 Joe Holt Wales Racing Academy
127 Edward Morgan Wales Racing Academy
128 Owain Roberts Wales Racing Academy
129 William Roberts Wales Racing Academy
130 William Truelove Wales Racing Academy
131 Logan Maclean Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
132 Tim Shoreman Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
133 Matti Dobbins Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
134 Toby Barnes WiV Sungod
135 Matthew Bostock WiV Sungod
136 Jim Brown WiV Sungod
137 Damien Clayton WiV Sungod
138 Matthew Gibson Human Powered Health
139 Gruffudd Lewis WiV Sungod
140 Euan Macleod WiV Sungod
141 Thomas Mein WiV Sungod
142 Jacob Scott WiV Sungod
143 Robert Scott WiV Sungod
144 Oliver Wood WiV Sungod
145 Reece Wood WiV Sungod
146 Ben Mewes X‐Speed United Continental Team
147 Joshua Teasdale X‐Speed United Continental Team
148 Callum McQueen YOELEO TEST TEAM P/B 4MIND
149 Ben Granger Zappi Racing Team
150 Matthew Kingston Zappi Racing Team

Reserves
151 Cameron Richardson RT23
152 Jordan Peacock Spirit BSS
153 Nicholas Tyrie Primera‐TeamJobs
154 James Bevan Embark ‐ Bikestrong
155 Cai Davies Embark ‐ Bikestrong
156 Marinus Petersen Nopinz Motip Race Team
157 Dean Watson Embark ‐ Bikestrong
158 Tobias Bartlett Velo Club Lincoln
159 Callum Thornley Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
160 Tom Merry Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
161 Matthew Taylor Dolan Ellesse Race Team
162 Tom Couzens Embark ‐ Bikestrong
163 Matthew Warhurst SRCT MUC‐OFF
164 Angus Hawkins Spirit BSS
165 Josh Housley Spirit BSS
166 Alexander MacRae Unattached
167 Conor McKinnon Dolan Ellesse Race Team
168 Joshua Avery Spirit BSS
169 Thomas Mitchell trainSharp Elite

British Cycling National Championships women's road race: full start list

1 Pfeiffer Georgi Team DSM
2 Sophie Enever Alba Development Road Team
3 Arianne Holland Alba Development Road Team
4 Sophie Lankford Alba Development Road Team
5 Beth Maciver Alba Development Road Team
6 Erin Murphy Alba Development Road Team
7 Kate Richardson Alba Development Road Team
8 Victoria Smith Alba Development Road Team
9 Olivia Bent AWOL‐ O’Shea
10 Charlotte Broughton AWOL‐ O’Shea
11 Georgia Bullard AWOL‐ O’Shea
12 Ella Coleman AWOL‐ O’Shea
13 Connie Hayes AWOL‐ O’Shea
14 Alice Lethbridge AWOL‐ O’Shea
15 Phoebe Martin AWOL‐ O’Shea
16 Emily Meakin AWOL‐ O’Shea
17 Francesca Morgans‐Slader AWOL‐ O’Shea
18 Maisy Vasic AWOL‐ O’Shea
19 Maddie Wadsworth AWOL‐ O’Shea
20 Libby Smithson AWOL Worx Galliard
21 Lydia Watts AWOL Worx Galliard
22 Alderney Baker BIANCHI HUNT MORVELO
23 Leah Dixon BIANCHI HUNT MORVELO
24 Jasmine Harlow BIANCHI HUNT MORVELO
25 Alice McWilliam BIANCHI HUNT MORVELO
26 Tamsin Miller BIANCHI HUNT MORVELO
27 Catriona Ross Bridport CC
28 Daisy Barnes Brother UK‐Orientation Marketing
29 Ellen Bennett Brother UK‐Orientation Marketing
30 Jessie Carridge Brother UK‐Orientation Marketing
31 Megan Barker CAMS‐Basso
32 Ella Barnwell CAMS‐Basso
33 Jessica Finney CAMS‐Basso
34 Madelaine Leech CAMS‐Basso
35 Sophie Lewis CAMS‐Basso
36 Beth Morrow CAMS‐Basso
37 Katie Scott CAMS‐Basso
38 Danielle Shrosbree CAMS‐Basso
39 Becky Storrie CAMS‐Basso
40 Alice Barnes CANYON ‐ SRAM RACING
41 Megan Anderson Datalynx‐Parenesis Cycling
42 Laura Cheesman Datalynx‐Parenesis Cycling
43 Sophie Holmes Datalynx‐Parenesis Cycling
44 Abi Smith EF Education‐TIBCO‐SVB
45 Elizabeth Bennett IBCT
46 Suzetta Guerrini Jadan ‐ Vive le Velo
47 Beth Harley‐Jepson Jadan ‐ Vive le Velo
48 Anna Christian Le Col ‐ Wahoo
49 Elizabeth Holden Le Col ‐ Wahoo
50 Eluned King Le Col ‐ Wahoo
51 Flora Perkins Le Col ‐ Wahoo
52 April Tacey Le Col ‐ Wahoo
53 Alice Towers Le Col ‐ Wahoo
54 Josie Knight Lotto‐Soudal Ladies
55 Francesca Hall Loughborough Lightning
56 Flora Knight Loughborough Lightning
57 Emily Tillett Loughborough Lightning
58 Chloe Vickers Loughborough Lightning
59 Kim Baptista LVIV CYCLING TEAM (Womens)
60 Zoe Langham Moonglu CC
61 Megan Panton MULTUM ACCOUNTANTS ‐ LSK LADIES CYCLING TEAM
62 Amelia Sharpe NXTG by Experza
63 Robyn Clay Otley CC
64 Millie Couzens Plantur‐Pura
65 Emma Matthews PMRR
66 Isabel Darvill Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
67 Bexy Dew Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
68 Lucy Ellmore Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
69 Amy Gornall Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
70 Corinne Side Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
71 Millie Skinner Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
72 Poppy Thompson Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
73 Jo Tindley Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
74 Teri Bayliss Reifen Racing
75 Hannah Bayes Saint Piran WRT
76 Sophie Earl Saint Piran WRT
77 Madeleine Gammons Saint Piran WRT
78 Gwenno Hughes Saint Piran WRT
79 Elizabeth Sanders Saint Piran WRT
80 Gemma Sargent Saint Piran WRT
81 Christina Wiejak Saint Piran WRT
82 Dannielle Khan Solihull CC
83 Claire Steels Sopela Women’s Team
84 Charlotte Berry Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
85 Xan Crees Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
86 Samantha Fawcett Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
87 Amira Mellor Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
88 Madeleine Nutt Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
89 Gabriella Shaw Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
90 Natalie Grinczer Stade Rochelias Charente‐Maritime
91 Anna Kay StarCasino Team
92 Joanne Clarke StolenGoat Race Team
93 Miriam Jessett StolenGoat Race Team
94 Erin Avill Storey Racing
95 Olivia French Storey Racing
96 Lucy Gadd Storey Racing
97 Rebecca Richards Storey Racing
98 Dame Sarah Storey Storey Racing
99 Anya Tamplin Storey Racing
100 Hannah Farran Team Boompods
101 Amy Graham Team Boompods
102 Monica Greenwood Team Boompods
103 Lucy Harris Team Boompods
104 Louise Hart Team Boompods
105 Sian Marsh Team Boompods
106 Mary Wilkinson Team Boompods
107 Josie Nelson Team Coop‐Hitec Products
108 Anna Henderson Team Jumbo‐Visma
109 Sian Botteley Team LDN ‐ Brother UK
110 Harriet Dodd Team LDN ‐ Brother UK
111 Lauren Higham Team LDN ‐ Brother UK
112 Lucy Lee Team LDN ‐ Brother UK
113 Kerry Middleton Team LDN ‐ Brother UK
114 Jennifer Millmore Team LDN ‐ Brother UK
115 Sammie Stuart CAMS BASSO
116 Anna Shackley Team SD Worx
117 Jenny Holl TEKKERZ CC
118 Ellie Mackman The Ark Cycles
119 Olivia Bentley Torelli‐Cayman‐Islands‐Scimitar
120 Nicole Coates Torelli‐Cayman‐Islands‐Scimitar
121 Elynor Backstedt TREK ‐ SEGAFREDO
122 Savannah Morgan Unattached
123 Rebecca Saunderson Unattached
124 Elinor Barker MBE Uno‐X Pro Cycling Team
125 Coralie Arthur Wahoo Endurance Zone
126 Anna Morris Ward WheelZ

British Cycling National Championships men's circuit race: full start list

1 Max Rushby Acrog‐Tormans
2 Henry Lawton AG2R Citroen U23 Team
3 Stephen Williams Bahrain‐Victorious
4 Matthew Walls BORA ‐ Hansgrohe
5 Oliver Stockwell Cycling Team Friuli ASD
6 Jack Crook Dolan Ellesse Race Team
7 Declan Hudson Dolan Ellesse Race Team
8 Matthew Taylor Dolan Ellesse Race Team
9 Joe Wilson Dolan Ellesse Race Team
10 James Bevan Embark ‐ Bikestrong
11 Jamieson Blain Embark ‐ Bikestrong
12 Tom Couzens Embark ‐ Bikestrong
13 Cai Davies Embark ‐ Bikestrong
14 Rhys Britton EvoPro Racing
15 Lewis Askey GROUPAMA ‐ FDJ
16 Finlay Pickering GROUPAMA ‐ FDJ
17 Joe Pidcock GROUPAMA ‐ FDJ
18 Samuel Watson GROUPAMA ‐ FDJ
19 Ben Pease Moonglu Race Team
20 Thomas Stringer Moonglu Race Team
21 Cameron McLaren Nopinz Motip Race Team
22 Matt Witts Nopinz Motip Race Team
23 Hugo Lutz‐Atkinson Ribble rechrg Race Team
24 William Brown Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
25 Finn Crockett Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
26 Cameron Jeffers Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
27 Harry Tanfield Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
28 Charlie Tanfield Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
29 Conor McGoldrick Richardsons Trek DAS
30 Steven Parsonage Richardsons Trek DAS
31 Stephen Bradbury Saint Piran
32 Gabriel Cullaigh Saint Piran
33 Tom Mazzone Saint Piran
34 Leon Mazzone Saint Piran
35 Theodor Obholzer Saint Piran
36 Charles Page Saint Piran
37 Bradley Symonds Saint Piran
38 Travis Bramley Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
39 Nicholas Cooper Sweden Cycling Academy
40 Harry Birchill Team Inspired
41 Ross Birrell Team Inspired
42 Jack Brough Team Inspired
43 Josh Charlton Team Inspired
44 Robert Donaldson Team Inspired
45 Joshua Giddings Team Inspired
46 Oscar Nilsson‐Julien Team Inspired
47 Jack Rootkin‐Gray Team Inspired
48 William Tidball Team Inspired
49 Alec Briggs TEKKERZ CC
50 Zachary Walker Utmost IOM Junior Cycling Team
51 Tobias Bartlett Velo Club Lincoln
52 Benjamin Peatfield Vendee U ‐ Pays de la Loire
53 Joe Holt Wales Racing Academy
54 Edward Morgan Wales Racing Academy
55 Owain Roberts Wales Racing Academy
56 William Roberts Wales Racing Academy
57 Joshua Tarling Wales Racing Academy
58 William Truelove Wales Racing Academy
59 David Duggan Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
60 Fraser Martin Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
61 Tom Merry Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
62 Tim Shoreman Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
63 Callum Thornley Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
64 Matti Dobbins Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
65 Toby Barnes WiV Sungod
66 Matthew Bostock WiV Sungod
67 Jim Brown WiV Sungod
68 Matthew Gibson Human Powered Health
69 Robert Scott WiV Sungod
70 Reece Wood WiV Sungod

