Lizzie Armitstead and Peter Kennaugh champions in the British Road Race Championships in Lincoln
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2015 British Road Race Championships
As many expected, Lizzie Armitstead reveled on the tough climb of Lincoln to ride away from the rest and win alone
Peter Kennaugh and Lizzie Armitstead took the road race titles at today’s British Cycling National Road Championships in Lincolnshire.
Peter Kennaugh took his 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.
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 behind Cavendish.
In a nail biting finale between two riders from the Isle of Man, Peter Kennaugh defeated the battered and bruised Mark Cavendish
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.
Lizzie Armitstead riding away from defending champion Laura Trott on Michaelgate
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. “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.”
Cav rolls across the line, beaten by Kennaugh to the title.
Ian Stannard beats Luke Rowe to the line as Luke’s mum (in orange) watches from the barriers
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.
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.
“It means I get to be proud of being British in all the races that I do,” Armistead said of being able to wear the British champion’s jersey.
“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.
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.
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.
MENS RESULT
1 Peter Kennaugh Team Sky 04:27:33
2 Mark Cavendish MBE Etixx – QuickStep @5SEC
3 Ian Stannard Team Sky @39SEC
4 Luke Rowe Team Sky
5 Scott Thwaites Bora Argon 18 @3:00
6 Adam Blythe ORICA GreenEDGE @3:30
7 Owain Doull Team Wiggins U23 @6:29
8 Yanto Barker One Pro Cycling @8:04
9 Steve Lampier Raleigh GAC @8:05
10 Jonathan Mould One Pro Cycling @8:07
11 Russell Downing CULT Energy Pro Cycling @8:11
12 Kristian House JLT Condor @8:19
13 Andy Fenn Team Sky @8:20
14 Richard Handley JLT Condor @8:24
15 Sam Lowe Raleigh GAC U23 @8:26
16 Thomas Stewart Madison Genesis @8:29
17 Mark McNally Madison Genesis @8:43
18 Matt Gibson 100% ME U23 @8:45
19 Scott Davies 100% ME U23 @10:37
20 Simon Yates ORICA GreenEDGE
21 Matthew Holmes Madison Genesis U23 12:31
22 James Shaw Lotto Soudal U23 @12:53
23 Gabriel Cullaigh 100% ME U23
24 Dale Appleby NFTO 12:58
25 Michael Cuming JLT Condor @12:59
26 Chris Opie One Pro Cycling @13:06
27 George Atkins One Pro Cycling
28 Daniel Pearson Zalf Euromobil Desiree Fior U23 @13:13
29 Tao Geoghegan Hart Axeon Cycling Team U23 @13:15
30 Ryan Perry SportGrub KUOTA Cycling Team @13:20
WOMEN’S RESULT
1 Elizabeth Armitstead Boels Dolmans Cycling Team 02:51:14
2 Alice Barnes Team Betch NL Superior – Brentjens U23 @1:52
3 Laura Trott Matrix Fitness
4 Molly Weaver Matrix Fitness U23
5 Nikki Harris Young Telenet Fidea Cycling Team @2:01
6 Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l U23 @2:03
7 Hannah Barnes Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling Team U23 @2:05
8 Lucy Coldwell Unattached @2:09
9 Sharon Laws Bigla Cycling Team @2:12
10 Hayley Simmonds Team Velosport @2:15
11 Jessie Walker Matrix Fitness U23 @2:28
12 Rebecca Nixon Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science 2:28
13 Lucy Garner Liv – Plantur U23 @:2:30
14 Emma Grant IKON – Mazda @2:36
15 Gabriella Shaw Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l
16 Suzetta Guerrini London Dynamo @2:38
17 Laura Massey IKON – @2:39
18 Charline Joiner Team WNT @2:40
19 Emily Kay Team USN U23
20 Jennifer George Les Filles Racing Team @2:41
21 Joanna Rowsell Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l @2:45
22 Julie Erskine IKON – Mazda
23 Natalie Grinczer Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science U23
24 Nicola Juniper Team Giordana – Triton @2:48
25 Elizabeth Stedman Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science @2:50
26 Bethany Hayward Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l U23 @2:52
27 Genevieve Whitson WV Avanti
28 Claire Thomas Unattached @2:53
29 Jennifer Hudson Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science @2:55
30 Dame Sarah Storey Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l @2:57
31 Rebecca Rimmington Aprire Bicycles/HSS Hire @3:03
32 Maryka Sennema Paceline RT 4:21
33 Annasley Park Team Giordana – Triton U23 @4:32
34 Sophie Coleman PMR@Toachim House @4:37
35 Louise Mahe IKON – Mazda @5:10
36 Brit Tate Team WNT U23 @5:18
37 Gabriella Leveridge Velosure Starley Primal @6:12
38 Louise Laker PMR@Toachim House @6:15
39 Hannah Payton Corley Cycles – Drops RT @6:18
40 Sophie Faulkner Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science U23 @6:24
41 Josephine Gilbert Velosure Starley Primal U23
42 Nicole Oh Les Filles Racing Team @6:33
43 Amy Roberts Wiggle Honda U23 @7:06
44 Laura Greenhalgh Les Filles Racing Team @8:26
45 Anna Christian Wiggle Honda U23 @8:30
46 Hayley Jones Bicycle Superstore. U23
47 Jo Tindley Team WNT GBR @8:31
48 Lucy Martin Matrix Fitness
49 Amy Gornall Aprire Bicycles/HSS Hire U23 @8:38
UNDER 23 CHAMPIONSHIP
1 Alice Barnes Team Betch NL Superior Brentjens
2 Molly Weaver Matrix Fitness
3 Katie Archibald Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l
4 Hannah Barnes Unitedhealthcare Pro Cycling Team
5 Jessie Walker
6 Lucy Garner Liv – Plantur
7 Jo Tindley Team WNT
8 Emily Kay Team USN
9 Natalie Grinczer Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science
10 Bethany Hayward Pearl Izumi Sports Tours Int’l
11 Annasley Park Team Giordana – Triton
12 Brit Tate Team WNT
13 Hannah Payton Corley Cycles – Drops RT
14 Sophie Faulkner Fusion RT Gearclub Bike Science
15 Josephine Gilbert Velosure Starley Primal
16 Amy Roberts Wiggle Honda
17 Anna Christian Wiggle Honda
18 Hayley Jones Bicycle Superstore.
19 Amy Gornall Aprire Bicycles/HSS Hire
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