Josh Charlton (Saint Piran) won the men’s U23 national time trial championships, putting in a powerful ride to finish 21 seconds ahead of TRINITY Racing’s Max Walker. Shortly after, Maddie Leech (Lifeplus-Wahoo) take a resounding victory to become the women’s U23 national time trial champion.
In the afternoon, Elizabeth Holden (UAE Team ADQ) won a tense battle in the women’s elite time trial championships, with Anna Morris (WardPerformanceUK.com) and Elinor Barker MBE (Uno-X Pro Cycling) completing the podium.
In the men’s race, Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) took a convincing win, an impressive feat at just 19 years of age. Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) and Tarling’s teammate Connor Swift were second and third respectively, over a minute behind.
Read more about the course in our race preview here.
Featured photo: SWPix. Josh Tarling of Ineos Grenadiers.
Men’s U23 time trial
Ciaran McSherry (The Cycling Academy) set the early benchmark, coming in with a time of 17:45.482, 25 seconds faster than the other handful of early finishers. Out on the course though, one of the breakthrough riders of the season, Rowan Baker (London Dynamo) had gone six seconds quicker than McSherry’s intermediate time. Indeed, by the time Baker crossed the line, his time was 21 seconds faster than McSherry’s.
With the favourites now beginning their efforts, the question was, could Baker spring a surprise?
The intermediate times quickly suggested Baker’s lead would not last. Lucas Jowett, Harry Birchill (both Saint Piran) and Will Smith (TRINITY Racing) all took turns setting the best intermediate times. But then Joshua Golliker (Groupama-FDJ Continental) blew all of their intermediate times out of the water, over 34 seconds faster than Baker. Smith was closest at this stage, a full 17 seconds back.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com – 21/06/2023 – Cycling – 2023 British National Road Championships – Croft Circuit, Darlington, England – Men’s U23 Time Trial – Joshua Golliker of Groupama-FDJ La Conti
Then came Golliker’s challengers. Josh Charlton (Saint Piran) beat Golliker’s intermediate time by four-hundredths of a second before Max Walker (TRINITY Racing) bettered Golliker more definitively, nearly four seconds ahead, the only rider to hit the intermediate point under 17 minutes.
At the finish line, meanwhile, Birchill was the new leader, setting a time 15 seconds faster than Baker, but it was clear by now the winner would come from a rider still out on the course.
Neither Ollie Rees (TRINITY Racing), Charlie Bailey (Foran CC) nor Callum Thornley (TRINITY Racing) could go better than Walker at the intermediate point, although Bailey was only fractionally behind, meaning Walker, Charlton, Golliker and Bailey looked the most likely riders to take the win.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com – 21/06/2023 – Cycling – 2023 British National Road Championships – Croft Circuit, Darlington, England – Men’s U23 Time Trial – Josh Charlton of Saint Piran
Charlton put in a superb second leg, hitting the line in a time of 33:45.359, over 32 seconds quicker than Golliker’s finishing time to take the stripes.
Walker was unable to keep his intermediate lead, coming in 21 seconds down on Charlton to finish the event second, while Bailey – third last year – was 47 seconds back, finishing 4th.
