British National Championships - CN

North Yorkshire, Great Britain, June 28-29, 2008

National Champs summary 2007 results The program Preview Start List Past winners

The program

Day 1 - June 28: Elite/U23 women's road race, 106 km
Day 2 - June 29: Elite/U23 men's road race, 203 km

Quality field lines up for tough British championship

The British national championships return to North Yorkshire on the weekend 28th / 29th June. Last year's men's road race championships were a complete wash out due to severe flooding in the area and the event had to be incorporated into the later Grand Prix of Wales. Duncombe Park hosts the start and finishes of four championships this year with the Women's 106km Senior and U23 races being run concurrently on Saturday 28th and the Men's 203km Senior and U23 races follow Sunday.

Russell Downing won the men's race when it last held at Duncombe Park in 2005 and the Pinarello RT professional from Doncaster will be in confident mood after his double victory in UCI ranked events in Wales last weekend. Downing also leads the British Cycling Premier Calendar series this year with older brother Dean (Rapha Condor Recycling.co.uk) lying in second spot. 157 riders have entered the race which also incorporates the Pete Longbottom memorial trophy. David Millar (Slipstream-Chipotle) returns to defend the title he won last year with silver medallist Daniel Lloyd (An Post-Sean Kelly) returning with hopes to improve just one notch.

Russell Downing will have good support in his team which includes Malcolm Elliott, Tom Murray and Lee Davis. Russell's brother Dean has probably the strongest team and numerical advantage on paper with Chris Newton, Kristian House, Rob Partridge, Dale Appleby and Graham Briggs included in the team's 13-man entry. Plowman Craven RT's Evan Oliphant and Simon Richardson are currently on form and can be a podium contenders. The youngsters in the 100% ME team like Ben Swift, Jonathan Bellis and Peter Kennaugh will be out to beat the old guard and have already demonstrated this season that they have the talent and motivation to do it.

The big hitters returning from the continent will undoubtedly be challenging for the champions jersey. Jeremy Hunt (Credit Agricole – Winner 1997 & 2001), Roger Hammond (Team Columbia – Winner 2003 & 2004), Ian Stannard (Landbouwkrediet / Tönissteiner) and Mark Cavendish (Team Columbia) all return to challenge for medals. Watch out for Matt Stephens (Sigma Sport RT) who showed he was returning to form last weekend with a storming ride when he finished in fourth spot in the GP of Wales. Cavendish continues to have good form and has showed that he can ride with the best of the pros on the continent over difficult terrain and will be favourite for the gold medal if it comes down to a sprint.

Rob Hayles (Halfords-Bike Hut) rides the event as does his team mate Tom Southam who has bittersweet memories of the championships where he has twice missed out on the national champion's jersey when he finished second.

The race is being held on two separate circuits in the Howardian Hills both with energy sapping undulations. The race starts at 10:00 with the finish in front of the big country house expected around 15:30. There are no major climbs on the event but the continual undulations will turn it into a race of attrition.

Malcolm Elliott (Pinarello RT) will be riding the event just before his 47th birthday and the winner of the British Professional title back in 1993 is under no illusions about how tough the race will be.

"It is not a course that I have done too well on in the past," said Elliott: "But I am in the best shape I have been in for the nationals for a few years now. It is quite a ‘selective' course but there is nothing really major there and it will be the riders who make the race. The field is certainly not lacking in quality this year. The combination of the constant up and down and some really motivated guys who have come back home to win it, will make it very difficult. My goal is to get round in the best shape possible and then help Russ (Downing) in the crucial closing stages. There will be a lot of wearing down and some legs will be buckling towards the end. I need to be at the top of my game to make a difference."

"I think the guys coming home from the continent will have a major advantage having raced at a higher level," continued Elliott: "You can see that when they start to put the hammer down. I witnessed that first hand last year when David Millar decided to attack early in the race and only two guys who could go with him and I could see that it was 'race over' even at that stage. The course is hard enough that the size of the teams won't be a major factor for the boys coming home who mean business."

