DOWSETT, SIMMONDS AND DAVIES TAKE TIME TRIAL TITLES AT BRITISH CYCLING NATIONAL ROAD CHAMPIONSHIPS
Alex Dowsett, Hayley Simmonds and Scott Davies took the time trial titles at the 2015 British Cycling National Road Championships in Lincolnshire today.
Alex Dowsett produced a world-class performance at Cadwell Park to equal Stuart Dangerfield’s record of four British time trial titles, while earlier in the day, Hayley Simmonds and Scott Davies took the women’s and under-23 men’s crowns.
Dowsett set a scorching time of 1:00.11 over the testing 44.8-kilometre course that combined the open roads of Lincolnshire and the swooping tarmac of the Cadwell Park motor racing circuit.
SportGrub Kuota Cycling Team’s Ryan Perry set a marker of 1:04.28 before NFTO’s Edmund Bradbury dropped below the 1:04 mark with a 1:03.42 as title favourites Bottrill and Dowsett ploughed around the three laps of the open road sector of the Lincolnshire course, two of just six riders remaining with a chance of challenging for the medals.
As Dowsett passed Bottrill, it became clear that the 26-year-old Movistar pro was headed for a record-equalling fourth title – it was just a case how big the winning margin would be.
In the end Dowsett’s win was emphatic, a time of 1:00.11, ensuring that the British title was added to his remarkable year of UCI Hour record and Bayern Rundfahrt stage race triumphs.
Bottrill eventually finished fourth, four minutes and 20 seconds down on Dowsett, with Bradbury taking silver and Perry taking bronze.
Speaking after regaining the National Title, Alex Dowsett told British Cycling:
“It’s lovely to get it back,” said Dowsett. “It’s really significant being national champion. Now every time I do a time-trial I get to wear this!”
“I couldn’t have lost it to a more talented guy last year in Brad (Sir Bradley Wiggins) but it’s nice to have it back.
“That was tough. I didn’t have a radio so I had no idea where I was in relation to anyone else.
“The course itself – in training, I thought it would be easier in the race but it was actually harder, so I had no idea how well I was going out there. But when I saw Matt (Bottrill) I knew that either he was on a horrendous day or I was on a good one.
“I had a bit of a moment on the second to last corner around here. I’ve got quite a few friends who race British Superbike and I’m not going to hear the end of it from missing that apex!”
All images ©www.chrismaher.co.uk / CyclingShorts.cc
Team Velosport’s Hayley Simmonds produced a superb ride to take the British women’s title, defying the form book and finishing over a minute ahead of silver medallist Molly Weaver and bronze medallist Dame Sarah Storey.
Simmonds, who moved from rowing in 2009, took the lead from early pacesetter Ciara Horne over the 33.6-kilometre course. Posting a time of 51:39.89, the 2014 10-mile and 50-mile time-trial champion, threw the gauntlet down in resounding fashion, with Katie Archibald and Dame Sarah Storey still out on the course.
Liv Plantur’s Molly Weaver soon pushed Horne into third with a 52.58.18 time and within minutes, the pundits’ favourite was dropping out of medal contention.
Molly Weaver 2nd in BC’s National Road TT’s 2015 by Cycling Shorts
Molly Weaver of Team Liv Plantur chats to Chris Maher of CyclingShorts.cc about her podium result in the 2015 British Cycling National Road Time Trial 2015.
Dame Sarah Storey couldn’t challenge the time of Simmonds, the multiple Paralympic champion stopping the clock at 53.00.61 and dropping into third with just a few challengers left out on course.
Storey’s team-mate Katie Archibald, who took silver in 2014, was the last challenger to finish but could only manage sixth, handing the women’s crown to a delighted Simmonds.
Hayley Simmonds – Women’s 2015 National TT Champion 2015 by Cycling Shorts
Hayley Simmonds was crowned British Cycling National Road Time Trial Champion 2015 on the 25th June. She chats to Chris Maher of CyclingShorts.cc about her win.
“It’s completely overwhelming – I’ve worked really hard for this,” said Simmonds. “I hoped it was going to be really close and I just went out and did the ride that I thought I could, did the effort I thought I could and obviously it paid off.
“I was just trying to focus on getting out the ride that I was capable of and not necessarily concentrating on the other big names that were starting after me.”
“After I finished and I was half collapsing over my bike I could just hear the commentator say my time and then say ‘will anyone go under 50 minutes’. Dame Sarah and Katie Archibald are both capable of going under 50 and at that point I wasn’t even sure that I was in the lead, let alone that I was going to win by a minute.”
Cycling Shorts caught up with Hayley after her ride to victory.
She told me that the race had went really well for her. After spending time looking around the course outside of Cadwell Park, She knew that she would be capable of setting a competitive time by sticking to her plan.
Hayley has won a few Time Trial Championships over different lengths in recent years. Coming into this race, she had recently won the Holme Valley Wheelers 2 Day in early June, beating the likes of Dame Sarah Storey and National Road Race Champion Laura Trott. This had gave her confidence to trust her ability, and ride the race at a pace that suited her.
She is currently studying for her PhD, and should have it submitted by March next year. Once that’s out of the way, Hayley said that she would like to take up professional bike riding full-time.
I asked her about the National Road Race coming up on Sunday in Lincoln. “Yes” she told me, “I’m riding it”. But she went on to say that her main objective this week, had been the Time Trial today. That’s were all her focus has been recently. Going out and checking out the course route, the twists and turns, and figuring out the best way to approach each corner, each climb.
For the near future, Hayley said she was going to have a go at a 100, something she’s not attempted before. So it won’t be long before you get to see the Red & Blue Strip Jersey on the road again somewhere around the UK.
Earlier in the day, 100%ME’s Scott Davies successfully defended his British under-23 time trial title.
The 19-year-old from Carmarthen fought off a strong challenge from fellow Welshman, Team Wiggins’ Owain Doull, recording a time of 47:20.32 to retain the jersey he won in Monmouthshire 12 months ago.
Axeon Cycling Team’s Tao Geoghegan Hart had been the first to break into the 47-minute times with 47:37.90, only for Doull to immediately strike back with a stunning 47:26.53.
But Davies, continuing the stellar form demonstrated earlier in the year at Tour de Yorkshire, did not falter, besting Doull’s time by six seconds with a 47:20.32 masterclass, joining Alex Dowsett and Sam Harrison as only the third rider to win back-to-back under-23 time trial titles.
A relieved Davies commented after the race:
“It was pretty tough – I think the nature of the course meant holding a rhythm wasn’t that easy today,” said Davies following his effort.
“It’s quite rolling so there’s no real stretch where you can hold the same pace. It’s up, down and up. That steep hill is quite tough as well – quite a testing course.
“Relieved is the word that I’d use to describe how today went. I came up to it with a bit more pressure than last year – relieved to have defended it.”
Top Three Results
Under-23 men
1. Scott Davies
2. Owain Doull
3. Tao Geoghegan Hart
Women
1. Hayley Simmonds
2. Molly Weaver
3. Dame Sarah Storey
Men
1. Alex Dowsett
2. Edmund Bradbury
3. Ryan Perry
Highlights of the time trials will be shown on British Eurosport 2 tomorrow (Friday 26 June) at 6pm.
The 2015 British Cycling National Road Championships continue on Sunday 28 June with the road races, which start and finish in Lincoln city centre. The women’s and men’s race will be broadcast live on British Eurosport from 11:30am with highlights on ITV4 on Monday evening at 6pm.
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