Ethan Hayter destroys competition to retain British time trial title

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