The National championships are looming, and on Sunday July 1 we’ll see the winners of the men’s and women’s races receive their stripy jerseys.
The men will take on 185 kilometres, and the women 106km, on a course in Stamfordham which is characterised by technical, narrow country lanes.
The key climb, Ryals, comes 30km before the end of the men’s race and 10km before the flag for the women’s.
Stamfordham, in Northumberland, last hosted a National championships in 2011, when both Lizzie Deignan and Bradley Wiggins won via late attacks.
>>> British Road National Championships 2018 routes: road race and time trial courses
The men’s start list includes defending champion, Steve Cummings (Team Dimension Data) plus Mark Cavendish (Team Dimension Data) and former champion Peter Kennaugh (Bora-Hansgrohe)
Adam Blythe (Aqua Blue Sport) also takes to the start line, as 2016 champion, plus 2012 champion Ian Stannard (Team Sky).
Lizzie Deignan celebrates her win – picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com
The women’s title is up for grabs, with Deignan sitting out whilst she waits for the birth of her first child.
Katie Archibald (Wiggle High5) is out 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 (Wiggle High5).
