Briton Alex Dowsett has taken the gold medal in the time trial at the Under-23 European championships today.
The Trek Livestrong rider stopped the clock at 31:08 minutes for the 25km time trial that took place on similar terrain to a British time trial – exactly the events that Dowsett grew up riding.
“This is everything I’ve been working for for the last seven weeks,” Dowsett told Cycling Weekly. “It was pretty hot, but It was similar to a British TT course, really rolling. At times we had three lanes of motorway to play with.”
“I went flat out, the heat got to me a bit so I had to back off at times as I felt I was over cooking it,” he continued.
The championships is Dowsett’s first major outing since crashing and breaking his scapula at the end of May
The former Olympic Academy rider was Great Britain’s sole entrant in Turkey. He travelled to the championships with British Cycling coach Dan Hunt on Tuesday. “A time trial is a lonely affair anyway. We got out here on Tuesday, got settled in and went through the motions.”
Dowsett returns to America on Sunday to rejoin his team mates. “I’m hoping to do the Tour de l’Aviner with the British team then finish the season at the worlds in Melbourne and Commonwealth Games.”
RESULTS
Under-23 European championships 2010, individual time trial 25.9km
1. Alex Dowsett (Great Britain) 31-08
2. Geoffrey Soupe (France)
3. Nelson Oliveira (Portugal)