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Wiggins Wins National Championship

Stamfordham, Tyne and Wear, 122 miles
Event: 26th June 2011 | Event Listing
Report: Phil Ingham & Snowdon Sports

Interviews - Wiggins & Thomas | Link: Women's Road race report

Andy Whitehouse's Images

BRADLEY Wiggins (Sky Pro Cycling) secured his first National Road Race Championship title with a dominant performance in the 2011 race in Northumberland on Sunday.

The Londoner crossed the line 20 seconds ahead of team-mates Geraint Thomas and Peter Kennaugh after clipping off the front in the final few miles to take a popular win at Stamfordham. With a sprint finish looking ever more likely, Kennaugh attacked and was brought back by Thomas. Wiggins took immediate advantage and attacked over the top of the pair, quickly established a gap and then rode clear to take the win.

VIDEO - CROWDS ON THE RYAL

The trio of Sky riders had been clear for much of the race, establishing a good margin of around two and a half minutes to a chasing trio which featured team-mate Ian Stannard, Ian Bibby and Kristian House, while most of the other contenders were languishing seven or eight minutes off the pace.

An early break of 12 riders included six Sky riders, and when the pace was driven so high it forced a split, Sky riders came out best with Wiggins and Thomas switching into time trial mode to plough through the miles towards victory, with Kennaugh in tow.

In the closing stages Stannard dropped his fellow chasers and crossed the line along, 5-41 behind Wiggins, to complete a 1-2-3-4 for Sky, while Ian Bibby (Motorpoint) beat Kristian House (Rapha Condor-Sharp) to fifth spot, just over eight minutes slower than Wiggins.

Such was the pace of the leading few groups that, once it became apparent that they had gone for good, many of the bunch packed in, including Mark Cavendish (HTC Highroad) and Alex Dowsett (Sky Pro Cycling).

Taking ninth overall, Scott Thwaites (Endura Racing) won the Under-23 title, crossing the line 8-28 behind Wiggins and edging narrowly ahead of U23 rivals Andrew Fenn (AN Post) and Erick Rowsell (100 Per Cent ME).

Great weather brought out the crowds, with the village of Stamfordham packed to the rafters with cycling fans and the Ryals climb looking more like a mountain stage of the Tour de France as fans five-deep parted at the last minute to let the riders through.

Bradley Wiggins (Sky Pro Cycling) said: "This is all part of the build up to the Tour de France, and the plan today was to win for the team. The three of us were all equally strong, but on the last lap Peter [Kennaugh] attacked and G [Geraint Thomas] stupidly pulled it back and I just went over the top. (he said laughing!)

"It's difficult to put in to words what having a National Champions jersey means, but if you're a cycling fanatic or historian, you will know exactly what it means."

Geraint Thomas (Sky Pro Cycling) said: "You know Brad, you can't give him 20 metres - he did a Fabian on us! But it was a great team performance, we can go to the Tour now and light it up!"

Watch the event on TV - Saturday 2nd July at 4.30pm on ITV4 - please check schedules as they are subject to changes.

