Alex Dowsett underlined his growing reputation with a 19 second win over Sky team-mate Steve Cummings in the British Time Trial Championships, run jointly by CTT and British Cycling.
Meanwhile, Wendy Houvenaghel Bike Chain Ricci produced an outstanding ride to beat Julia Shaw by almost a minute to claim the women's title.
We open our coverage with Andy Whitehouse's images from the day - below are a report, rider feedback and full results.
Senior Race
Women's Race
Espoir Race
Junior Race
Report
Torrential rain would prove to play a major player for many at the British Time Trial Championships held on the NC18 course at Sawtry on Sunday, with many riders either not starting or not finishing - the latter due mainly punctures on the wet roads.
In the senior event it would be Sky Pro Cycling's Alex Dowsett who would take gold and his first Senior British National title with a superb ride on the 29.4 miles circuit. It was a ride which was all the more impressive as a broken arm rest caused the Sky rider to change bikes with a handful of miles to the finish. Team mate Steve Cummings took the silver medal crossing the line nineteen seconds adrift again with a fine ride on the Cambridgeshire course. Third quickest was Michael Hutchinson(In-Gear Quckvit Trainship RT) but as an Irish registered rider, he was not eligible to claim the bronze so the third step of the podium was taken by a very popular Matthew Bottrill(I-Ride.co.uk) coming in @ 1.00.14.
After the event we spoke to Alex Dowsett: "To win the title is such a relief, I'm really over the moon about it. I'm keeping it in the (SKY) family, I've just have to live upto the last winner's results [Brad Wiggins took the title in 2010]. It will give me a lot of motivation for next year to be able to ride in white. The road surfaces today were really bumpy and the rain didn't help. I had a look at the course on Wednesday and it was bone dry and no wind so it couldn't have been more different today. I took things steady on the corners and had a bit of a scare with around 5kms to go when I had to change bikes because my arm rest fell off. I had Matt Bottrill in sight so I knew I hadn't lost a great deal of time. It was a relief to cross the line."
In the womens event it would be Bike Chain Ricci's Wendy Houvenaghel who was the pick of the big hitters on the shorter 20.9 mile course posting 45:38 to claim the 2011 British title from silver medallist Julia Shaw (www.drag2zero.com). The bronze went to Sarah Storey (Horizon Fitness RT).
Even though the afternoon's deluge would affect the whole championships it would be the espoirs who would take the brunt of the weather with only ten riders making the distance. Douglas Dewey(GWR Team) claimed gold with George Atkins (Velo Ecosse-Montpelliers) and Andrew Griffiths (Twenty3c-Orbea) taking silver and bronze respectively.
In the junior event it would be Ryan Mullen (Planet X) who posted the quickest time of 44:17 on the shorter course but because the young rider wasn't eligible to claim the title due to his nationality, it would be Oliver Rossi(PCA Ciclos Uno) who would pull on the Champion's jersey and take the British title. Brookes cycles' Declan Byrne took the runner up spot and Michael Barnes (Colour-Tech RT) rode in to take the bronze.