Start list

Women's Elite/U23

1 Nicole Cooke (Team Halfords Bikehut)
2 Julie Mann (Altura)
3 Charlotte McDonald (CC Basingstoke / Wella / Liphook Cycles)
4 Kara Chesworth (Dysynni CC)
5 Claire Thomas (Edinburgh RC / Hilton Grosvenor / Glen Rental)
6 Michelle Buck (Fatbirds CC / Fatbirds Don't Fly)
7 Tracey Fletcher (Fatbirds CC / Fatbirds Don't Fly)
8 Pippa Handley (HWV De Tubanters)
9 Charlotte Blackman (London Dynamo / Cyclefit)
10 Rebecca Curley (London Dynamo / Cyclefit)
11 Susannah Osborne (London Dynamo / Cyclefit)
12 Emma Silversides (Lotto - Belisol)
13 Leanne Thompson (Lune RCC)
14 Rachel Osborn (Newport Shropshire CC)
15 Anne Greig (Perth United CC)
16 Charlotte Colclough (Private member)
17 Leda Cox (Private member)
18 Vanessa Raw (Private member)
19 Becki Rimmington (Private member)
20 Louise Eden (Seamons C)
21 Emma Davies-Jones (Swift Racing / Swift Motorhomes / Bio-Racer)
22 Gabriella Day (Swift Racing / Swift Motorhomes / Bio-Racer)
23 Helen Wyman (Swift Racing / Swift Motorhomes / Bio-Racer)
24 Catherine Hare (Team Halfords Bikehut)
25 Sharon Laws (Team Halfords Bikehut)
26 Jeanette Caldicott (Team Luciano / Kuota)
27 Emma Pooley (Team Specailized / Designs for Women)
28 Sarah Cramoysan (Team Swift / Swift Caravans / British Salt)
29 Rachel Heal (Tibco)
30 Bernadette Hards (VC Meudon)
31 Jo Munden (VC Meudon)
32 Kate Cullen (WV Barrhopoort)
33 Femke Van Schelven (WV Barrhopoort)
34 Nikki Harris (De Sprinters Malderen)
35 Lizzy Goodband (Fatbirds CC / Fatbirds Don't Fly)
36 Sarah Byrne (G S Strada / Afford / Pinarello)
37 Kelly Moore (GS Strada / Afford / Pinarello)
38 Iona Sewell (Leeds Mercury CC)
39 Abbie Thorrington (Private member)
40 Alice Monger-Godfrey (Swift Racing / Swift Motorhomes / Bio-Racer)
41 Eileen Roe (Swift Racing / Swift Motorhomes / Bio-Racer)
42 Marie Stuart (Team Chance / Ducati)
43 Jessica Allen (Team Halfords Bikehut)
44 Elizabeth Armitstead (Team Halfords Bikehut)
45 Katie Curtis (Team Halfords Bikehut)
46 Joanna Rowsell (Team Halfords Bikehut)
47 Emma Trott (Team Halfords Bikehut)
48 Jackie Garner (Team Luciano / Kuota)

