Peter Kennaugh won a second successive British men’s road title in a remarkable race while Lizzie Armitstead delivered a stunning solo effort to win the women’s title at the 2015 British Cycling National Road Championships.
Team Sky's Kennaugh finally distanced a courageous Mark Cavendish on the ninth and final climb of Michaelgate in Lincoln. Ian Stannard completed the podium.
Armitstead won her third British road title - after victories in 2011 and 2013 – with a solo attack on the penultimate climb of the famous Michaelgate. Alice Barnes, just 19 years of age, was second with Laura Trott third.
The moment @Petekennaugh won the 2015 British Cycling Road Championships! #RoadChamps pic.twitter.com/Z5AFbeo6jN
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) June 28, 2015
"The atmosphere is incredible and something I'll never forget," Kennaugh said.
"Obviously last year it meant everything - it was the first time - I'd been on the podium about four times before that so I really enjoyed this last year.
"I'm over the moon just to stay in white with my white bike and my white accessories!
"It means a lot to me and it gives you that extra motivation with that added pressure of carrying the jersey in the pro peloton - you can't just get away with sitting at the back and stuff. You're easily spotted.
"It's good for the motivation - it's good for the morale going forward for the rest of the year."
The moment @L_ArmiTstead won the 2015 British Cycling Road Championships! #RoadChamps pic.twitter.com/yUZrNcIX95
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) June 28, 2015
Of her third title, Armitstead said: "It means I get to be proud of being British in all the races that I do.
"It means a lot - it means new kit for a start! I go to the Giro on Friday so it will be a quick turnaround for them.
"I had some good people around me before the start who told me to believe in myself and I listened.
“It was a difficult race. The longer the race went on the better I started to feel.”
Women's race
No rider was able to match Armitstead's effort on the fourth of five times up the cobbled climb and the Boels Dolmans Cycling Team rider completed the last lap alone before crossing the finish line to the backdrop of Lincoln Cathedral.
Team Betch NL Superior-Brentjens rider Alice Barnes took a superb second in her first elite road championships to win the under-23 women’s champion title with defending champion Laura Trott, of Matrix Fitness, third.
2015 British champ Lizzie Armitstead talks to British Cycling shortly after #RoadChamps win. https://t.co/5QBzquFNJz
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) June 28, 2015
Claire Thomas and Amy Roberts had launched the first significant attack of the day and came into the first lap of the final circuit with 35-second advantage.
With four laps to go they were joined by Joanna Rowsell but behind them a group of six - Armitstead, Nikki Harris, Laura Trott, Hannah Barnes, Molly Weaver and Alice Barnes - were in pursuit.
Katie Archibald bridged across to make the group ten strong before a lull in tempo from the leading riders allowed the peloton to make up the ground and bring the race back together.
A delighted @BarnesAlice after clinching silver at the #RoadChamps in Lincoln. http://t.co/Sob7TXG4B7 https://t.co/vKVVjCreaI
— British Cycling (@BritishCycling) June 28, 2015
It was then Armitstead made her race-winning move and once she passed the crest of the climb she continued to put time into her chasers.
While Armitstead savoured the win behind her the race for silver and bronze came down to the final corners as Alice Barnes showed her huge potential in holding off the challenge of defending champion Laura Trott.
Men's race
A series of splits and attacks made for a captivating men’s race.
After crosswinds saw the peloton ripped apart in the early stages Kennaugh and Team Sky colleague Stannard escaped leaving Mark Cavendish, Luke Rowe, Scott Thwaites and Adam Blythe in pursuit.
Thwaites and Blythe dropped back before Luke Rowe decided to work with Cavendish to shut down the gap on his Team Sky associates with only three laps remaining.
They cut down the 40-second gap on the duo and bridged on Michaelgate - the eighth of nine ascents of the cobbles.
On the final 13-kilometre lap Stannard burst free but was caught before Kennaugh and Cavendish accelerated away leaving Rowe and 2012 champion Stannard to contest bronze.
It was fittingly left for the final climb of Michaelgate for the title to be decided and although Cavendish kept with Kennaugh the 26-year-old eventually pulled away to become the first British male to win back-to-back road titles since Roger Hammond in 2003 and 2004.
Team Wiggins' Owain Doull impressed to finish seventh and with it take the under-23 men's championship.
Results
