Sir Bradley Wiggins, Emma Pooley and Scott Davies became British time-trial champions on Thursday with stunning performances in Monmouthshire, Wales.
Wiggins won his third British time-trial title with Pooley a class apart in the elite women's event and Davies a deserving winner of the under 23 men's contest.
Elite men
Team Sky’s Sir Bradley Wiggins produced a sensational performance to become British elite men’s time-trial champion.
The 34-year-old completed the 26-mile hilly course in 53 minutes and 56 seconds, over a minute clear of teammate Geraint Thomas as defending champion Alex Dowsett of Movistar finished third.
Wiggins was the clear leader after lap one of the 13-mile circuit, his time of 26 minutes and 29 seconds over a minute faster than Dowsett and 30 seconds clear of WelshmanThomas.
The 2012 Tour de France winner maintained the gap on lap two to win his third British time-trial title.
“This is probably my last British time-trial championship so to win it and perhaps never come back again is a nice way to end it and add it to the Olympic title and try and win the worlds at the end of the year," Wiggins said.
Elite women
Emma Pooley is 2014 British time-trial champion, claiming her third national title by an impressive margin from Katie Archibald and Dame Sarah Storey.
Pooley, who won the world time-trial title in 2010, revelled in the hilly conditions of the Monmouthshire course and was the last woman to ride before rain set in.
Defending champion Joanna Rowsell was last to go in worsening conditions, eventually finishing out of the medals in sixth.
Runner-up in 2013, Lizzie Armitstead did not start the 13-mile effort against the clock, keeping herself fresh for the road race title defence on Sunday.
Wiggle Honda’s Amy Roberts was the first woman to take the start ramp in Celtic Manor and notched-up a time of 33 minutes and 19 seconds, a benchmark that left the 19-year-old Welshwoman in the hot seat for much the event, until Lucy Coldwell of Velosport smashed Roberts’ time with a 31:43.
Coldwell’s time stood as one-by-one the 30-strong field came through until Pooley came through with a blistering time of 30:18, the last rider to complete the course before rain began to fall on the circuit.
World team pursuit champion Elinor Barker came close to toppling Pooley with a 31:22 ride before Barker’s team pursuit colleague, Katie Archibald (Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International), hotly tipped for the win, came even closer with a 30:57.
Dame Sarah Storey, Archibald’s teammate was next to challenge with a 31:09 before under-23 road race champion Laura Trott posted a 31:27 with only a few riders, including Wiggle Honda teammate and defending champion Joanna Rowsell to go.
However Pooley’s effort proved to be invincible, the 31-year-old taking the title for the third time after wins in 2009 and 2010.
Rowsell, hamstrung by the last-minute change in conditions, finished in sixth place with a time of 31:41.
After taking the title Pooley said:
"It's been quite a few years since I've ridden the national championships so actually I think every time I've ridden it, I've won it! It's really special because it's quite a while since I've won a race.
"The way I approach time trials it doesn't really matter what the course is, you have to have a constant effort over the time.
"I knew I was going to race for appoximately half an hour so the idea was to not totally smash yourself on the hills but keeping the power up on the descents as well - and not fall off as well! It rained in the last few minutes and got pretty slippy.
"I try to not think about the other riders in a time-trial. I can't affect how they ride and all you can do is do your best and if someone's quicker, then good on them.
"I think Katie Archibald did an awesome ride. I'm really impressed - she's quite a talent."
Under-23 men
Madison Genesis’ Scott Davies is under-23 British time-trial champion, recording a stunning 27 minute 45 seconds time to take the national champions jersey by a margin of over 20 seconds.
Davies, who rode with the Great Britain Cycling Team UCI Nation’s Cup squad earlier in the season, was tipped for the title by Great Britain teammate Owain Doull prior to the event and Doull was the only man who could get near Davies on the tough 13-mile course around the Celtic Manor resort near Newport, South Wales.
"It hasn’t quite sunk in yet but I’m over the moon," Davies said.
"I knew I had a chance but I didn’t expect to get the better of Owain (Doull). I think going into it I considered him the favourite. He had the form and I know he’s a good time-triallist. I think to win it from such strong competition means a lot to me."
Rapha Condor JLT’s Hugh Carthy set the early benchmark with a 28 minute 58 second ride on the hilly 13-mile course, the first rider to break the 29-minute barrier.
Carthy’s time was soon matched, to the second, by Harry Tanfield of KTM Road and Trail before talented 18-year-old Scott Davies of Madison Genesis stormed through the finish to record a 27 minute and 45 second time.
Dan McLay of Lotto-Belisol posted a 28:44 to go second but Davies' time stood firm with only a few riders, including favourite An Post Chain Reaction’s Owain Doull, left on the course.
But Doull couldn’t match the performance of the 18-year-old sensation, the Cardiff man posting a 28:09 to go second, handing victory to Davies, who makes his Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow in July.
Results
Under-23 men
1 Scott Davies Madison Genesis 00:27:45
2 Owain Doull An Post - Chain Reaction 00:28:09
3 Daniel Mclay Lotto-Belisol U23 00:28:44
4 Hugh Carthy Rapha Condor JLT 00:28:58
5 Harry Tanfield KTM road-and-trail.com 00:28:58
6 Lawrence Carpenter Catford CC Equipe/Banks 00:29:01
7 Alex Peters Madison Genesis 00:29:05
8 Samuel Williams NFTO 00:29:14
9 Alexander Royle BH-Solidor-WAM Youth 00:29:18
10 Zachery May Metaltek KUOTA RT 00:29:23
Elite men
1 Bradley Wiggins Sky ProCycling 00:53:56
2 Geraint Thomas Sky ProCycling 00:55:04
3 Alex Dowsett Movistar 00:55:17
4 Luke Rowe Sky ProCycling 00:56:55
5 James McLaughlin Guidon Chalettois 00:57:16
6 Matt Bottrill www.drag2zero.com 00:58:03
7 Mark Christian Team Raleigh 00:58:12
8 Russell Hampton Athlon Sport - Cloud 9 Telecom 00:59:15
9 Joe Perrett Team Raleigh 00:59:29
10 Gruffudd Lewis Pedal Heaven-Colbornes 1:00:11
Elite women
1 Emma Pooley VC Norwich 00:30:18
2 Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:30:57
3 Dame Sarah Storey Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:31:09
4 Elinor Barker Wiggle Honda 00:31:22
5 Laura Trott Wiggle Honda 00:31:27
6 Joanna Rowsell Wiggle Honda 00:31:41
7 Lucy Coldwell Velosport - Pasta Montegrappa 00:31:43
8 Danielle King Wiggle Honda 00:32:28
9 Emily Robertson CC Luton 00:33:06
10 Claire Galloway Pearl Izumi Sports Tours International 00:33:11