Reserves
71 Joseph Beckingsale Wales Racing Academy
72 Daniel Barnes Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
73 Lee Rosie Spokes Racing Team
74 Sam Kettlewell TS Racing
75 Daniel Kain Spokes Racing Team
76 Murray Soutter Torvelo Racing
77 Gregor McArthur The Cycling Academy

British Cycling National Championships women's circuit race: full start list

1 Jo Tindley Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
2 Isabel Darvill Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
3 Bexy Dew Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
4 Lucy Ellmore Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
5 Amy Gornall Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
6 Corinne Side Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
7 Poppy Thompson Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
8 Amelia Sharpe AG Insurance ‐ NXTG Team
9 Sophie Enever Alba Development Road Team
10 Arianne Holland Alba Development Road Team
11 Sophie Lankford Alba Development Road Team
12 Beth Maciver Alba Development Road Team
13 Erin Murphy Alba Development Road Team
14 Kate Richardson Alba Development Road Team
15 Victoria Smith Alba Development Road Team
16 Olivia Bent AWOL‐ O’Shea
17 Charlotte Broughton AWOL‐ O’Shea
18 Connie Hayes AWOL‐ O’Shea
19 Maisy Vasic AWOL‐ O’Shea
20 Maddie Wadsworth AWOL‐ O’Shea
21 Libby Smithson AWOL Worx Galliard
22 Ellen Bennett Brother UK‐Orientation Marketing
23 Laura Pittard Brother UK‐Orientation Marketing
24 Megan Barker CAMS‐Basso
25 Ella Barnwell CAMS‐Basso
26 Jessica Finney CAMS‐Basso
27 Madelaine Leech CAMS‐Basso
28 Sophie Lewis CAMS‐Basso
29 Beth Morrow CAMS‐Basso
30 Danielle Shrosbree CAMS‐Basso
31 Megan Anderson Datalynx‐Parenesis Cycling
32 Laura Cheesman Datalynx‐Parenesis Cycling
33 Sophie Holmes Datalynx‐Parenesis Cycling
34 Nicola Soden Datalynx‐Parenesis Cycling Reserves
35 Emily Proud Grinta Coaching
36 Elizabeth Bennett IBCT
37 Suzetta Guerrini Jadan ‐ Vive le Velo
38 Beth Harley‐Jepson Jadan ‐ Vive le Velo
39 Emma Jeffers JRC‐INTERFLON Race Team
40 Eluned King Le Col ‐ Wahoo
41 Flora Perkins Le Col ‐ Wahoo
42 Francesca Hall Loughborough Lightning ‐ TRG
43 Flora Knight Loughborough Lightning ‐ TRG
44 Emily Tillett Loughborough Lightning ‐ TRG
45 Chloe Vickers Loughborough Lightning ‐ TRG
46 Lauren Robinson Moonglu Race Team
47 Robyn Clay Otley CC
48 Hannah Bayes Saint Piran WRT
49 Madeleine Gammons Saint Piran WRT
50 Elizabeth Sanders Saint Piran WRT
51 Gemma Sargent Saint Piran WRT
52 Abbie Taylor Sheffield Dirt Society
53 Charlotte Berry Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
54 Xan Crees Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
55 Rebecca Durrell Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
56 Samantha Fawcett Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
57 Amira Mellor Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
58 Gabriella Shaw Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
59 Joanne Clarke StolenGoat Race Team
60 Olivia French Storey Racing
61 Lucy Gadd Storey Racing
62 Kinga Ingram Storey Racing
63 Rebecca Richards Storey Racing
64 Josie Nelson Team Coop‐Hitec Products
65 Sian Botteley Team LDN ‐ Brother UK
66 Lauren Higham Team LDN ‐ Brother UK
67 Sammie Stuart CAMS BASSO
68 Jenny Holl TEKKERZ CC
69 Ellie Mackman The Ark Cycles
70 Morven Yeoman Tofauti Everyone Active

Reserves
71 Sophie Earl Saint Piran WRT
72 Gwenno Hughes Saint Piran WRT
73 Millie Skinner Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
74 Amy Perryman TEKKERZ CC

British Cycling National Championships elite men time trial: full start list

Ethan Hayter Ineos Grenadiers
Ben Tulett Ineos Grenadiers
Ben Turner Ineos Grenadiers
John Archibald Unattached
Daniel Bigham Unattached
Harry Tanfield Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
Charlie Tanfield Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
Simon Wilson Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
Jack Levick Rose Race Team
Cameron Richardson RT23
William Bjergfelt Saint Piran
Michael Gill Saint Piran
Ross Holland Saint Piran
Oliver Hucks Saint Piran
Kyle Gordon Spellman ‐ Dublin Port Track Team
William Perrett Spellman ‐ Dublin Port Track Team
Connor Swift Team Arkea‐Samsic
Ashley Cox Team Bottrill
Timothy Torrie trainSharp Elite
Gruffudd Lewis WiV Sungod
Joshua Teasdale X‐Speed United Continental Team
Tom Martin Netllar Telecom‐Ale
George Peasgood Team HUUB
Harrison Hunter 05/03
Fred Wright Bahrain‐Victorious
Mark Stewart Bolton Equities Black Spoke Pro Cycling
Jack Rebours Caesarean CC Jersey
Simon Carr EF Education ‐ EasyPost
Owain Doull MBE EF Education ‐ EasyPost
James Shaw EF Education ‐ EasyPost
Sebastian Tremlett Guernsey Velo Club (LBG)
Alex Dowsett Israel ‐ Premier Tech
Ben Pease Moonglu Race Team
Charles Quarterman Phillippe Wagner Cycling
Jordan Giles Primera‐TeamJobs
George Skinner Primera‐TeamJobs
James Knox QUICK‐STEP Alpha Vinyl
Ethan Vernon QUICK‐STEP Alpha Vinyl
Stuart Balfour Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
Finn Crockett Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling Reserves
Zeb Kyffin Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
Oliver Peckover Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling

British Cycling National Championships elite women time trial: full start list

Anna Henderson Team Jumbo‐Visma
Emily Meakin AWOL‐ O’Shea
Leah Dixon BIANCHI HUNT MORVELO
Neah Evans Team HUUB
Joanne Rea Team Kirkley Cycles
Anna Weaver Team Kirkley Cycles
Anna Shackley Team SD Worx
Joscelin Lowden Uno‐X Pro Cycling Team
Laura Davies Orwell Velo
Poppy Thompson Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
Christina Wiejak Saint Piran WRT
Charlotte Berry Spectra Wiggle p/b Vitus
Miriam Jessett StolenGoat Race Team
Morgan Newberry Storey Racing
Dame Sarah Storey Storey Racing
Sian Marsh Team Boompods
Jennifer Millmore Team LDN ‐ Brother UK
Jennifer George The Independent Pedaler ‐ Nopinz
Anna Morris AeroLab Ward WheelZ
Sophie Lankford Alba Development Road Team
Victoria Smith Alba Development Road Team
Tamsin Miller BIANCHI HUNT MORVELO
Rebecca Richards Storey Racing
Laura Pittard Brother UK‐Orientation Marketing
Danielle Shrosbree CAMS‐Basso
Becky Storrie CAMS‐Basso
Katie Archibald Ceratizit‐WNT Pro Cycling Team
Faye Faber Drag2Zero Endura
Suzetta Guerrini Jadan ‐ Vive le Velo
Anna Christian Le Col ‐ Wahoo
Elizabeth Holden Le Col ‐ Wahoo
Francesca Hall Loughborough Lightning ‐ TRG

British Cycling National Championships U23 men time trial: full start list

Leo Hayter Hagens Berman Axeon
Joseph Laverick Hagens Berman Axeon
Robert Donaldson Team Inspired
Toby Perry Hagens Berman Axeon
Harry Jukes 05/03
Callum Macleod ABLOC CT
Louis Sutton Brocarale
Tyler Hannay CC Etupes
George Wood Cycling Sheffield
Oscar Onley Development Team DSM
Max Poole Development Team DSM
Conor McKinnon Dolan Ellesse Race Team
Joe Wilson Dolan Ellesse Race Team
Jamieson Blain Embark ‐ Bikestrong
Joseph Rees Embark ‐ Bikestrong
Lewis Askey GROUPAMA ‐ FDJ
Finlay Pickering GROUPAMA ‐ FDJ
Samuel Watson GROUPAMA ‐ FDJ
Thomas Day Home Solution ‐ Soenens U23 Development CT
Aaron Freeman Richardsons Trek DAS
Jenson Young Saint Piran
Ewan Mackie Saris Rouvy Sauerland Team
Harry Birchill Team Inspired
Ross Birrell Team Inspired
Jack Brough Team Inspired
Josh Charlton Team Inspired
Joshua Giddings Team Inspired
Oscar Nilsson‐Julien Team Inspired
Jack Rootkin‐Gray Team Inspired
William Tidball Team Inspired
Ciaran Mc Sherry The Cycling Academy
Samuel Clark trainSharp Elite
Sam Culverwell TRINITY Road Racing
Thomas Gloag TRINITY Road Racing
Lukas Nerurkar TRINITY Road Racing
Oliver Rees TRINITY Road Racing
Max Walker TRINITY Road Racing
Charles Bailey Unattached
Logan Maclean Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
Callum Thornley Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
Matti Dobbins Wheelbase CabTech Castelli

Reserves
Lee Rosie Spokes Racing Team
Aaron King RT23
Sam Kettlewell TS Racing
Daniel Kain Spokes Racing Team
Jacob Avery High Wycombe Cycling Club

British Cycling National Championships U23 women time trial: full start list

Kate Richardson Alba Development Road Team
Ella Coleman AWOL‐ O’Shea
Connie Hayes AWOL‐ O’Shea
Maisy Vasic AWOL‐ O’Shea
Maddie Wadsworth AWOL‐ O’Shea
Lydia Watts AWOL Worx Galliard
Alderney Baker BIANCHI HUNT MORVELO
Daisy Barnes Brother UK‐Orientation marketing
Madelaine Leech CAMS‐Basso
Sophie Holmes Datalynx‐Parenesis Cycling
Abi Smith EF Education‐TIBCO‐SVB
Flora Perkins Le Col ‐ Wahoo
April Tacey Le Col ‐ Wahoo
Flora Knight Loughborough Lightning ‐ TRG
Chloe Vickers Loughborough Lightning ‐ TRG
Lucy Ellmore Pro‐Noctis ‐ Rotor ‐ Redchilli Bikes P/B Heidi Kjeldsen
Olivia French Storey Racing
Lucy Gadd Storey Racing
Anya Tamplin Storey Racing
Pfeiffer Georgi Team DSM
Elynor Backstedt TREK ‐ SEGAFREDO

Harry Tanfield put in an incredible ride at the British National Championships road race from an early move that got away with Ben Swift, Fred Wright and a couple of others, only to be pipped to bronze by Ethan Hayter on the line.