Results
Senior Men
1 Alex Dowsett Sky Pro Cycling 00:58:26 30.188
2 Steve Cummings Sky Pro Cycling 00:58:45 30.026
3 Matthew Bottrill I-ride.co.uk 01:00:14 29.286
4 Russell Hampton Sigma Sport 01:01:38 28.621
5 Joseph Perrett Twenty3c-Orbea 01:01:44 28.575
6 Matt Clinton MikeVaughan.co.uk 01:02:33 28.201
7 Blake Pond South Fork Racing 01:03:09 27.933
8 Colin Parry Wilier / Goselfdrive.com 01:04:02 27.548
9 Seth Kay DataTeamAllstars 01:04:23 27.398
10 Tejvan Pettinger SRI Chinmoy CT 01:04:48 27.222
11 James Ratcliffe Fred Williams Racing 01:05:02 27.125
12 Alistair Robinson Team Leslie Bike Shop 01:05:26 26.959
13 Dean Robson Somerset RC 01:06:07 26.680
14 Luke Moseley Climb on Bikes RT 01:06:37 26.480
15 Thomas Weatherall Cambridge University CC 01:06:53 26.374
16 Tom Sexton Welland Valley CC 01:07:22 26.185
17 Matt Plews Welland Valley CC 01:10:47 24.921
18 Andrew Ilsley Baines Racing Silvestone 01:18:58 22.339
Not eligible: Michael Hutchinson In-Gear Quickvit Trainsharp RT 01:00:08 29.335
Senior Women
1 Wendy Houvenaghel Bike Chain Ricci 00:45:38 W 27.480
2 Julia Shaw www.drag2zero.com 00:46:32 W 26.948
3 Sarah Storey Horizon Fitness RT 00:47:01 W 26.671
4 Rebecca Romero XRT - elmy Cycles 00:48:40 W 25.767
5 Emma Trott Nederland Bloeit 00:49:27 WE 25.359
6 Claire Newland Welwyn Whs 00:50:15 W 24.955
7 Ella Sadler-Andrews Horizon Fitness RT 00:50:16 WE 24.947
8 Paula Moseley Climb on Bikes RT 00:51:13 W 24.484
9 Lynn Hamel Herbalife / Wheelbase 00:51:46 W 24.224
10 Nicola Juniper Inverse / Cyclaim 00:51:47 W 24.216
11 Rachael Elliott Newbury RC 00:51:52 W 24.177
12 Bronwen Ewing Rye & District Wheelers CC 00:52:15 W 24.000
13 Charlotte Easton Look Mum No Hands! 00:52:54 W 23.705
14 Lara Taylor Velo Club Godalming & Haslemere 00:53:41 W 23.359
15 Louise Day Gabby Day CycleSport R T 00:53:57 W 23.244
16 Suzanne Robinson VC 10 00:54:00 W 23.222
17 Alexandra Grzegorczyk Leamington C & AC 00:55:18 W 22.67
18 Clare Simon iCycle 00:55:53 W 22.440
19 Jemma Anderson Rockingham Forest Whs 00:55:56 W 22.420
20 Claire Waterfield Welland Valley CC 00:56:02 W 22.380
21 Sara Dias-Ayton a3crg 01:00:53 W 20.597
22 Susan Holliday A5 Rangers CC 01:15:10 W 16.683
23 Jane Grant A5 Rangers CC 01:55:10 W
Not eligible: Jane Kilmartin Cult Racing 00:49:32 N/E 25.316
Espoir Men
1 Douglas Dewey GWR Team 00:43:37 Esp 28.750
2 George Atkins Velo Ecosse - Montpeliers 00:44:42 Esp 28.054
3 Andrew Griffiths Twenty3c-Orbea 00:45:09 Esp 27.774
4 Llewellyn Kinch GWR Team 00:45:35 Esp 27.510
5 Mike Rudling Wightlink / Offshore RT 00:45:44 Esp 27.420
6 James Gullen Team Wallis CHH R T 00:45:58 Esp 27.281
7 Adam French East London Velo 00:46:18 Esp 27.084
8 Jake Martin Pendragon / Le Colgano 00:46:35 Esp 26.919
9 Josh Monger Kettering CC 00:53:47 Esp 23.316
10 Paul Clarke Lincoln Whs CC 00:53:52 Esp 23.280
Junior Men & Women
1 Oliver Rossi PCA Ciclos Uno 00:44:57 J 27.898
2 Declan Byrne Brooks Cycles 00:45:53 J 27.330
3 Michael Barnes Colour-Tech RT 00:46:12 J 27.143
4 Daniel Young Glendene CC 00:46:16 J 27.104 4
4 Germain Burton Team De Ver 00:46:16 J 27.104
6 Luke Grivell-Mellor Mid Shropshire Whs 00:46:22 J 27.045