Results
Rank
BIB
Rider
Team
Time
Gap
1
106
Charlton Josh
Saint Piran
33:45.36
2
105
Walker Max
Trinity Racing
34:06.59
+21.23
3
111
Golliker Joshua
Groupama-FDJ La Conti
34:18.26
+32.90
4
102
Bailey Charles
Foran CCC
34:33.13
+47.77
5
103
Rees Oliver
Trinity Racing
34:47.00
+ 1:01.65
6
112
Brough Jack
AVC Aix en Provence
34:49.02
+ 1:03.67
7
113
Smith William
Trinity Racing
34:50.34
+ 1:04.98
8
115
Birchill Harry
Saint Piran
34:56.34
+ 1:10.98
9
108
Hobbs Noah
Groupama-FDJ La Conti
35:08.35
+ 1:22.99
10
101
Thornley Callum
Trinity Racing
35:09.50
+ 1:24.14
11
104
Giddings Joshua
Lotto Dstny Development Team
35:09.75
+ 1:24.39
12
122
Baker Rowan
London Dynamo
35:12.11
+ 1:26.75
13
116
Wood George
Cycling Sheffield
35:16.63
+ 1:31.27
14
119
Hicks Dylan
Development Team DSM
35:28.78
+ 1:43.42
15
118
Jowett Lucas
Saint Piran
35:29.92
+ 1:44.56
16
130
McSherry Ciaran
The Cycling Academy
35:33.60
+ 1:48.24
17
109
Dodd Mattie
Tirol KTM Cycling Team
35:41.00
+ 1:55.64
18
125
Rosie Lee
Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
35:46.31
+ 2:00.95
19
110
Clark Samuel
trainSharp Elite
36:07.33
+ 2:21.97
20
128
Knowles Joshua
TAAP Endura
36:24.81
+ 2:39.45
21
120
Pilling Tristan
360cycling
36:28.30
+ 2:42.94
22
135
Avery Jacob
Ride Revolution Coaching
36:34.76
+ 2:49.40
23
127
King Aaron
Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
36:43.85
+ 2:58.49
24
114
Walker Zachary
TUDOR PRO CYCLING TEAM U23
36:45.62
+ 3:00.26
25
131
Bright Benjamin
Wales Racing Academy
37:28.73
+ 3:43.38
26
134
Freeman Aaron
Richardsons Trek DAS
37:41.96
+ 3:56.60
27
132
Brown Jenson
Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
39:02.07
+ 5:16.72
28
136
Goodwin Daniel
trainSharp Development Team
39:49.06
+ 6:03.70
DNF
121
Asker Samuel
Richardsons Trek DAS
DNF
141
Williams Tom
ROKiT-SRCT
DNS
107
Nerurkar Lukas
Trinity Racing
DNS
117
Leeming-Sykes Dexter
Wold Top The Edge Pactimo
DNS
124
Rootkin-Gray Jack
Saint Piran
DNS
133
Forsyth Hamish
trainSharp Development Team
DNS
137
Griffiths Dylan
University of Bath Cycling Clu
DNS
138
Ives Harry
trainSharp Development Team
DNS
139
Jukes Harry
05/03
DNS
140
Lutz-Atkinson Max
Ribble rechrg Race Team
Women’s U23 time trial
A small field of just 8 riders duked it out for women’s U23 time trial honours. Maddie Leech (Lifeplus-Wahoo) came flying out of the blocks, setting an intermediate time of 18:56.893. Only Lucy Gadd (Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime), third in this event last year, could come anywhere near close, over 28 seconds behind.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com – 21/06/2023 – Cycling – 2023 British National Road Championships – Croft Circuit, Darlington, England – Women’s U23 Time Trial – Madelaine Leech of Lifeplus Wahoo
Leech’s lead looked commanding, but the battle for podium spots appeared less clear-cut. Flora Perkins’ (Fenix-Deceuninck Development Team) intermediate time was 17 seconds behind Gadd, with Ellie Parry (Watersley R&D Cycling Team), Abi Smith (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) and Robyn Clay (Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee) all within 8 seconds of Perkins.
Parry, the first rider to start, was also the first to finish, setting a target time of 39:52.132 over the 27.4km course. Leech, though, smashed this benchmark, overtaking two riders on her way to a time of 38:17.640, a full 1 minute and 16 seconds ahead of Parry.
Could anyone catch Leech? No.
Gadd came in second, just under a minute down on Leech, with Perkins completing the podium a further 16 seconds back.
Picture by Zac Williams/SWpix.com- 21/06/2023 – Cycling – 2023 British National Road Championships – Croft Circuit, Darlington, England – Women’s U23 Time Trial – Madelaine Leech of Lifeplus Wahoo wins with Lucy Gadd of Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime in second and Flora Perkins of Fenix-Deceuninck Development Team in third on the podium
Results
Rank
BIB
Rider
Team
Time
Gap
1
205
Leech Madelaine
Lifeplus Wahoo
38:17.64
2
201
Gadd Lucy
Stade Rochelais Charente-Marit
39:17.36
+59.72
3
204
Perkins Flora
Fenix-Deceuninck Development Team
39:33.42
+ 1:15.78
4
206
Clay Robyn
Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen –
39:34.22
+ 1:16.58
5
203
Smith Abi
EF Education-TIBCO-SVB
39:38.10
+ 1:20.46
6
209
Parry Ellie
Watersley R&D Cycling Team
39:52.13
+ 1:34.49
7
208
Callinan Eva
Loughborough Lightning
42:44.76
+ 4:27.12
8
210
Yeoman Morven
Torelli
43:49.17*
+ 5:31.53
DNS
202
Richardson Kate
Lifeplus Wahoo
DNS
207
Barnwell Ella
Saint Piran WRT
*210 – Morven Yeoman – Late Start 5-second penalty
Women’s elite time trial
The forecast thunder and lightning ended up avoiding Croft Circuit for the start of the women’s elite time trial, but what started to make its presence felt was the strengthening wind – a headwind up the start/finish straight and a crosswind on the exposed parts of the course.