Tanfield tried his best to stay away on the final ascent of the cobbled Michaelgate climb into the centre of Lincoln after spending much of the race in the break including defending champion and eventual winner, Swift (Ineos Grenadiers) and second-place Wright (Bahrain Victorious).

But he was not able to hold off the flying Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) who shot up the final kick to pass Tanfield on the line to take third.

>>> 11 WorldTour riders still yet to confirm a contract for 2022

Tanfield uploaded his monstrous ride to Strava with the title "GB Lincoln Nationals. F*****g all in, couldn’t get away. No regrets. 375. No medal, absolutely robbed. Devastated. Want my entry back.."

But his ride was immense as he looks for a new team in 2022 as Qhubeka-NextHash have told their riders they should look for a new squad.

Tanfield's average power over the 163.71km ride was at 351 watts with a peak of 1,322w with his total work hitting 4,244kj and an average speed of 43.6km/h over the ride that took him 3-45-29 to complete.

At one point, Tanfield was holding 630w for just over a minute on Michaelgate, that's 8.06 watts per KG. He also put in 847w or 10.59w/kg for 14 seconds in a ride where he very clearly gave his absolute all.

His heart rate was averaging at 161 beats per minute with a peak of 196bpm as he made his huge efforts to try and get victory in Lincoln. 

It would've been his second career victory after his impressive stage win from the break on stage one of the Tour de Yorkshire back in 2018 into Doncaster. 

Racing 10 times in 2021, Tanfield hasn't seen the form he would have likely wanted having not finished half of the races he started this year. A 23rd place on the second stage of the Arctic Race of Norway was his second-best result this season.

It is not yet known what Tanfield's future is for the 2022 season, but it does not look likely that it will be with Qhubeka-NextHash as they potentially head to closing their squad.

Ben Swift has successfully defended his British National Road Race title, outlasting Fred Wright on the Michaelgate climb to the finish to keep the national champion's jersey on his shoulders for another 12 months.

Swift had been part of a leading trio alongside Qhubeka-Nexthash's Harry Tanfield and Bahrain Victorious' Fred Wright in the closing kilometres, having been dragged clear by an attack from Dan McLay (Arkéa-Samsic).

While Wright marked Tanfield's moves on the run-in to the finish, Swift calmly sat on, then responding to Wright's move at the bottom of the cobbled climb, the pair neck-and-neck before Swift's legs lasted longer, Wright just running out of steam near the top as Swift crossed the line alone.

Ethan Hayter finished third, unable to complete his set of national titles, having already won the time trial and circuit races this week. The Ineos rider chased in earnest back up to the front of the race alongside Lewis Askey, not able to make the juncture in time to challenge for the win, but dropping Askey and passing Tanfield to claim the bronze medal.

>>> Pfeiffer Georgi wins British National Road Championships

"Over the moon, I've become used to riding in this jersey, unfortunately, we never got to race last year so I got a year for free. Hopefully today I justified that extra year," Swift said afterward. 

"It was an incredible day, I've had a bit of an up and down year, real highlights, my second child in Harry, but in terms of personal results it didn't really go well at the start of the year and mid-year and it started to come together now and to finish it off like this I'm really happy."

Result

BRITISH NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS - MEN'S ROAD RACE 

1. Ben Swift, Ineos Grenadiers
2. Fred Wright, Bahrain Victorious
3. Ethan Hayter, Ineos Grenadiers
4. Harry Tanfield, Qhubeka-NextHash
5. Lewis Askey, Groupama-FDJ

Pfeiffer Georgi has become the new British National Road Champion following a strong final attack on the Michaelgate climb near the finish in Lincoln, solo-ing across the line clear of the rest.

Josie Nelson (Coop - Hitec Products) was next across the line to take the silver medal, followed by Joss Lowden (Drops - Le Col s/b TEMPUR) in third. Anna Henderson and Anna Shackley then came through to round out the top five, having been part of a breakaway move.

An 11-rider break had gone early on the Lincoln circuit, Georgi, Henderson and the rest of the top five involved, as well as Drops' April Tacey and Dani Christmas.

Georgi later attacked on the Michaelgate climb up to the finish line as the remaining laps began to dwindle, Lowden and Henderson getting across before Sophie Wright, Alice Barnes, Shackley and Nelson also made it across.

Into the final lap and the original breakaway reformed as riders began to look at each other, Georgi putting in the move that mattered as she rode away from her rivals up the final incline to cross the line alone and claim the national champion's jersey.

"I did this race once before and the key is positioning into this climb because it's so narrow and things can go at any lap and we saw that today on the first lap it was already split and I didn't kind of believe that if it came to a group I could win from a sprint," Georgi explained after the finish. "So then with two laps to go I attacked and then saw I did get a gap and so started to believe maybe if it did stay together I'd have a chance so the last time up I just went full gas, didn't look behind and I couldn't actually believe I'd won!"

All eyes had been on Anna Henderson in the build-up after her sparkling recent form and national time trial title win earlier in the week.

"Short climb is kind of her specialty and she's in such good form, I thought it would be hard to beat her," Georgi continued, speaking about Henderson. "So I just thought I'd have to get ahead of her, and yeah I'm just so happy."

British National Championships - Women's Road Race 

1. Pfeiffer Georgi, DSM
2. Josie Nelson, Coop - Hitec Products
3. Joss Lowden, Drops - Le Col s/b TEMPUR
4. Anna Henderson, Jumbo-Visma
5. Anna Shackley, SD Worx
6. April Tacey, Drops - Le Col s/b TEMPUR
7. Sophie Wright, Alé BTC Ljubljana
8. Danielle Shrosbree, Team LDN - Brother UK
9. Jo Tindley, Pro-Noctis – Redchilli Bikes
10. Alice Barnes, Canyon SRAM Racing

Anna Henderson demolished the field to take the British time trial title in fine fashion by almost a minute over World Hour Record holder, Joss Lowden.

Henderson (Jumbo-Visma) led by just 15 seconds at the half way mark but kicked on during the second lap to really pull out a big advantage on the course. Lowden (Drops-Le Col) beat Leah Dixon (Tibco-SVB) by just two seconds on the line to take the runner-up spot.

The riders tackled the laps two times making the route 29.4km long, starting and finishing in the Lincolnshire village of Tealby. 

>>> Ethan Hayter powers to British time trial title on the roads of Lincolnshire

Much like the men's race, the final lap proved to really sort out who was the strongest with Henderson changing a 15 second gap to a 56 second gap by the finish over Lowden.

Dixon will likely be pleased with her ride as she was the first of just three to dip under the 45 minute mark with a 44-02 as she took a huge chunk out of the former leader, Becky Storrie (CAMS-Basso) who's time was a 45-27.

It was quite clear by the split that Dixon wasn't in the running for the win though, as she was almost 30 seconds down on Henderson on the first passage of the line. 

Henderson has been extremely consistent throughout the season for Jumbo-Visma getting wins for herself, but also supporting Marianne Vos for her trade team as well as Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) at the World Championships.

Including today, all four of her career victories came this year, with the other three coming at the Tour de Belle Isle en Terre - Kreiz Breizh Elites Dames, with two stage wins and the overall title.

She also took multiple top 10 results she achieved at the likes of the Challenge by La Vuelta, Baloise Ladies Tour and the GP Plouay, not to mention top 30s in Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Tour of Flanders.

The women's time trial brought the opening day of the British National Championships to an end with the women's and men's elite, as well as U23, titles decided in the time trial.

Next up, on Saturday, October 16 is the national circuit race championships which take place in the city centre of Lincoln under the floodlights before the road races take place the next day, including multiple passages of the famous cobbled Michaelgate climb.

BRITISH ROAD NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2021: WOMEN'S INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIAL, TEALBY TO TEALBY (29.4KM)

1. Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma), in 43-04
2. Joss Lowden (Drops-Le Col), at 56s
3. Leah Dixon (Tibco-SVB), at 58s

Ethan Hayter smashed the opposition to become the new British time trial champion after an exemplary performance in Lincolnshire.

The Ineos Grenadiers rider beat the Ribble-Weldtite duo of Dan Bigham and James Shaw by just under 40 seconds in an emphatic ride that saw the Londoner take the famous white jersey with the blue and red hoops.

Hayter adds yet more glory to his family today after his brother, Leo (DSM Development), won the under 23 title.

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The race featured three laps of a 14.7km circuit starting and finishing in the West Lindsey district village of Tealby in Lincolnshire.

Ribble-Weldtite looked to have been pulling off a storming ride with Shaw the first rider to nudge under an hour on the 44.7km route.

Two riders who came after Hayter, John Archibald (EOLO-Kometa) and defending champion Alex Dowsett (Israel Start-Up Nation) were both unable to trouble the top three of Hayter, Bigham, and Shaw.

The three riders on the podium have enjoyed plenty of success this season with Hayter throwing his hat into the ring to become another superb talent on all-terrain. The 23-year-old put in superb rides at the Volta ao Algarve, Tour of Britain, and Tour of Norway this year, taking wins in all three. He also took an Olympics silver medal in the Madison at Tokyo 2020 in August.

Bigham recently became the new British Hour Record holder after beating the distance record set by Sir Bradley Wiggins, while Shaw has shown to the big WorldTour teams that he is an exceptional rider with fifth overall in both the Tour of Slovenia and Tour of Norway.