Men's Elite/U23

1 David Millar (Slipstream Chipotle)
2 Christopher Mark (Adept Engineering RT)
3 David Cook (Altura / Panaracer / Camelback)
4 Daniel Fleeman (An Post -Sean Kelly Racing Team)
5 Daniel Lloyd (An Post -Sean Kelly Racing Team)
6 James Dobbin (Arctic Premier RT / Arctic Building Services / Premier)
7 Jon-Kris Mason (Arctic Premier RT / Arctic Building Services / Premier)
8 Stephen Nunn (Arctic Premier RT / Arctic Building Services / Premier)
9 Simon Wilson (Arctic Premier RT / Arctic Building Services / Premier)
10 Marcus Smith (Cleveland Wheelers)
11 David Shackleton (Cottingham Coureurs)
12 Jeremy Hunt (Credit Agricole / Look / Shimano)
13 Paul Bell (Doncaster Wheelers / Don Valley Cycles)
14 Jonathan Rosenbrier (Espoir Cycliste St Etienne Loire)
15 Neil Jones (Gateway RT)
16 Alex Coutts (Giant Asia RT)
17 Wayne Webster (Go Sportsspex RT)
18 Andy Lyons (Heron Cycle Sport)
19 Mark McKay (Heron Cycle Sport)
20 Ben Pochee (Heron Cycle Sport)
21 Paul Oldham (Hope Factory Racing)
22 Rick King (Inkland MTS)
23 Alistair Robinson (KeswickBikes.co.uk)
24 Matt Clinton (KFS Special Vehicles / Sunday Bicycles)
25 Gareth Hewitt (KFS Special Vehicles / Sunday Bicycles)
26 James Stewart (KFS Special Vehicles / Sunday Bicycles)
27 Richard Sykes-Popham (KFS Special Vehicles / Sunday Bicycles)
28 Kit Gilham (Kinesis UK)
29 Adam Illingworth (Lyon Vaulx-en-Velin)
30 Jonathan Tierman-Locke (Mid Devon CC)
31 Martin Bryant (PCA Ciclos Uno)
32 James Whatling (PCA Ciclos Uno)
33 Kieran Page (Pezula Racing)
34 Lee Davis (Pinarello RT / DMT / Rudy Project / Corima)
35 Russell Downing (Pinarello RT / DMT / Rudy Project / Corima)
36 Malcolm Elliott (Pinarello RT / DMT / Rudy Project / Corima)
37 Matthew Kipling (Pinarello RT / DMT / Rudy Project / Corima)
38 Tom Murray (Pinarello RT / DMT / Rudy Project / Corima)
39 Mark Lovatt (Planet X RT)
40 Tom Barras (Plowman Craven RT / Pinnacle / Leica)
41 Neil Coleman (Plowman Craven RT / Pinnacle / Leica)
42 Simon Gaywood (Plowman Craven RT / Pinnacle / Leica)
43 Alex Higham (Plowman Craven RT / Pinnacle / Leica)
44 James McCallum (Plowman Craven RT / Pinnacle / LeicaE)
45 James Millard (Plowman Craven RT / Pinnacle / Leica)
46 Evan Oliphant (Plowman Craven RT / Pinnacle / Leica)
47 Simon Richardson (Plowman Craven RT / Pinnacle / Leica)
48 Martin Ford (Private Member 1)
49 Ryan Bonser (Rapha Condor Recyling.co.uk)
50 Graham Briggs (Rapha Condor Recyling.co.uk)
51 Dean Downing (Rapha Condor Recyling.co.uk)
52 Ben Greenwood (Rapha Condor Recyling.co.uk)
53 Kristian House (Rapha Condor Recyling.co.uk)
54 Chris Newton (Rapha Condor Recyling.co.uk)
55 Rob Partridge (Rapha Condor Recyling.co.uk)
56 Dave Collins (Science in Sport / Trek / Club la Santa)
57 Richard Kent (Science in Sport / Trek / Club la Santa)
58 Ian Wilkinson (Science in Sport / Trek / Club la Santa)
59 Richard Wilkinson (Science in Sport / Trek / Club la Santa)
60 Andrew Bye (Sigmasport / Specialized / Sportful Cycling Team)
61 Daniel Duguid (Sigmasport / Specialized / Sportful Cycling Team)
62 Mike Harrison (Sigmasport / Specialized / Sportful Cycling Team)
63 Robin Sharman (Sigmasport / Specialized / Sportful Cycling Team)
64 Matthew Stephens (Sigmasport / Specialized / Sportful Cycling Team)
65 Neil Swithenbank (Sigmasport / Specialized / Sportful Cycling Team)
66 James Wlliamson (Sigmasport / Specialized / Sportful Cycling Team1)
67 Grant Bayton (Sport Beans / Willier)
68 Marcin Bialoblocki (Sport Beans / Willier)
69 Dave Coulson (Sport Beans / Willier)
70 Ashley Brown (Sportscover / Spuik / J & J James)
71 Kevin Dawson (Sportscover / Spuik / J & J James)
72 Dieter Droger (Sportscover / Spuik / J & J James)
73 Gav Evans (Sportscover / Spuik / J & J James)
