British Cycling – National Time Trial Championships 2013

National Road Race Championships | Glasgow 2013

British Cycling – National Time Trial Championships 2013

Author: Chris Maher, Pictures courtesy of: Chris Maher | Photography. Thanks to British Cycling for media accreditation.

2008 M Champion – Michael Hutchinson

2008 W Champion – Sharon Laws

2009 M Champion – Sir Bradley Wiggins

2009 W Champion – Emma Pooley

2010 M Champion – Sir Bradley Wiggins

2010 W Champion – Emma Pooley

2010 U23 Champion – Andrew Griffiths

2011 M Champion – Alex Dowsett

2011 W Champion – Wendy Houvenaghel

2011 U23 Champion – Douglas Dewey

2012 M Champion – Alex Dowsett

2012 W Champion – Wendy Houvenaghel

2012 U23 Champion – Sam Harrison

The 2013 National Time Trial Championships – East Ayrshire 20th June

Preview

This year we travel to Scotland, and in preparation for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. The Time Trial Course is a double circuit starting and finishing in Stewarton, East Ayrshire. The Women get underway around 15.00pm and cover two 17.6 Km circuits, the same goes for the U23 riders. The Senior Men ride a longer version of the same circuit that’s extends to 24.6 Km and again cover two laps starting at 18.30pm.

Setting off in last position will be on-form favorite and defending title holder Alex Dowsett. Recently seeing off stiff competition from the likes of Cadel Evans & Sir Bradley Wiggins in the Giro D’Italia, Dowsett will be looking to make it three in a row. There is of course a wealth of competition from our ever expanding British athletes who now ride for the Pro Continental Teams, and you can’t rule out Team Pursuiter Andrew Tennant.

In the Women’s Events, It’s former TT Champion Julia Shaw that rides off last. Out going Champion, Wendy Houvenaghel is not down to defend her title, so this opens the door for some maybe new to the title. The event has attracted a full Olympic compliment of Track Pursuiters in Joanna Rowsell, Elinor Barker, Laura Trott OBE, Lizzy Armitstead and Dani King.

Result

Alex Dowsett successfully defended his Time Trial Champions Jersey winning his third consecutive title. He is the first to win back-to-back victories, but it wasn’t without pain.

Dowsett crashed early into the first lap just out of town, but showed the World Class athlete that he is, by quickly remounting his bike and pushing the pain to one side. Showing determination, Dowsett began to reel himself back into contention, and by the end of the first circuit he was back in the lead by five seconds. Dowsett went on to win the title, but back at the finish line after dismounting and making his way back to the podium, he looked drained and in pain. Carefully pulling on the Champions Jersey, he realised his victory and acknowledged the tremendous applause from the crowd. Well deserved.

Dowsett, Champion for a third time, will know doubt relish in the fact that he can display his jersey once again on the continent, riding for Movistar on the world stage.

A surprise second for Matt Bottrill put him ahead of other continental riders, beating Sky Pro-cycling’s Ben Swift by twenty one seconds who finished third.

Sam Harrison, 100% ME retained his Champions Jersey, beating Team IG Sigma Sports, Joseph Perrett by twenty three seconds. Team mate George Atkins took third with a one, twenty five second deficit.

Joanna Rowsell, Wiggle Honda took her first road Time Trial Champions jersey beating Road Race favorite Lizzy Armitstead, Boel Dolmans by thirty two seconds. Katie Colclough, Specialized-Lululemon came another minuet down for third whilst the Trott sisters fought hard for fourth and fifth. Older sister Emma, Boels Dolmans got the better of her sibling Laura, Wiggle Honda by a hand full of seconds.

Senior Result