In Thursday's time trial, it took quite some time to get a rider anywhere near the sub-hour point, but Michael Gill of Saint Piran Development came close to being the first with a time of 1-00-42.821. 

Soon after that, Ashley Cox (Team Bottrill), Connor Swift (Arkéa-Samsic), and Shaw had stormed through to go faster, with Shaw dipping under the hour mark.

At the split, it became clear that it would be a two-horse race between Hayter and Bigham as just nine seconds separated them, but Hayter kicked on to another gear with Bigham fading, with the WorldTour rider taking the win by 37 seconds.

The women's time trial comes later in the day, taking on just the two laps of the circuit on a 29.4km route around the surrounding countryside of Tealby and Walesby.

British Road National Championships 2021: Men's individual time trial, Tealby to Tealby (44.7km)

1. Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers), in 56-41
2. Dan Bigham (Ribble-Weldtite), at 37s
3. James Shaw (Ribble-Weldtite), at 50s

Anna Shackley and Leo Hayter both lived up to their pre-race favourite tags and stormed to victory in the women's and men's U23 national time trial championships.

On an undulating 29.4km course in the village of Tealby, the men set off first and all eyes were on the Development Team DSM duo of Hayter and Oscar Onley, with the winner set to supersede Charlie Quarterman who was the last victor in the race back in 2019.

Onley was the first to go beneath 40 minutes with a time of 39:37, but he was soon replaced in the hot seat by his teammate Hayter who posted what proved to be a winning time of 38:04.

Onley was denied silver by Ben Turner, the Trinity Racing rider posting 38:57. Hayter, who recently won the U23 edition of Liège-Bastogne-Liège, won the race with a margin of 53 seconds, the biggest recorded gap between first and second in the race's history. 

The women's race then began with a battle between SD Worx's Shackley and Team DSM's Pfeiffer Georgi expected; at the first split, Georgi was 34 seconds adrift of her compatriot, a distance that only extended as the kilometres ticked by.

By the end, Shackley had destroyed the field, posting a time of 43:55, a massive 1-35 better than Georgi's effort that earned her the silver medal.

Abi Smith, who has been riding for TIBCO - SVB since the late summer, rounded off the podium, 2-30 adrift of the race winner.

Shackley becomes only the third winner of the race, following in the footsteps of two other Annas: Anna Christian in 2017 and Anna Henderson in 2019.

The win continues a strong debut season in the women's professional peloton for Shackley who finished 18th at the Olympic's time trial and was praised by Lizzie Deignan for her performance at the Road World Championships. 

Hayter - the brother of Ineos Grenadiers' Ethan - showed his immense talent once again, the 20-year-old having won a stage at the Tour de Bretagne in September after his Liège triumph. He is contracted to another year with Team DSM's U23 team.

The British National Championships are finally set to take place in Lincoln for the first time in just over two years.

Ben Swift (Ineos Grenadiers), Alice Barnes (Canyon-SRAM) and Alex Dowsett (Israel Start-Up Nation) have been the road and time trial champions of the nation since 2019, but now they will have to defend their titles.

The races will take place in and around the city of Lincoln between October 14 and 17 with some huge names set to be on the start lines.

>>> British Cycling announces team for the upcoming Track World Championships in Roubaix

Along with all three defending champions returning to try and retain the jerseys former winner Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck - Quick-Step) will be riding.

Chris Froome was initially down to compete, but has instead decided to pull out of the event and end his season in Italy.  

Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) will look to continue his form from the Tour of Britain after a crash at the World Championships saw him drop out of contention. John Archibald (EOLO-Kometa) and Dan Bigham (Ribble-Weldtite) will be strong contenders in the time trial.

In the women's events, Joss Lowden (Drops-Le Col), Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM), Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma), Hayley Simmons (CAMS-Basso) and others are all set to ride. 

The time trials see the men and women compete for the elite titles as well as the under-23 jerseys on a 14.7km circuit, with the women taking on two laps (29.4km) and the men tackling three laps (44.7km).

The Criterium/Circuit National Championships is also taking place at the same time with the circuit around the cobbled streets between the cathedral and the castle, taking on one hour plus five laps on floodlit roads.

Finally, the road races take on Lincoln's most famous climb of Michaelgate on a route very similar to the Rapha Lincoln GP, with riders taking on the 12.6km lap eight times for the women's race (101km) and 13 times for the men (166km) - it should be a race of attrition.

The road races and the circuit races will be shown live online with highlights, but with only highlights from the TT available.

Here are the start lists for the 2021 British National Championships road races and time trials.

Men's road race start list

Ineos Grenadiers

1. Ben Swift
2. Ethan Hayter
3.Owain Doull 

Acrog-Tormans

4. Zak Coleman 

Ag2r-Citroën U23 Team

5.Henry Lawton

Alpecin-Fenix

6. Alexander Richardson 

AVC Aix en Provence

7. Oliver Knight

Axeon Hagens Berman

8. Joseph Leverack

Bahrain Victorious

9. Stephen Williams
10. Fred Wright
11. Scott Davies 

Bikestrong-KTM

12. Jamieson Blain
13. Joseph Rees

Bora-Hansgrohe

14. Matt Walls

Brother UK-Cycle Team OnForm

15. Joshua Avery

Canyon-DHB-SunGod

16. Matt Bostock
17. Jim Brown
18. Jacob Scott
19. Max Stedman
20. Dan Tulett
21. Damien Clayton
22. Euan Macleod
23. Callum Macleod
24. Rob Scott
25. Charlie Tanfield
26. Reece Wood
27. Oliver Wood

Carbonbike Discar Academy 

28. Tom Portsmouth

Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy

29. Alistair Slater
30. Michael Chadwick
31. Dean Watson 

Creuse Oxyène Gueret

32. Xeno Young

Crimson Orientation Marketing racing team

33. Toby Barnes
34. Joey Walker
35. Isaac Peatfield

Cycling Sheffield

36. George Wood
37. Matthew Taylor 

Deceuninck - Quick-Step

38. Mark Cavendish

Development Team DSM

39. Leo Hayter
40. Oscar Onley
41. Jack Crook

Electro Hiper Europa

42. Thomas Armstrong

EOLO-Kometa Cycling Team

43. John Archibald
44. Mark Christian

Equipo La Tova-Asesoria Almundevar

45. Toby Perry

EuroCyclingTrips-CMI Pro Cycling

46. Robert Orr

Foran CCC

47. Tobias Dahihaus

Groupame-FDJ

48. Lewis Askey
49. Joe Pidcock
50. Jake Stewart

GSC Blagnac VS 31

51. Alex Haines

Halestown A & CC Academy

52. David Hird

Idurek-Doltcini-Derito Cycling Team

53. Lewis Bulley

JRC-Shutt-Ridley Race Team

54. William Foster

Kuwait Pro Cycling

55. Matthew Clements
56. James Jobber

London Dynamo

57. Tim Lynch

Lotto-Soudal

58. Matt Holmes 

Lviv Cycling Team

59. Oliver Robinson

Meudon-Pedal Heaven-Le Col Racing Team

60. Jack Freeman

Movistar Team

61. Gabriel Cullaigh

Nopinz-Motip Race Team

62. Sebastian Garry
63. Oliver Hucks
64. Daniel Shoobridge

Orwell Velo

65. Gary Freeman

Primera-TeamJobs

66. Conor McGoldrick
67. Nicholas Tyrie

Ribble-Weldtite Pro Cycling

68. Dan Bigham
69. Matt Gibson
70. James Shaw
71. Will Brown
72. Cameron Jeffers
73. Zeb Kyffin
74. Gruffudd Lewis
75. Charles Page
76. Simon Wilson
77. Joe Wilson
78. Theo Obholzer

Richardsons-Trek-DAS

79. Peter Cocker
80. Isaac Mundy
81. William Scott
82. Samuel Asker

RT23

83. Matti Dobbins

Saint Pirin

84. Tom Mazzone
85. Tristan Davies
86. Matthew Ellis
87. Iwan Evans
88. Ross Holland
89. Steve Lampier
90. Oliver Maxwell
91. Leon Mazzone
92. Bradley Symonds
93. Jenson Young

Saint Pirin Development 

94. Michael Gill

SEG Racing Academy

95. Sean Flynn
96. Harrison Wood

Spellman-Dublin Port Track Team

97. William Perrett

Spirit-Bontrager-BSS-Rotor

98. Charles Walker
99. Clay Davies
100. Tom Couzens

SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling

101. Alex Peters
102. William Bjergfelt
103. William Harper
104. Ross Lamb
105. Chris Latham
106. Oliver Peckover
107. Josh Whitehead

Tavfer-Measindot-Mortágua

108. Ash Coning

Team Arkéa-Samsic 

109. Dan McLay
110. Connor Swift

Team Inspired

111. Robert Donaldson
112. Oliver Stockwell
113. Ethan Vernon
114. Samuel Watson
115. Rhys Britton
116. Alfred George
117. Max Rushby
118. William Tidball
119. Cameron Orr

Israel Start-Up Nation

120. Alex Dowsett

Team Novo Nordisk

121. Sam Brand

Team Novo Nordisk Development

122. Nathan Smith

Team PB Performance

123. Matthew King
124. James Chapman
125. James Bentley

Team Qhubeka-NextHash

126. Harry Tanfield

Team Tor 2000 Kalas

127. Oscar Hutchings

TEKKERZ CC

128. Neil Philips

Team TotalEnergies

129. Chris Lawless

Trek-Segafredo

130. Charlie Quarterman

Trinity Road Racing

131. Sam Culverwell
132. Thomas Gloag
133. Ben Turner
134. Cameron Mason
135. Oliver Rees
136. Richard Todd
137. Tosh Teare

Unattached

138. Daniel McDermott
139. Oliver Moors

UpShift Nutrition Race Team

140. Joe Hill

Velo Club Lincoln

141. Tobias Bartlett

Vredestein Basso

142. Cameron Biddle

Wales Racing Academy

143. Joe Holt
144. Owain Roberts
145. William Roberts
146. Samuel Beckett

Wheelbase CabTech Castelli

147. Finn Crockett

Yoeleo Test Team p/b 4MIND

148. Alexander Sherwin
149. Jesse Yates

Zappi Racing Team

150. Ben Granger 

Women's road race start list

Canyon-SRAM Racing

1. Alice Barnes
2. Hannah Barnes 

AeroCoach

3. Victoria Smith

AeroLab Ward WheelZ

4. Anna Morris

Alé-BTC-Ljubljana 

5. Sophie Wright

Avid Sport

6. Elizabeth Sanders 

AWOL-O'Shea

7. Hannah Bayes
8. Olivia Bent
9. Connie Hayes
10. Alice Lethbridge
11. Phoebe Martin

AWOL Worx Galliard

12. Lydia Watts

Bianchi-Dama

13. Jasmine Jones
14. Holly MacMahon
15. Georgina Panchaud

Birdport CC

16. Catriona Ross

Brother UK-Cycle Team OnForm

17. Daisy Barnes
18. Sian Botteley
19. Imogen Chastell
20. Abigail Cooper
21. Ellen Inglis
22. Laura Pittard

Campinense-Velo Perfromance

23. Louise Hart

CAMS-Basso

24. Jessica Finney
25. Lilli Gardner
26. Natalie Grinczer
27. Katie Scott
28. Hayley Simmonds
29. Becky Storrie
30. Sophie Thackray