Putting her nose in the wind first was Anya Tamplin (Loughborough Lightning) and she was in close competition with Jadan-Vive Le Velo’s Laura Davies, the pair setting times of 19:54.598 and 19:53.936 respectively at the intermediate split.
Their times were the early benchmarks, but as the race got deeper down the startlist some of the more dedicated TT riders soon improved on those early intermediate times.
Sure enough, Miriam Jessett (StolenGoat) lowered Davies’ benchmark significantly, as she put in a time of 19:02.937. Jessett went on to set the best early time at the finish line with 39:13.492.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com – 21/06/2023 – Cycling – 2023 British National Road Championships – Croft Circuit, Darlington, England – Women’s Elite Time Trial – Katie Archibald of Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
Meanwhile, out on course, Katie Archibald (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team) was demonstrating she meant business, laying down a marker of 18:40.233 to take the virtual lead, and then taking the hot seat as she clocked a time of 38:06.015, 6 seconds quicker than AWOL O’Shea’s Hayley Simmonds.
Archibald’s intermediate lead remained for some time, with notable names such as Alice Barnes (Human Powered Health) and April Tacey (Lifeplus-Wahoo) all slower.
Elinor Barker MBE (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) was the first rider to crack it, going 2.7 seconds quicker. As more and more favourites rolled over the intermediate time check, the race was looking extremely tight. Elynor Backstedt (Trek-Segafredo) was just 7 seconds adrift of Barker.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com – 21/06/2023 – Cycling – 2023 British National Road Championships – Croft Circuit, Darlington, England – Women’s Elite Time Trial – Anna Morris of WardPerformanceUK.com
Anna Morris (WardPerformanceUK.com), a TT specialist, was 5 seconds ahead, Pfeiffer Georgi (Team DSM) was 5 seconds behind and Elizabeth Holden (UAE Team ADQ) was out in front, leading Barker by a full 12 seconds. The big unknown, though, was Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma), whose intermediate time had not registered on the live timing. It was all gearing up for a tense second half of the race.
Holden maintained her lead in the closing kilometres, despite a spirited charge from Morris, to win her first national time trial crown. Morris missed out by just 14 seconds, while Barker held on for third, 16 seconds back on Holden.
Former champion Henderson finished 11th, an unfortunate mechanical – a grazed shoulder suggests she may even have come off her bike – resulting in a bike change and costing her precious time.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com – 21/06/2023 – Cycling – 2023 British National Road Championships – Croft Circuit, Darlington, England – Women’s Elite Time Trial – Elizabeth Holden of UAE Team ADQ
Results
Rank
BIB
Rider
Team
Time
Gap
1
301
Holden Elizabeth
UAE Team ADQ
37:02.14
2
304
Morris Anna
WardPerformanceUK.com
37:16.21
+ 0:14.07
3
308
Barker MBE Elinor
Uno-X Pro Cycling Team
37:18.78
+ 0:16.64
4
305
Georgi Pfeiffer
Team DSM
37:29.58
+ 0:27.44
5
307
Backstedt Elynor
TREK – SEGAFREDO
37:32.05
+ 0:29.91
6
320
Archibald Katie
Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team
38:06.02
+ 1:03.88
7
323
Simmonds Hayley
AWOL- O’Shea
38:12.19
+ 1:10.06
8
309
Barnes Alice
Human Powered Health
38:23.64
+ 1:21.51
9
311
Allan Kate
Team Bottrill
38:24.24
+ 1:22.10
10
322
Martin Emily
Team Bottrill
38:51.72
+ 1:49.59
11
303
Henderson Anna
Team Jumbo-Visma
