No Cavendish, Wiggins or Thomas for British National Champs
Bradley Wiggins, Mark Cavendish, Geraint Thomas, Chris Froome and Peter Kennaugh have all opted out of riding the 2012 British National Championships road race as they prepare for the forthcoming Tour de France and/or Olympic Games.
Team Sky confirmed on Monday morning that Alex Dowsett, Jeremy Hunt, Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard and Ben Swift will represent the squad at the National Champs in North Yorkshire on Sunday, June 25.
Last year's national champion Wiggins commences his bid to win the Tour de France less than a week after the National Champs, and the race simply doesn't fit into his pre-Tour training schedule. Cavendish too will be aiming to defend his green jersey at the Tour fresh from winning the Ster ZLM Toer in Holland on Sunday. Froome will be supporting both riders at the Tour.
Thomas will miss the Tour de France this year, but is preparing on the track as part of Team GB's team pursuit line-up with Peter Kennaugh.
"In an ideal world we'd have our full British contingent competing, but with the Tour de France and Olympics now very much on the horizon, it simply isn't possible," said Sky coach Rod Ellingworth.
"Bradley, Chris and Mark are all fine-tuning their condition ahead of a busy summer on the road, while Pete and Geraint are now mid-way through a crucial block of Olympic track training."
The 2012 Tour de France starts on Saturday June 30 in Liege, Belgium.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Related links
Cavendish takes career first GC win in Ster ZLM Toer
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.
-
HUNT 60 Limitless UD Carbon Spoke Aero Disc Wheelset
An impressive all-rounder that's well-suited to wider tyres and a range of riding styles
By Andy Turner Published
-
Zwift introduces Racing Score to make platform 'more competitive, fairer and accessible'
Zwift says new ranking system will reflect both fitness level and racing skill
By Tom Thewlis Published