Crimson Orientation Marketing Racing Team

31. Sophie Earl
32. Melissa Greaves
33. Gwenno Hughes

Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur

34. Elizabeth Bennett
35. Anna Christian
36. Dani Christmas
37. Joss Lowden
38. Emily Meakin
39. April Tacey
40. Alice Towers

Evans Cycles Race Team

41. Laura Cheesman

Forth Velo

42. Arianne Holland

Grinta Coaching

43. Alice McWilliam

HuntBikeWheels

44. Anya Tamplin

Instafund Racing

45. Rachel Langdon

Isorex NoAqua Ladies Cycling Team

46. Dannielle Khan
47. Josie Nelson

Jadan-Vive le Velo

48. Madeleine Gammons
49. Beth Harley-Jepson
50. Sophie Lankford

Lotto-Soudal

51. Abby-Mae Parkinson

Loughborough Lightning-TRG

52. Francesca Hall
53. Flora Knight
54. Hannah Lancaster
55. Chloe Vickers

Lviv Cycling Team

56. Sophie Enever
57. Fiona Turnbull

Multum Accountants-LSK Ladies Cycling Team

58. Megan Panton

Natural Greatness-Vib Sports

59. Georgia Bullard

NXTG Racing

60. Amelia Sharpe
61. Emily Wadsworth

Paceline Racing Team

62. Penny Colloff
63. Madeleine Nutt
64. Helen Ralston

PMRR 

65. Jihanna Bonilla-Allard

Pro-Noctis - Redchilli Bikes - Heidi Kjeldsen

66. Charlotte Berry
67. Isabel Darvill
68. Samantha Fawcett
69. Amy Gornall
70. Jennifer Powell
71. Corinne Side
72. Millie Skinner
73. Poppy Thompson
74. Jo Tindley

RFDA

75. Sarah Briggs

Saint Pirin women's racing team

76. Emily Chilton
77. Bexy Dew
78. Gemma Sargent
79. Christina Wiejak

Skoda DSI Cycling Academy

80. Madeleine Aldam-Gates
81. Megan Dickerson
82. Lucy Ellmore
83. Olivia French
84. Morgan Newberry
85. Gwyneth Parry
86. Rebecca Richards

Sopela Women's Team

87. Molly Patch

Spectra-Wiggle p/b Vitus

88. Amy Roberts
89. Abbie Taylor

Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime Women Cycling

90. Annabel Fisher

Storey Racing

91. Lucy Gadd
92. Beth Morrow

Team Boompods

93. Georgia Hilleard 

Team Breeze

94. Ella Barnwell
95. Eluned King
96. Sophie Lewis

Team DSM

97. Pfeiffer Georgi

Team Jumbo-Visma

98. Anna Henderson

Team LDN-Brother UK

99. Francesca Cutts
100. Harriet Dodd
101. Lauren Higham
102. Lucy Lee
103. Amy Marks
104. Polly Mason
105. Kerry Middleton
106. Danielle Shrosbree

Team SD Worx

107. Anna Shackley

Team Tibco-Silicon Valley Bank

108. Leah Dixon
109. Abi Smith

Team Watto-LDN

110. Suzetta Guerrini
111. Dannielle Watkinson

Tekkers CC

112. Jenny Holl

Torelli-Assure-Cayman Islands

113. Olivia Bentley
114. Nicole Coates

Torvelo Racing

115. Beth Maciver 

Trek-Segafredo

116. Elynor Bäckstedt

Unattached

117. Charlotte Buchanen
118. Kate Richardson
119. Eleanor Wiseman

Men's individual time trial start list

40. Jack Levick (Rose Race Team)
39. Simon Norman (Beds Road Race Team)
38. George Skinner (Primera-TeamJobs)
37. Ben Pease (Moonglu CC)
36. Joe Staunton (Wightlink-Wight Mountain CRT)
35. Joshua Avery (Brother UK-Cycle Team-OnForm)
34. Marinus Petersen (Spirit-Bontrager-BSS-Rotor)
33. Oliver Hucks (Nopinz-Motip)
32. Ross Holland (Saint Piran)
31. Richard Oakes (Ohten-Aveas)
30. Charles Walker (Spirit-Bontrager-BSS-Rotor)
29. Oscar Hutchings (Tor 2000 Kalas)
28. Zeb Kyffin (Ribble-Weldtite)
27. William Bjergfelt (SwiftCarbon)
26. George Fox (George Fox Cycling Solutions)
25. Rupert Graham (Spirit-Bontrager-BSS-Rotor)
24. Gruffudd Lewis (Ribble-Weldtite)
23. Max Stedman (Canyon-DHB-SunGod)
22. Michael Mottram (Spectra-Wiggle p/b Vitus)
21. Michael Gill Sain Piran Development)
20. Oliver Peckover (SwiftCarbon)
19. Jordan Peacock (Spirit-Bontrager-BSS-Rotor)
18. Steve Lampier (Saint Piran)
17. Simon Wilson (Ribble-Weldtite)
16. Ashley Cox (Team Bottrill)
15. Matt Gibson (Ribble-Weldtite)
14. Sebastian Tremlett (Guernsey Velo Club)
13. William Perrett (Spellman-Dublin Port Track Team)
12. James Shaw (Ribble-Weldtite)
11. Connor Swift (Team Arkéa-Samsic)
10. Chris Fennell (The Independent Pedaler)
9. Scott Davies (Bahrain Victorious)
8. Charlie Quarterman (Trek-Segafredo)
7. Owain Doull (Ineos Grenadiers)
6. Chris Froome (Israel Start-Up Nation)
5. Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious)
4. Dan Bigham (Ribble-Weldtite)
3. Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers)
2. John Archibald (EOLO-Kometa)
1. Alex Dowsett (Israel Start-Up Nation)

Reserves

41. Felix Wilkinson (Giant Cycling Club-Halo Films)
42. Lloyd Chapman (Loose Cannon's Conditioning)

Women's individual time trial start list

26. Amy Gornall (Pro-Noctis - Redchilli Bikes - Heidi Kjeldsen)
25. Rebecca Richards (Skoda DSI Cycling Academy)
24. Laura Pittard (Brother UK-Cycle Team OnForm)
23. Poppy Thompson (Pro-Noctis - Redchilli Bikes - Heidi Kjeldsen)
22. Amy Marks (LDN-Brother UK)
21. Charlotte Berry (Pro-Noctis - Redchilli Bikes - Heidi Kjeldsen)
20. Natalie Grinczer (CAMS-Basso)
19. Megan Dickerson (Skoda DSI Cycling Academy)
18. Sophie Lankford (Jadan-Vive le Velo)
17. Jennifer George (Memorial Santos)
16. Alice Lethbridge (AWOL-O'Shea)
15. Rebecca Richardson (Brother UK-Cycle Team OnForm
14. Eleanor Wiseman (Unattached)
13. Francesca Hall (Loughborough Lightning-TRG)
12. Becky Storrie (CAMS-Basso)
11. Leah Dixon (Tibco-SVB)
10. Anna Christian (Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur)
9. Alex Clay (The Independent Pedaler)
8. Anna Morris (AeroLab Ward WheelZ)
7. Victoria Smith (AeroCoach)
6. Emily Meakin (Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur)
5. Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma)
4. Joss Lowden (Drops-Le Col s/b Tempur)
3. Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM)
2. Hayley Simmonds (CAMS-Basso)
1. Alice Barnes (Canyon-SRAM)

The British Road National Championships are back after over two years of waiting due to complications around the Covid-19 pandemic - here's how you can live stream the racing. 

Over the past two years it has been the winners of the National Championships in 2019 who have worn the famous white jersey with the red and blue hoops.

Ben Swift (Ineos Grenadiers) and Alex Dowsett (Israel Start-Up Nation) hold the titles in the road race and time trial jerseys respectively for the men, with Alice Barnes (Canyon-SRAM) holding both jerseys in the women's peloton.

>>> Tadej Pogačar adds World Championships and Giro d'Italia to his wish list but is not done with the Tour de France

British Cycling announced that the races, that include some of the biggest names in British cycling including Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck - Quick-Step), Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma), Chris Froome (Israel Start-Up Nation), Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) and many more, will be televised from start to finish. 

Jonathan Day, British Cycling Head of Sport and Major Events, said: "We’re delighted to be able to offer extensive coverage of next week’s championships to fans across the country, highlighting our determination to raise the profile of our major domestic events and showcase the unique thrills of time-trial, circuit and road racing."

The road and circuit races will also be taking on sections of cobbles around the city made famous by the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix with the multiple ascents of the climb of Michaelgate.

The races kick off with the time trials on Thursday, October 3 with the road races happening on Sunday, October 17, the circuit races taking place the day prior.

LIVE STREAM THE BRITISH ROAD NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2021 IN THE UK

GCN+ and Eurosport Player - Start to finish coverage live online for the sister sites on the road races and circuit races, with highlights of the time trials also available. 

British Cycling YouTube - Live streams of the races, aside from the time trial will be available for people in the UK only with live updates for the time trials on the BC website and social media.

ITV4 - Full highlights of all the races will be shown on the free-to-view TV channel in the evenings.

No live coverage of the time trials.

The coverage for all of the above will be presented by Matt Barbet with commentary from Matt Stephens along with Hannah Walker and Adam Blythe.

If you’re not in the UK and want access to ITV4, GCN+ or Eurosport Player but still want to watch the races, No worries – you can just download and install a VPN and use location inside the United Kingdom to watch the broadcast live as if you were back home. Full instructions below.

HOW TO LIVE STREAM THE BRITISH ROAD NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS 2021 FROM OUTSIDE THE UK

If you're going to be out of the UK during the national championships, access can be restricted, this is the case for the live YouTube stream.

Luckily there is a way you can keep watching anyway – downloading and installing a VPN, which allows you to trick your computer into thinking it’s back at home. This allows you to find your native broadcaster coverage without having to resort to an illegal stream, as long as you stick to the terms and conditions set out by the broadcaster.