Interviews - Wiggins & Thomas

Result:
Pos Name Team Cat Time
1 Bradley Wiggins Sky Pro Cycling Elite 04:41:08
2 Geraint Thomas Sky Pro Cycling Elite 35
3 Peter Kennaugh Sky Pro Cycling Elite st
4 Ian Stannard Sky Pro Cycling Elite 05:41
5 Ian Bibby Motorpoint Pro Cycling Elite 08:02
6 Kristian House Rapha Condor Sharp Elite 08:05
7 Ben Swift Sky Pro Cycling Elite 08:13
8 Yanto Barker Pendragon - Le Col - Colnago Elite 08:20
9 Scott Thwaites Endura Racing Elite 08:28
10 Andrew Fenn An-Post Elite st
11 Erick Rowsell 100% ME Elite st
12 Richard Handley Team Raleigh Elite st
13 Simon Yates 100% ME Elite 09:56
14 Luke Rowe 100% ME Elite 10:44
15 David Clarke Endura Racing Elite st
16 Tom Moses 100% ME Elite 10:47
17 James Sampson Motorpoint Pro Cycling Elite 10:51
18 Andrew Tennant Rapha Condor Sharp Elite 11:16
19 Joshua Hunt UVCA Troyes Elite st
20 Ben Stockdale Team Qoroz 1st st
21 Tom Last Sigma Sport-Specialized CT 1st 11:21
22 Joe Perrett Twenty3c-Orbea Elite 11:25
23 Simon Richardson Sigma Sport-Specialized CT Elite 11:27
24 Adam Yates Maxgear RT Elite 11:29
25 Andrew Griffiths Twenty3c-Orbea 1st 11:31
26 Robert Partridge Endura Racing Elite 11:42
27 Andrew Hawdon Herbalife/Wheelbase 1st 12:09
28 Matt Gee Team Raleigh 1st st
29 James Stewart Team UK Youth Elite st
30 Will Berjgfelt Motorpoint Pro Cycling Elite st
31 Robert Hassan Endura/Pedal Power Development 1st st
32 Tomas Swift-Metcalfe Tavira/Prio Elite 12:11
33 Rob Carter Velo 29 CT 1st st
34 Alex Coutts Giant Kenda Racing Team 1st 12:13
35 Ben Greenwood Rapha Condor Sharp Elite st
36 Steve Lampier Sigma Sport-Specialized CT Elite st
37 Richard Cartland Team Corley Cycles 1st 12:20
38 Ian Wilkinson Endura Racing Elite st
39 Dan Fleeman Team Raleigh Elite st
All below pulled out at bell
40 Jack Adams Forme Procycliste SanLamere Elite
41 Evan Oliphant Endura Racing Elite st
42 Pete Williams Motorpoint Pro Cycling Elite st
43 David Lines Endura/Pedal Power Development Elite st
44 Ross Creber CyclePremier.com-Metaltek Elite st
45 Mark McNally AN Post Sean Kelly Elite st
46 Daniel Patten Asfra Racing Team 1st st
47 Russell Hampton Sigma Sport-Specialized CT 1st st
48 Junior Heffernan Pendragon - Le Col - Colnago 1st Jun st
49 Russell Downing Sky Pro Cycling Elite st
50 Liam Holohan Team Raleigh 1st st
51 Simon Thomas Asfra Flanders RT 1st st
52 Daniel Smith Velo29 Cycling Team 1st st
53 Steve Adams Sigma Sport-Specialized CT 1st st
54 Jack Kirk Cyclisme Competition Multipole Elite st
55 Perry Bowater Asfra RTR Elite st
56 Tom Murray Sigma Sport-Specialized CT 1st st
57 James McLaughlin Pendragon - Le Col - Colnago 1st st
58 Ian Knight Team Corley Cycles 1st st
59 Lee Davies Motorpoint Pro Cycling Elite st
60 Jonathan Mould 100% ME Elite st
61 Jack Pullar Vanilla Bikes 1st st
62 Matt Jones Team Raleigh Elite
63 Nathan Edmondson USP Issoirenne Elite st
64 Tom Copeland Sigma Sport-Specialized CT 1st st
65 Alex Higham WyndyMilla Maxifuel Elite st
66 Duncan Moralee Team Sportcover Strategic Altur 2nd st
67 Dexter Gardias Forme Procycliste SanLamere 1st st
68 Joseph Kelly 100% ME Elite st
69 Dan Duguid Sigma Sport-Specialized CT 1st st
70 Gary Hand Endura/Pedal Power Development 1st st
71 Ian Taylor Herbalife/Wheelbase Elite st
72 Matthew Green VL Technics-Abutriek 2nd st
73 Jake Tanner Team Sportcover Strategic Altur 1st st
74 Tom Barras CyclePremier.com-Metaltek Elite st
75 Jake Hales Team Corley Cycles 1st st
76 Mike Cuming Twenty3c-Orbea Elite
77 Daniel McLay Omega Pharma-Lotto-Davo Elite

Under-23s:
1 Scott Thwaites (Endura Racing)
2 Andrew Fenn (AN Post)
3 Erick Rowsell (100 Per Cent ME)