7 Kristian Woolf Kingscliffe Flyers 00:47:18 J 26.512
8 Alexander Royle Science in Sport.com 00:48:18 J 25.963
9 Jack Donaldson Dulwich Paragon CC 00:48:34 J 25.820
10 Luke Hattersley St. Ives CC 00:48:37 J 25.794
11 Edward Clemens VC 10 00:48:47 J 25.706
12 Henry Latimer Zappi's CC 00:48:57 J 25.618
13 Hannah Barnes Motorpoint Pro Cycling 00:49:33 WJ 25.308
14 Cameron Foster Zappi's CC 00:49:58 J 25.097
15 Josh Burke Wolverhampton Whs 00:52:45 J 23.773
16 Thomas Moore Progressive Cycle Coaching Development Squad 00:53:01 J 23.653
17 Harry Bellars Spalding CC 00:53:56 J 23.251
18 Joseph Harris Stratford-upon-Avon CC 00:54:00 J 23.222
19 Josh Teasdale Team Jewson - MI Racing - Thule - CNP 00:56:46 J 22.090
20 Melissa Bury Maxgear RT 00:57:48 WJ 21.696
Masters J
1 Keith Gelder A5 Rangers CC 01:02:54 J 19.936
2 Peter Knott Ribble Valley CRC 01:03:14 J 19.847
3 Keith Kinsey Fenland Clarion CC 01:04:11 J 19.538
Masters I
Richard Glover CC Ashwell 00:52:40 I 23.810
2 Michael Ives Team Jewson - MI Racing - Thule - CNP 00:54:45 I 22.904
3 Lawrie Hunt Cheltenham & County CC 00:57:23 I 21.853
4 Bill Law Fenland Clarion CC 01:00:03 I 20.883
5 Robin Maclagan VTTA (North Midlands) 01:01:01 I 20.552
Masters H
1 Reg Smith DataTeamAllstars 00:48:10 H 26.035
2 Mike Cotgreave Westmead Team 88 00:50:41 H 24.742
3 Dave Birch Welland Valley CC 00:54:06 H 23.179
4 Arthur Thomas Energy Cycles Club 00:54:24 H 23.051
5 Clive Faine Team Milton Keynes 00:55:29 H 22.601
6 David Saunders Kingscliffe Flyers 00:55:38 H 22.540
7 Anthony Hutton Welland Valley CC 01:06:01 H 18.995
8 Trevor Parrish A5 Rangers CC 01:06:36 H 18.829
Masters G
1 David Jones Zemblanity RT 00:51:27 G 24.373
2 John Francis High Wycombe CC 00:51:38 G 24.287
3 Robert Woodford Rockingham Forest Whs 00:53:03 G 23.638
4 Ken Roberts Preston Whs 00:56:06 G 22.353
5 Malcolm Freeman High Wycombe CC 00:56:34 G 22.169
6 Graham Huck Doncaster Whs CC 00:57:07 G 26.615
7 Rob Bennnett Ratae RC 00:59:54 G 20.935
8 Mrs Gillian Reynolds Willesden CC 01:04:20 G 19.492
9 David Barry sport.fagley 01:05:30 G 19.145
Masters F
1 Phil Bull V C Elan - Harry Perry Cycles 00:48:18 F 25.963
2 John Manning Derby Mercury RC 00:48:40 F 26.308
3 John Herring Leamington C & AC 00:49:12 F 25.488
4 John French Team Jewson - MI Racing - Thule - CNP 00:49:41 F 25.240
5 Simon Greenland Maidenhead & District CC 00:51:10 F 24.508
6 Philip Odell Bedfordshire Road CC 00:52:13 F 24.015
7 Christopher Lodge Finsbury Park CC 00:52:30 F 23.886
8 Peter Nix Rockingham Forest Whs 00:56:04 F 22.366
9 John Dainty Rockingham Forest Whs 00:57:57 F 21.639
10 Iain McColl Planet X 01:08:01 F 18.437
Masters E
1 Kevin Tye DataTeamAllstars 00:45:06 E 27.805
2 David Pollard In-Gear Quickvit Trainsharp R T 00:46:58 E 26.700
3 Rob Weare Leamington C & AC 00:47:18 E
4 David Johnson VC 10 00:47:29 E 26.409
5 James Stewart ICycle 00:48:00 E 26.125
6 Pete Smith Team Jewson - MI Racing - Thule - CNP 00:48:59 E 25.601
7 Hugh Boyle Rockingham Forest Whs 00:49:10 E 25.505
8 Geoff Perry Team Milton Keynes 00:49:40 E 25.248
9 Howard Ashmore Welwyn Whs 00:52:04 E 24.085
10 Paul Eveleigh Peterborough CC 00:55:23 E 22.642
11 Paul Hanratty Lewes Wanderers CC 00:59:18 E 21.147