74 Nigel Haigh (Sportscover / Spuik / J & J James)
75 Bradley Johnston (Sportscover / Spuik / J & J James)
76 David Mclean (Sprinter Club de Nice)
77 Stephen Ward (Star Bikes RT)
78 Steven Lampier (Team Bouwkantoor Lippens / Deschuyter / Westkerke)
79 Richard Cartland (Team Corley Cycles / Trek / Pro)
80 Roy Chamberlain (Team Corley Cycles / Trek / Pro)
81 Matthew HigginsTeam (Corley Cycles / Trek / Pro)
82 Tom Kirk (Team Corley Cycles / Trek / Pro)
83 Mark Wordsworth (Team Corley Cycles / Trek / Pro)
84 Robert Hayles (Team Halfords Bikehut)
85 Tom Southam (Team Halfords Bikehut)
86 Mark Cavendish (Team High Road / Giant)
87 Roger Hammond (Team High Road / Giant E)
88 Graeme Hatcher (Team Isle of Man)
89 David Clarke (Team Lacuna)
90 Daniel Smith (Team Lacuna)
91 Richard Williamson (Team Lacuna)
92 Hamish Haynes (Team Yawadoo - ABM)
93 David Smith (VC Lyon Vaulx-en-Velin / Apiflo Vacances)
94 Alastair Kay (York Cycleworks)
95 James Sharp (York Cycleworks)
96 Jonathan Bellis (100% ME)
97 Steven Burke (100% ME)
98 Alex Dowsett (100% ME)
99 Russell Hampton (100% ME)
100 Peter Kennaugh (100% ME)
101 Jonathan McEvoy (100% ME)
102 Mark McNally (100% ME)
103 Ben Swift (100% ME)
104 Andrew Tennant (100% ME)
105 Edward Griffin (Ajchva Limoux / South West Bike Academy)
106 Oliver Graham (Arctic Premier RT / Arctic Building Services / Premier)
107 Owain  Lovell (Ashfield RC)
108 Callum Wilkinson (Bicyleworks.com)
109 James Spragg (Castelsarrasin)
110 Matt Green (Cylingnews / Jako / Fuga / DFL)
111 Stephen Rudkin (FP Mailing Cycling Team)
112 William Hedden (Glade CC / Ciclos Uno)
113 Adam Norris (Heron Cycle Sport)
114 Lewis Meadows (Inkland MTS)
115 Scott Chalmers (Johns Bikes Rt)
116 Dafydd Dylan (KFS Special Vehicles / Sunday Bicycles)
117 Kieran Friend (KFS Special Vehicles / Sunday Bicycles)
118 Matt Cronshaw (Kinesis UK)
119 Tom Last (Kinesis UK)
120 Jack Pullar (Kinesis UK)
121 James Sampson (Kinesis UK)
122 Daniel Davies (KW Heist Zuider Kempen)
123 Ian Stannard (Landbouwkrediet / Tonissteiner)
124 Joshua Andjelkovic (Maxgear RT)
125 Simon Baxter (MTS Cyclesport / Inkland RT)
126 Tomas Swift-Metcalfe (Palmeiras Resort / Tavira)
127 Ian Franklin (PCA / Ciclos Uno / Isaac RT)
128 Daniel Patten (PCA / Ciclos Uno / Isaac RT)
129 Daniel Kogan (PCA Ciclos Uno 2)
130 Stephen Adams (Pearl Izumi / Planet X / High 5 RT)
131 Liam Holohan (Pearl Izumi / Planet X / High 5 RT)
132 Matthew Jones (Pearl Izumi / Planet X / High 5 RT)
133 Jon Mozley (Pearl Izumi / Planet X / High 5 RT)
134 Sam Webster (Pinarello RT / DMT / Rudy Project / Corima)
135 Peter Williams (Pinarello RT / DMT / Rudy Project / Corima)
136 Philip Graves (Private Member)
137 Daniel Shand (Profel Prorace Continental Team)
138 Dale Appleby (Rapha Condor Recyling.co.uk)
139 Adam Bonser (Rapha Condor Recyling.co.uk)
140 Tom Diggle (Rapha Condor Recyling.co.uk)
141 Simon Holt (Rapha Condor Recyling.co.uk)
142 Rhys Lloyd (Rapha Condor Recyling.co.uk)
143 Matt Rowe (Rapha Condor Recyling.co.uk)
144 Ian Bibby (Science in Sport / Trek / Club la Santa)
145 David Fletcher (Science in Sport / Trek / Club la Santa)
146 Alex Wise (Sigmasport / Specialized / Sportful Cycling Team)
147 Marc Perry (Sport Beans / Willier)
148 Mark Thwaites (Sport Beans / Willier)
149 Billy-Joe Whenman (Sport Beans / Willier)
150 Adam Blythe (Sprinters Malderen)
151 Tobyn Horton (Team Bouwkantoor Lippens / Deschuyter / Westkerke)
152 Alastair Carr (Team Remy Meder Haguenau)
153 Tom Walters (Team Remy Meder Haguenau)
154 Tom Copeland (VS Quimper)
155 Richard Hepworth (Wakefield CC / Exponential Systems)
156 Andrew Griffiths (Wielergroep Beveren 2000)
157 Alex Atkins (YawadooMobile / ABM / Badhuis O'Pure)