Setting up a VPN is simple – just download, install, open the app and select your location.

Try out ExpressVPN  for its speed, security and simplicity to use. We also like that it’s compatible with so many devices and streaming services (e.g. Amazon Fire TV Stick, Apple TV, Xbox, PS4, etc).

There are other great options out there of course, but Express VPN gives you the added benefit of a 30-day money back guarantee and three months free with a yearly plan. 

The British National Road Championships 2021, postponed from its usual June slot, will now take place in Lincoln in October, British Cycling has confirmed.

The Nationals, which didn't take place in 2020, have been moved due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and will now take place between October 14-17.

For the first time the circuit race titles will be decided in the same week as the time trials and the road races. The time trials will take place on Thursday (October 14), the circuit races on Friday (October 15), with the road races the climax of the Championships on Sunday (October 17). 

The road races will take place on the course of the Rapha Lincoln Grand Prix, which also had to be postponed having been initially confirmed as the opening round of the 2021 National Road Series. The course will finish on the race's trademark Michaelgate cobbled climb, as it did when the national road races took place there in 2015 and were won by Lizzie Armitstead and Peter Kennaugh.

The distances for the races have not yet been confirmed, nor details of the courses for the time trials.

In a press release, British Cycling CEO Brian Facer said: “I’m really excited that we have been able to announce that Lincoln will be hosting the 2021 HSBC UK | National Road Championships. The city has staged some fantastic races in the past and bringing the three championship races together in the space of a week will be a unique challenge for riders, and a proud new chapter in the race’s storied history. 

“The pandemic has presented enormous challenges for road racing, and I want to pay tribute to organiser Dan Ellmore, Lincoln City Council and our team at British Cycling who have all worked around the clock to bring the event together at short notice."

Lizzie Deignan said she was excited to return to race in the location she won the third of her four national road titles.

“Winning my third national road title in Lincoln in 2015 was a really special moment and I’ll never forget the noise and the atmosphere of that day," Deignan said.

"It’s a race that all riders want to win and after the past year I’m sure that will be truer than ever this October.

“The growth in the number and quality of female British riders since the last time the race was in Lincoln in 2015 has been absolutely incredible to see and I know that competition for the national champions’ jerseys will be fiercer than ever this time around.” 

The current national champions have held their titles and raced in the national jerseys for two seasons now, with Ben Swift (Ineos Grenadiers) and Alice Barnes (Canyon-SRAM) the defending road race champions. Alex Dowsett (Israel Start-Up Nation) holds the current men's time trial title, with Barnes also the women's time trial champion after a sensational double victory in 2019. Joey Walker and Rebecca Durrell are the respective circuit champions from two years ago.

The British Road Championships take place on Thursday June 18 and Saturday June 20, with the time trial featuring in the week and the road races on the weekend.

Both events will take place in and around Birmingham and tie in with Vélo Birmingham & Midlands, which offers a 100- or 145-mile sportive for up to 15,000 riders on Sunday June 21.

Discussing the choice of host, British Cycling’s Chief Executive said: “This partnership is fantastic news for the Midlands, for the HSBC UK National Road Championships and for our riders, as they prepare for a home Commonwealth Games in 2022.

“While winning medals at international level is a huge part of our remit, the value of those medals, and the impact of elite riders’ performances is hugely important to unlocking the benefits that cycling can bring to society, and partnering with an organisation such as Active Sport will help us deliver on these ambitions.”

British National Road Race Championships 2020 route

The road races start in Birmingham's Centenary Square and finishes in Wolverhampton city centre, with the men covering 159km and the women racing 123km.

Both routes head out north-west passing the Black Country Living Museum, it then take a more westerly route past Dudley zoo and castle before heading towards Himley, taking in the stunning Himley Hall.

Riders will then start heading north from there until they get to Seisdon and the start of a circuit, which takes them past the Holloway/Church road climb.

The  lap goes west to Pattingham and back down to Seisdon. The men will race the circuit seven times with the women taking it on five times.

Then the pelotons will head into Wolverhampton, passing Molineux stadium and finishing in the city centre.

In the men's race, riders will covers around 1,580 metres of elevation, with some lumps along the way and an uphill finish.

For the women's race, there will be around 1,285 metres of climbing, sharing the same finish as the men's event.

The men's race kicks off at 3pm, with the women's race starting off at 9am on the Sunday.

British National Time Trial Championships 2020 route

Thursday's time trials look to be quite challenging routes and will test current champions, Alice Barnes (Canyon-SRAM) and Alex Dowsett (Israel Start-Up Nation).

The routes both start and finish in Atherstone and head out south west passing Merevale Hall on the way, riding through Bentley and all the way down to Furnace End they then head back north east towards Atherstone, through Birchley Heath.

At this point the men start a loop, heading back round, through Bentley again along the same roads before both men and women's routes head to Mancetter and into the finish at Athertsone.

The women's and U23 men's route is 23.6km long with just 280 metres worth of elevation. The men's elite route covers 41.4km with around 480 metres of elevation.

It is a very similar route to what we have seen over the passed few years in the National Championships, but it does usually mean we will get some great racing.

This is part of Birmingham's preparations for the 2022 Commonwealth Games, which will be held in by the city and the surrounding area.

Just a day after bagging a record equalling sixth national time trial title, Alex Dowsett is preparing to start his second Tour de France, which begins in Brussels next week. 

On Friday morning Katusha-Alpecin revealed their team for Tour with Dowsett among the eight riders starting the sport’s most prestigious race, the announcement capping two excellent days for 30-year-old.

>>> Tour de France 2019 start list: Provisional line-ups for the 106th edition

He won Thursday’s race in Norfolk ahead of John Archibald (Ribble Pro Cycling) and Dimension Data’s Steve Cummings after tough 40km ride.

“It was good, but it was a fight,” Dowsett told Cycling Weekly after collecting his champion’s jersey at the Queen’s Sandringham estate. “It was a draggy course all the way round and I was getting splits and I was down.” 

The opening half of the circuit was into a stiff headwind, making correct pacing more crucial than normal, and things were not going well for Dowsett, who has now drawn level with Stuart Dangerfield, who won the title six times between 1995 and 2005.

“I really gave a lot to that first section of the course because it was crucial. The first third I was told I was down quite significantly and I thought it was all over, but I kept plugging away and then after about two thirds I got the signal that it was close and I was coming back, so I hoped I would have it at the finish.”

In the end Dowsett’s winning margin was just six seconds over Archibald and 27 ahead of Cummings, who won the title in 2017.

“My first ever race was a club 10, so this is massive for me. It’s funny, I joke with Cavendish, and to wind me up he says this isn’t the Nationals, Sunday is the Nationals, he’ll say whoever wins the road race is the national champion.

“But to me this is more important because you can get lucky in a road race, you can’t get lucky out there in a time trial.”

“I knew I was capable of getting it again, but it’s much more of a fight than it was. Years ago, especially when it was in September, I’d be the only pro and I remember one year my two, four and six minute men didn’t turn up, and I think I caught my eight minute man.

“I would get to the finish and ask my Dad how much did I win by, as opposed to did I win. The standard is so high now that you have to bring your ‘A’ game to something like this, and I am ready for the Tour de France.

“I certainly will be enjoying these stripes this year, I think more so than I’ve ever done because I know what it’s taken and it could be my last one.”

With his form on track, Dowsett hasn’t ruled out another attempt at the Hour Record. He broke the record in May 2015 with a distance of 52.937km, losing it to Sir Bradley Wiggins a month later. In turn that record was beaten by Belgian, Victor Campenaerts (Lotto-Soudal) who rode 55.089km in Mexico earlier this year.

“Fifty-five k, that’s a big ask,” Dowsett continued. “It’s not outside the realms of possibility. One day I hope.”

Alice Barnes (Canyon-SRAM) won the British National Time Trial title, relieving her elder sister of the honours, having come in second place last year.

The younger Barnes stormed through the 16.6 mile course, leaving from Sandringham Estate, in 36 minutes 27 seconds.

The 'out' leg gradually gained elevation, into a strong headwind, with the return journey largely downhill and sped up thanks to favourable wind conditions (see the course GPX here).

The 23-year-old Canyon-SRAM rider was 14s faster than 2015 and 2016 champion, Hayley Simmonds (BTC City Ljubljana), who narrowly defeated Barnes to take the bronze medal just days ago at the European Games in Minsk.

Last year's reigning champion, Hannah Barnes, came in third - in a time of 36-44.

"I got back form the European Games last night, I came away with two fourth places and I was pretty gutted with that. I think I misjudged my TT there, and I wanted to make up for it here. I'm really happy obviously," Barnes said following her win.

"I've not won an Elite title yet, so I'm really happy, and can't wait to get my skinsuit," she added.

In fourth, new recruit to the women's UCI peloton Elizabeth Banks (Bigla) was nipping at the heels of the podium, in 36-52.

The best placed rider from outside of the UCI peloton was Emma Lewis, who took fifth place.

Riding for The Independent Pedaler team, sponsored by the Canterbury based coffee stop location, she was 2-05 in arrears of the winner.

The 2016 and 2017 RTTC National Closed Circuit TT Champion has set multiple course records across the country at Cycling Time Trials (CTT) events in the past few months, making a transition from road racing with Brother UK-FusionRT.

Not far behind was Drops Cycling's newest recruit, Joscelin Lowden. Another rider relatively new to cycling, the result sees the former runner return to racing after sustaining a broken arm and separated shoulder in a crash at the Tour of California, her debut with the team.

>> British National Road Championships 2019 route: all you need to know

Britain's most decorated Paralympian, Dame Sarah Storey, finished in ninth in 37-53.

The start list include included last year's third placed rider, Neah Evans (Team HUUB), alongside team mate and Olympic track champion Katie Archibald.

The pair finished 12 and 13th respectively, with extensive track programmes not playing out well in the long solo event.

The under-23 women set off, riding the same course, from 5-55pm.

British National Women's Time Trial Championships, 2019 (16.6 miles)

1 Alice Barnes (Canyon-SRAM), 36-12

2 Hayley Simmonds (BTC City Ljubljana), 36-27

3 Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM), 36-44

4 Elizabeth Banks (Bigla), 36-52

5 Emma Lewis  (The Independent Pedaler), 37-01

6 Emily Meakin (The Independent Pedaler), 37-11

7 Joscelin Lowden (Drops), 37-33

8 Victoria Smith (AeroCoach), 37-41

9 Dame Sarah Storey (Storey Racing), 37-53

10 Anna Morris (AeroLab Ward WheelZ), 37-57

Henderson wins under-23 women

The inaugural under-23 women's time trial was the final event on the day's agenda, with the first rider off at 5.55pm.