12 Graham Bickle Rockingham Forest Whs 01:03:04 E 19.884
13 Charles Crookes Team Swift - Allsports 01:15:31 E 16.606
Masters D
1 Peter Georgi Giant CC 00:46:28 D 26.987
2 Dave Dent Wightlink / Offshore RT 00:46:35 D 26.919
3 Andrew Meilak DataTeamAllstars 00:46:40 D 26.871
4 Roy Chamberlain Team Corley Cycles / Cervelo / Alpha RC 00:46:42 D 26.852
5 Paul Mellen Horsham Cycling 00:47:00 D 26.681
6 Andy Eagers Derby Mercury RC 00:47:19 D 26.502
7 Paul Grindley Liverpool Century RC 00:47:56 D 28.543
8 Gary Allan G A Cycles 00:48:19 D 25.954
9 Daniel Thorogood Ystwyth CC Clwb Beicio 00:48:28 D 25.873
10 Simon Pitchford Fenland Clarion CC 00:49:32 D 25.316
11 Paul Welsby www.drag2zero.com 00:50:32 D 24.815
12 Ian Waterfield Welland Valley CC 00:50:33 D 24.807
13 Jeremy Chandler-Smith Welwyn Whs 00:51:33 D 24.326
14 Nick Lowe Swindon RC 00:52:01 D 24.108
15 Gary Kondor Sherwood Pines Cycle RT 00:52:27 D 23.908
16 Paul Green Westmead Team 88 00:52:31 D 23.878
17 Jon Clarke Lincoln Whs CC 00:53:49 D 23.301
18 Adrian Woolf Kingscliffe Flyers 00:57:42 D 21.733
19 David Ledgerton Team Salesengine.co.uk 01:00:32 D 20.722
Masters C
1 Gabriel Martinez VC Meudon 00:45:22 C 27.641
2 Jon Simpkins www.drag2zero.com 00:45:33 C 27.530
3 Scott Westwood Walsall Roads Club 00:45:54 C 27.320
4 Simon Cannings Team Milton Keynes 00:46:49 C 27.877
5 David Watson Coventry RC 00:46:54 C 26.738
6 Martin Smith Primaleurope 00:46:55 C 26.728
7 James Goward Team Scott Plasma 00:47:05 C 26.634
8 Graeme Stirzaker a3crg 00:47:22 C 26.474
9 Michael Hodson St. Ives CC 00:47:33 C 26.381
10 Ralph Mullan Shaftesbury CC 00:48:50 C 25.679
11 Earl Smith Royal Forest of Dean CC 00:49:16 C 25.453
12 John Sibley utag yamaha.com 00:49:27 C 25.359
13 Michael Kazimierski PBscience.com 00:50:15 C 24.955
14 Gisli Jenkins Sherwood CC 00:50:50 C 24.669
15 Chris Hyde Welland Valley CC 00:53:55 C 23.258
Masters B
1 Peter Weir Maidenhead & District CC 00:46:09 B 27.172
2 Steve Golla High Wycombe CC 00:46:18 B 27.084
3 Brett Harwood I-Ride.co.uk 00:47:10 B 26.587
4 Julian Ramsbottom I-Ride.co.uk 00:47:12 B 26.568
5 Tony Greenhalgh Maxgear RT 00:47:38 B 26.326
6 Andrew Tamplin Wrekinsport CC 00:47:40 B 26.308
7 Martin Jones Fenland Clarion CC 00:48:13 B 26.008
8 James Cracknell LA FUGA - Sigma Sport 00:48:23 B 25.918
9 Ian Wroblewski Lutterworth Cycle Centre RT 00:49:08 B 25.522
10 Daryl May Sheffrec CC 00:49:53 B 25.139
11 Darren Fagan a3crg 00:49:59 B
12 Edward Dursley Worcester St. Johns CC 00:52:16 B 23.992
13 Daniel Gee Ashfield RC 00:54:17 B 23.101
14 William Ndifuna GS Avanti 00:56:06 B 22.353
Masters A
1 James Gilfillan Team Feat 00:45:03 A 27.836
2 Ben Anstie Cadence RT 00:45:07 A 27.795
3 Nicolas Hutchings CS Grupetto 00:45:37 A 27.490
4 James Perkins Zenith CC 00:45:43 A 27.430
5 Conall Yates In-Gear Quickvit Trainsharp RT 00:45:59 A 27.271
6 Scott Walker I-Ride.co.uk 00:46:16 A 27.104
7 Nicholas English AW Cycles.co.uk 00:46:19 A 27.074
8 Jamie Scott ColbertCycles.co.uk 00:46:22 A 27.065
9 David Williams Fibrax-Wrexham RC 00:46:31 A 26.958
10 Jimmy Wright Preston Whs 00:46:45 A 26.824
11 James Stephenson Oxford University CC 00:46:46 A 26.814
12 Patrick Brennan a3crg 00:47:07 A 26.615
