Ben Swift, Ian Stannard and Luke Rowe all pull out of British National Road Race Championships
Alex Peters and Andy Fenn will be Team Sky's only representatives in the 2016 British National Road Race Championships

British sprinter Ben Swift will be looking for victory in the People's Choice Classic and flat stages of the Tour Down Under

Team Sky's Ben Swift, Ian Stannard and Luke Rowe will not race Sunday's National Road Race Championships in Stockton-on-Tees.
The trio were all on the startlist for the men's race but a knee injury sustained at the Tour de Romandie to Swift continues to rule him out, meaning his wait for national stripes continues.
Classics specialists Stannard and Rowe - the former won the race in 2012 - will not compete in the 207km race in order to keep fresh for the start of the Tour de France, which starts on Saturday, July 2.
Reigning champion Pete Kennaugh will also not race because of a broken collarbone suffered at May's Tour of California.
It means that Sky, who apart from Mark Cavendish's 2013 win have won every edition of the race since their inception in 2010, will only field Hackney-born Alex Peters and Scotsman Andy Fenn.
>>> British Cycling testing for motorised bikes at National Championships
The flat course in the north-east is suited to sprinters and despite illness forcing his abandonment at the Tour of Slovenia, Cavendish (Dimension Data) is still expected to take to the start.
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Scott Thwaites (Bora-Argon 18), Dan McLay (Fortuneo-Vital Concept), Chris Opie (One Pro Cycling) and Chris Lawless (JLT-Condor) are likely to be Cavendish's biggest challengers.
The news of the omission of Sky riders is another blow for organisers after Thursday's time trials were also absent of a number of high-profile personnel: Dani King (Wiggle-High5) and her teammate Amy Roberts didn't take part in the women's time trial, while Team GB track riders Owain Doull and Steven Burke (Team Wiggins) didn't race the men's race as intended, the same as McLay.
>>> Alex Dowsett wins British elite men’s time trial title for a fifth time
In the time trial events, Scott Davies won the men's U23 title for a record third time, Hayley Simmonds defended her women's title and Alex Dowsett (Movistar) won the men's race for the fifth occasion.
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
A freelance sports journalist and podcaster, you'll mostly find Chris's byline attached to news scoops, profile interviews and long reads across a variety of different publications. He has been writing regularly for Cycling Weekly since 2013. In 2024 he released a seven-part podcast documentary, Ghost in the Machine, about motor doping in cycling.
Previously a ski, hiking and cycling guide in the Canadian Rockies and Spanish Pyrenees, he almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains. He lives in Valencia, Spain.
-
Demi Vollering crushes rivals on final stage to claim overall victory at Itzulia Women
FDJ-suez rider wins the race for the third time after Mischa Bredewold was victorious in the opening two stages
-
‘An indescribable emotion’ - Italian veteran Diego Ulissi seals dream to wear pink on home roads during Giro d'Italia gravel stage
The XDS-Astana rider took over the pink jersey from Primož Roglič on stage 8
-
'I only found out I was coming to this race yesterday' - Sam Watson claims first WorldTour win in 3.4km Tour de Romandie prologue
Brit wins by just three tenths of a second to take leader's jersey
-
'It can really push me along' - How a velodrome comeback is making Caleb Ewan faster on the road
Australian says he'll "definitely" continue track work after rekindling passion
-
Could Caleb Ewan be Ineos Grenadiers' first Tour de France sprinter since Mark Cavendish? 'That's my goal'
"All I can do is try to win as much as possible and prove that I deserve to be there," says Australian
-
'An unprecedented opportunity for brands to be part of the evolution' - Ineos Grenadiers sponsor hunt steps up with sales agency partnership
Sportfive have been employed to find "non-endemic global partners for the team"
-
'We've all got a little bit extra in us this year' - Ineos Grenadiers recapture 'fighting spirit' with aggressive Paris-Nice display
British team continue to put tumultuous 2024 behind them with momentum and a new found mentality
-
Could a TotalEnergies deal be the end of Ineos Grenadiers as we know them?
Reports suggested this week that Ineos could be close to signing a deal with the French petrochemical firm
-
'They’re racing with their hearts again' - Robbie McEwen on Ineos Grenadiers' bright start to 2025
The British squad have already won four times in 2025
-
Ineos Grenadiers are entertaining so far this year, but how long will it last?
The British WorldTour squad have won four times already in 2025, but more than that, they have been fun. Is this the new dawn?