Being the first of its kind meant there was no defending champion, but riders were seeded with Anna Henderson the last to leave the ramp.

The 20-year-old put in a solid performance to take the win by a slender margin of 8 seconds, with a time of 37-57, ahead of Drops' Elizabeth Holden.

Pfeiffer Georgi, who joined the UCI ranks at Team Sunweb this year, completed the podium with 38-23.

Henderson emptied the tank to take the win, only discovering her success via a pat on the back as she lay on the grass recovering.

Speaking after the race, the 2019 British National Circuit Race Champion thanked the governing body for allowing the under-23 women their own competition.

"It's so great of BC to put on a stand alone under-23 event. To put on such a great show and have such great competition was good," she said.

"I'm pretty new into time trialling, to get a jersey is pretty sick [good!]."

British National Under-23 Women's Time Trial Championships, 2019 (16.6 miles)

1 Anna Henderson (Brother UK - Tifosi p/b OnForm) 37-57

2 Elizabeth Holden (Drops) 38-05

3 Pfeiffer Georgi (Team Sunweb) 38-23

4 Sophie Wright (Bigla) 38-47.

5 Elizabeth Bennett (Campinense - Velo Performance) 39-22

6 Emily Wadsworth (Brother UK - Tifosi p/b OnForm) 40-07

7 Abigail Dentus (Brother UK - Tifosi p/b OnForm) 40-16

8 Monica Dew (Storey Racing) 40-33

9 April Tacey (Brother UK Fusion RT) 40-47

10 16 Lydia Watts (Cycle Team OnForm) 40-56

Alex Dowsett (Katusha-Alpecin) won the British National Time Trial Championships in Norfolk, bettering his third place from last year and drawing equal with prolific tester Stuart Dangerfield who claimed six national titles in the discipline between 1995 and 2005.

The 30-year-old completed the 25.9 mile course from Norfolk's Sandringham Estate in 49 minutes 25 seconds to take victory.

>> Alice Barnes upgrades silver for gold with British National time trial title win

Dowsett was second last to set off from the start hut, and after setting the fastest time had to wait nervously for his team-mate Harry Tanfield to come across the line. Thankfully, for Dowsett, Tanfield finishe two minutes down, finishing outside the top 10, with Dowsett sealing the victory.

Dowsett takes the title off Geraint Thomas (Ineos), who finished ahead of Tanfield in second with Dowsett in third last year.

The now six-time champion's early season racing schedule was scuppered by a crash at the UAE Tour on March 1, resulting in a fractured thumb. However, recovery was swift and recent weeks saw him play a team role at Tour de France lead up race, the Critérium du Dauphiné.

 Commenting after his win, he said: “For a few years this came quite easily, and I guess I took having the national stripes for granted, so I think I’ll enjoy wearing them more than any of the other times I’ve had them.

“Today was a fight – I think I was down after a third of the distance, then it was touch and go at two thirds. The calibre of riders coming through is huge, and I don’t know when my last national stripes will be, so I’m going to enjoy every moment.”

Second place at the National Time Trial went to 28-year-old John Archibald of Ribble Pro Cycling, with Stephen Cummings (Team Dimension Data) rounding out the podium - 27 seconds down on the winning time in 49-53.

Whilst women and under-23s completed one lap of a 16.6 mile course, the men rode 1.5 laps (GPX route) - still contending with a headwind in the outbound journey with a tailwind on the way back to the start.

>>> British National Road Championships 2019 route: all you need to know

British National Time Trial, men (25.9 miles)

1. Alex Dowsett (Katusha-Alpecin), in 49-25

2. John Archibald (Ribble Pro Cycling), at six seconds

3. Steve Cummings (Dimension Data), at 27s

4. Owain Doull (Ineos), at 42s

5. Dan Bigham (Ribble Pro Cycling), at 48s

6. Scott Davies (Dimension Data), at 1-06

7. Ian Stannard (Ineos), at 1-18

8. Christopher Fennell, at 1-30

9. Graham Rupert, at 1-41

10. Mark Christian (Wiggins Le Col), at 1-50

Quarterman wins the under-23 time trial

Last year's second placed rider, Charlie Quarterman (Zappi Race Team) went one better this year, to take the win over the shorter 16.5 mile course (GPX here).

The 20-year-old completed the course in 32-01, cruising in 43 seconds ahead of second placed Ethan Hayter (VC Londres) - who recently returned from a dominating GB performance at the Baby Giro.

In third was Ethan Vernon (Team Inspired), 1-54 behind to record a time of 33-56.

Speaking after his win, Quarterman said: "All I knew was that I had to go full gas the whole way. That's a bit risky on this course, because you have to go so hard on the way out, then just hang on on the way back. I knew when I got to the other side of the course that I was going well, and I just needed to keep pushing to the line."

"I ended up doing the ride of my life - I couldn't be happier."

Outgoing champion, Charlie Tanfield (Canyon DHB p/b Bloor Homes) was not down to start this year's event.

The under-23 men used a shorter route than the elite men, racing over 17 miles with 638ft climbed – see the GPX here.

The loop - with a tough headwind out and a tailwind in the return journey - was far from easy. Richardson-Trek's Theo Modell said: "It was a lot harder than I thought. I was coming down here thinking it was pan flat, but it's very grippy. The hill just keeps on rising. But in the end you get a nice downhill finish."

British National Time Trial, under-23 men (16.6 miles)

1. Charlie Quarterman, in 32-01

2. Ethan Hayter, at 44 seconds

3. Ethan Vernon, at 1-55

4. Matt Langworthy, at 2-05

5. Alfred Wright, at 2-10

6. Robert Scott (Wiggins Le Col), at 2-16

7. Tom Pidcock (Wiggins Le Col), at same time

8. Joshua Sandman, at 2-19

9. Jake Stewart (Groupama-FDJ development team), at 2-21

10. Harrison Wood, at 2-24

The British National Time Trial championships continue, with the under-23 women followed by road races on Sunday.

The 2019 British Road National Championships will be steamed by the the governing body itself this year.

The events - held in Norfolk this year - kick off on Thursday June 27, with the men's, women's, plus men's and women's under-23 time trials.

Each race against the clock will be live steamed on British Cycling’s Facebook page, with cameras at the finish.

The men will complete 25.9 miles, starting and finishing at the the Sandringham Estate, whilst the women and under-23s ride 16.5 miles.

The road race takes place on Sunday June 30, heading out of Norwich city centre for 125.2 miles in the men's race, and 83.5 in the women's.

You'll be able to catch the road races via British Cycling's Youtube channel.

Unlike last year, when highlights were shown on ITV4, there's no planned TV footage for the races.

>>> British National 2019 road race start list

>> British National 2019 time trial start list

>>> British National 2019 road race and time trial courses

Defending men's champion Connor Swift (Team Arkéa-Samsic) is down to take to the start line in the race, alongside Mark Cavendish (Team Dimension Data) and Hugh Carthy (EF Education First).

Other riders to look out for include 2016 winner Adam Blythe (Lotto Soudal), plus 2012 champion Ian Stannard (Team Ineos).

In the women's road race, reigning champion Jessica Roberts (Team Breeze) will be absent, as will four-time winner Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo).

The only previous winner listed to start alongside the women is Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM), who won in Stockton in 2016. However, she'll face competition from  Katie Archibald (Team HUUB), multiple Paralympic champion Dame Sarah Storey (Storey Racing) plus Olympic champion Elinor Barker (Drops).

In the time trial, again Barnes is a name to watch, as is sister and team mate Alice - who was second last year, plus Neah Evans (Team HUUB) who rounded off the podium in 2018.

The men's time trial features last year's second and third placed riders, Harry Tanfield and Alex Dowsett (both Katusha-Alpecin), whilst defending champ Geraint Thomas (Team Ineos) will be missing this one out as he recovers from his Tour de Suisse crash ahead of the Tour de France.

British Cycling National Time Trial Championships schedule (Thurs, June 27)

• 10.00 - Under-23 men
• 12.20 - Elite women
• 15.31 - Elite men
• 17.55 - Under- 23 women

British Cycling National Road Race Championships schedule (Sun, June 30)

• 09.00 - Elite & U23 Men Start
• 09.00 - Sportive Start
• 10.00 - Let’s Ride Start
• 13.20 - Elite & U23 Men approx finish
• 14.30 - Elite & U23 Women Start
• 18.00 - Elite & U23 Women approx finish
• 18.00 - Approx final sportive finish

As with any race schedule, timings are subject to change.

The start lists for the 2019 British National Time Trial Championships have been released, ahead of the race agains the clock on Thursday June 27.

All riders will roll out from the Queen's Norfolk retreat, Sandringham. The under 23 men go first, at 10am, with elite women at 12.20pm, elite men at 3.31pm and under 23 women at 5.55pm.

In the women's race, which will consist of one lap over a 16.5 mile course, reigning champion Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM) is back, as is sister and team mate Alice, who placed second in 2018.

Taking the third step on the 2018 podium was Neah Evans (Team HUUB), and she will also make a return, alongside two time champion Hayley Simmonds (BTC City Ljubljana) - who won in 2015 and 2016.

>>> British Road National Championships 2019 routes: road race and time trial courses

>>> British National 2019 road race start list

>>> British National Championships 2019 TV guide

Olympic track champ and 2017 bronze medallist Katie Archibald (Team HUUB) is another rider to watch, alongside Britain’s most successful female Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey (Storey Racing).

In the men's race, defending champion Geraint Thomas (Team Ineos) will be absent, leaving second placed Harry Tanfield (Katusha-Alpecin) to test himself against the 25.9 mile course.

Last year's bronze medallist, and five-time winner Alex Dowsett (Katusha-Alpecin) also returns, alongside 2017 winner Steve Cummings (Team Dimension Data), plus Ian Stannard and Olympic track champion Owain Doull (both Team Ineos), John Archibald (Ribble Pro Cycling) and Scott Davies (Team Dimension Data).

The men's under-23 field is missing reining champion Charlie Tanfield, with second placed Charlie Quarterman (Zappi Racing Team) seeded as the final rider to set off.

It's the first time that British Cycling has included a women's under-23 time trial in the programme - an event which was introduced for men in 2004. The governing body says that larger field sizes have made the inclusion of the event an option.

British Cycling’s Commercial Director, Jonathan Rigby, said: “This has been an ambition of ours for some time, but we knew that this would be the culmination of plenty of good work, rather than the starting point. The work that has gone on over recent years in ensuring that women’s cycling is stronger, more competitive and more sustainable is really bearing fruit, as this announcement shows.

“We have never shied away from the progress that we need to make to ensure complete gender parity in our sport, however this is another fantastic example that the historic gender gap is continuing to narrow.”

With no reigning champion, the last rider off will be national circuit race champion, Anna Henderson (Brother UK - Tifosi p/b OnForm).

British National time trial start lists 2018

Women's start list

Men's start list

Under 23 women's start list

Under 23 men's start list

The time trials will be live steamed on British Cycling's Facebook page.

The British National Championships are looming, and on Sunday June 30 we'll see the winners of the men's and women's races receive their stripy jerseys.

The men will take on 201 kilometres, and the women 134 kilometres, on a course in Norfolk which both start and finish in Norwich.

Both routes go north from Norwich city centre, via Wroxham, Cromer and Wells next the Sea, then continue through Holkham Hall for the men, taking in some of Norfolk’s most spectacular coastline before riders make their way back towards Norwich through Foulsham.

>>> British Road National Championships 2019 routes: road race and time trial courses

British National Championships road race start lists

Men's road race start list

Women's start list

The men's start list includes defending champion, Connor Swift (Team Arkéa-Samsic) plus Mark Cavendish (Team Dimension Data) and EF Education First's Hugh Carthy.

Adam Blythe (Lotto Soudal) also takes to the start line, as 2016 champion, plus 2012 champion Ian Stannard (Team Ineos).

Neither of the past two champions, Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) or Jessica Roberts (Team Breeze) will take the start line in the women's race.

Katie Archibald (Team HUUB) will ride this year, after missing out last year due to injury, having broken her collarbone at the Tour de Yorkshire and abandoned the Women's Tour following another crash.

Vying for the crown will be riders such as Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM), who won in Stockton in 2016, edging out sister Alice Barnes (Canyon-SRAM), who took the under 23 title for her second place that year and may be looking to go one better.

They'll be competing against the likes of multiple Paralympic champion Dame Sarah Storey (Storey Racing) plus Olympic champion Elinor Barker (Drops).

A formidable field of talent including Mark Cavendish, Katie Archibald and Harry Tanfield will fight for the esteemed British national champion’s jerseys later this month.

Cavendish (Dimension Data), a former national and world champion on the road, will return to the national road race in Norfolk on Sunday, June 30, alongside reigning champion Connor Swift (Arkéa-Samsic).

The women’s time trial event also features countless hitters including 2018 winner Hannah Barnes (Canyon-SRAM), Dame Sarah Storey (Storey Racing) as well as Olympic track champion Katie Archibald (Team HUUB).

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For 2019 the national championships will be held on the Royal Sandringham Estate from Thursday, June 27 until Sunday, June 30.

In the men’s road race, Swift will battle the likes of Cavendish, 2016 winner Adam Blythe (Lotto-Soudal), and 2012 champion Ian Stannard (Team Ineos).

Also racing will be 2019 Tour de Yorkshire winner Chris Lawless (Team Ineos) and rising star Ethan Hayter (VC Londres).

The women’s road race will close out the event and is wide open due to the absence of star Lizzie Deignan (Trek-Segafredo) and reigning champion Jess Roberts.

Hannah Barnes is the only former winner returning and faces Katie Archibald and Olympic and world track champion Elinor Barker.

The men’s time trial event, held over a 25.9-mile course will feature Katusha-Alpecin riders Harry Tanfield and five-time winner Alex Dowsett, along with double winner in 2017 Steve Cummings and Owain Doull (Team Ineos).

John Archibald (Ribble Pro Cycling), Scott Davies (Dimension Data) and Ian Stannard (Team Ineos) will also be racing the TT.

In the women’s TT, held over a 16.5-mile course, Hannah Barnes rides as defending champion and will have to see off challenges from her sister and team-mate Alice, Katie Archibald, and Britain’s most successful Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey.

At the 2018 British national champs, Geraint Thomas (Team Ineos) won the men’s time trial before going on to win the Tour de France, while Hannah Barnes beat Alice by 17 seconds.

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In the national road races there were two surprise victors, with the men’s title going to Connor Swift and the women’s title going to Jessica Roberts (Team Breeze).

This year, Thomas has opted to skip the nationals to focus on his Tour de France defence while Chris Froome (Team Ineos) was due to ride but has been forced to pull out after a horrific crash at the Critérium du Dauphiné.

After returning to racing in April after the birth of her daughter, Lizzie Deignan has confirmed she will not be racing the British Road National Championships later this month.

Currently riding the Women’s Tour for her Trek-Segafredo squad, the 30-year-old former world champion is opting instead for a period of rest before her final build up for the World Championships in Yorkshire in September.

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“I am at a point in my season where I need a break,” she told Cycling Weekly at the Women’s Tour. “My season is structured differently to usual and I would normally have had a break in May, and despite not racing the spring I was training throughout, and in order to be fresh for the World Championships I had to back off.

“Unfortunately that coincides with the Nationals.”

Deignan has long held an ambition to win a second rainbow jersey, with this year a specific target as the World Championships take place in her home county of Yorkshire. As if she needed any more motivation, the route of the women’s race, run on September 28, runs right past her parents’s house and her old school.

Before her pregnancy the Nationals had always played a big part in her season. She won the last of her four British road titles in her last outing in 2017, and even won in 2015 just days after a serious crash at that year’s Women’s Tour.

“It feels strange,” she continued. “I always like to support the British Nationals, but I also feel like we’re a point where it’s not like the Nationals hinges on me being there. We’ve got so many strong women now that it’s going to be a hard race whether I’m there or not.”

This year’s event will be held in Norfolk on Sunday June 30 and the gently undulating course is not one that would naturally suit Deignan.

“I have sprinted pretty well this week, which is a nice surprise, but I don’t think it would [suit me], it would be a hard race for me to win,” she added.

After giving birth last September, Deignan, a four-time national champion, returned to competition at the Amstel Gold Race in April, despite saying she was planning not to race until this month.

Since then she has raced regularly, with seventh place at Liège-Bastogne-Liège the standout result before this week’s British race.

Since giving birth, Yorkshire born Deignan has learnt time management is the key to optimising training and motherhood.

“I don’t know that I need more rest, it’s just that the rest I have I have to maximise,” she explained.

“Funnily enough coming away to a race is intensive mentally, but I know when I go home Saturday I will be completely refreshed because I’ve had seven night's sleep uninterrupted, all those little things. It’s about managing it.”

La Course on July 19 will be the next time we see Deignan race, with her subsequent programme still up in the air.

“I’m very lucky that I’ve got some flexibility with the team, so we’ll play it by ear,” she said.

British Cycling will hold a domestic women’s circuit racing series for the first time in 2019.

The three-race calendar was announced by the national cycling governing body on Wednesday, alongside six race dates for the men.

In 2018, women had one series made up of both circuit and road races, whilst men had two separate competitions.

Now, both the men’s and women’s National Circuit Series will see the best British talent compete over a number of criterium rounds to win as individuals and teams after the final race.

As well as announcing the dates for the Circuit Series, British Cycling has unveiled the events that will make up the National Road Race Series, and the National Championship dates and locations across both disciplines.

Announcing the Road Race Series, British Cycling confirmed there will be a new men's three-day race held on the Isle of Man next year.

British Cycling commercial director Jonathan Rigby said: “The calendars for both series will provide challenging, enjoyable racing for riders, and fantastic venues for cycling fans to follow the action.

“Progression of the series is an on-going process and, thanks to effective collaboration with teams, hosts and organisers, there are some positive steps: new race routes such as those in Leicester, Bristol and the South East, a town centre finish for the Tour of the Reservoir, and what promises to be a thrilling addition to the men’s series – a three-day stage race in the Isle of Man.”

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The 10-race men’s series will see the team and individual series champions crowned at the Leicester Cycle Classic on August 25, while women’s titles will be handed out after the eighth race at the Rydedale Grasscrete Grand Prix on August 18.

The women’s series and new three-day men’s race will be welcome additions on the domestic scene, which has be ailing in recent years.

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Some have branded the British cycling “the worst it’s ever been” after the closure of a number of teams.

The boss of the M2 Sports marketing agency, Steve Fry, proposed drastic changes to bolster the homegrown scene, including budget caps for teams, creating a coherent race calendar and teams doing more to prove their worth to sponsors.

Full dates for the HSBS UK National Circuit Series

Women's

Round 1: Bristol Grand Prix – Saturday 16 June, 2019

Round 2: Otley Grand Prix – Wednesday 3 July, 2019

Round 3: Barnsley Town Centre Races – Friday 19 July, 2019

Men's

Round 1: Otley Grand Prix – Wednesday 3 July, 2019

Round 2: The Wales Open Criterium – Friday 5 July, 2019

Round 3: Venue TBC – Wednesday 10 July, 2019

Round 4: Colne Grand Prix – Tuesday 16 July, 2019

Round 5: Barnsley Town Centre Races – Friday 19 July, 2019

Round 6: Sheffield Grand Prix – Wednesday 24 July, 2019

HSBC UK  National Circuit Championships (men’s and women’s)

Rochester – Sunday 21 July, 2019

HSBC UK National Road Series

Women’s

Round one - East Cleveland Klondike Ladies’ Grand Prix – Sunday April 14, 2019

Round two - Chestnut Homes Lincoln Grand Prix – Sunday May 12, 2019

Round three - CiCLE Classic – Sunday June 9, 2019

Round four - The Alexandra Tour of the Reservoir – Saturday June 22 - Sunday June 23, 2019

Round five - Curlew Cup – Sunday July 7, 2019

Round six - Stockton Grand Prix – Sunday July 14, 2019

Round seven - South Coast Classic – Saturday July 27, 2019

Round eight - The Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix – Sunday August 18, 2019

Men’s

Round one - East Cleveland Klondike Men’s Grand Prix – Sunday April 14, 2019

Round two - Chestnut Homes Lincoln Grand Prix – Sunday May 12, 2019

Round three - Bristol Grand Prix – Sunday June 16, 2019

Round four - Tour of the Reservoir – Saturday June 22 - Sunday June 23, 2019

Round five - Beaumont Trophy – Sunday July 7, 2019

Round six - Stockton Grand Prix – Sunday July 14, 2019

Round seven - South Coast Classic – Sunday July 28, 2019

Round eight - Isle of Man – Friday August 2 - Sunday August 4, 2019

Round nine - The Ryedale Grasscrete Grand Prix – Sunday August 18, 2019

Round ten - Leicester Castle Classic – Sunday August 25, 2019

HSBC UK National Road Championships (men’s and women’s)

Norfolk – Thursday June 27 - Sunday June 30, 2019