39:02.08
+ 1:59.94
12
315
Greenwood Monica
DAS – Handsling Bikes
39:09.06
+ 2:06.92
13
326
Jessett Miriam
Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon
39:13.49
+ 2:11.36
14
317
Roberts Jessica
Team Coop-Hitec Products
39:14.06
+ 2:11.92
15
306
Storey Dame Sarah
Storey Racing
39:20.10
+ 2:17.96
16
329
Holl Jenny
TEKKERZ CC
39:21.21
+ 2:19.08
17
337
Rawlins Freya
Soltec Team
39:36.05
+ 2:33.91
18
314
George Jennifer
HUUB WattShop
39:37.50
+ 2:35.36
19
312
Hall Francesca
Loughborough Lightning
39:40.10
+ 2:37.97
20
302
Meakin Emily
AWOL- O’Shea
39:44.30
+ 2:42.17
21
313
Miller Tamsin
Hutchinson-Brother UK
39:47.31
+ 2:45.18
22
316
Tacey April
Lifeplus Wahoo
40:23.05
+ 3:20.91
23
334
Brooke Lizi
Wahoo – Le Col
40:36.50
+ 3:34.37
24
333
Davies Laura
Jadan Vive le Velo Glasdon
40:42.11
+ 3:39.97
25
331
Owen Frances
Wahoo – Le Col
40:46.41
+ 3:44.27
26
324
Turner Sally
Huub WattShop
40:47.53
+ 3:45.39
27
330
Hodgkins-Byrne Charlotte
Team Boompods
40:51.65
+ 3:49.51
28
325
Watts Lydia
Hutchinson-Brother UK
40:54.36
+ 3:52.22
29
327
Berry Charlotte
Hutchinson-Brother UK
40:54.48
+ 3:52.35
30
318
Morrice Alex
CANYON – SRAM RACING
40:55.63
+ 3:53.49
31
336
Tamplin Anya
Loughborough Lightning
40:56.48
+ 3:54.35
32
321
Hayes Connie
AWOL- O’Shea
41:02.01
+ 3:59.87
33
332
Harding Amber
Loughborough Lightning
41:02.18
+ 4:00.04
34
335
French Olivia
StolenGoat Race Team
43:26.34
+ 6:24.20
DNS
319
Khan Dannielle
Saint Piran WRT
Men’s elite time trial
With three laps of the course compared to two for all the other categories in action today, the men faced a 41.1km test on the flat, windy roads.
First to clock in a final time that tested the mettle of the riders following was trainSharp Elite’s Timothy Torrie with a 52:48.065 – the first of the early wave of riders to dip under the 53-minute barrier.
It took a time for those early efforts to be bested, but bested they were as first Lewis Askey (Grouapama-FDJ) and then HUUB Wattshop’s Michael Gill put themselves into the hot seat – and didn’t Gill do that, his time of 51:56.55 was more than 20 seconds up on Askey’s time.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com – 21/06/2023 – Cycling – 2023 British National Road Championships – Croft Circuit, Darlington, England – Men’s Elite Time Trial – Joshua Tarling of Ineos Grenadiers
Through the intermediate split – at Croft’s start/finish line – though, there were some outstanding markers being put down. Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) caught the eye as he went through the split for the second time with an advantage of 1:24.872 compared to Gill’s best time.
Tarling’s teammate then clocked the second-best intermediate time, 36 seconds behind Tarling, with aero wizard Dan Bigham (HUUB Wattshop) just a further second back. Also in contention at this stage was Bahrain-Victorious’s Fred Wright and Charlie Tanfield (Saint Piran) who were both within range of Wright and Bigham’s intermediate times.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com – 21/06/2023 – Cycling – 2023 British National Road Championships – Croft Circuit, Darlington, England – Men’s Elite Time Trial – Fred Wright of Bahrain-Victorious
Tarling converted his splits into an overwhelming final time of 48:50.430. His victory has secured him a place in history as the youngest elite men’s TT champion, the 19-year-old younger than Josh Charlton, winner of the U23 time trial.
His closest challenger proved to be Wright, but he could only clock a 49:53.236, over a minute back on Tarling. That secured him silver, as all eyes turned to the last man to finish – Bigham. Still looking strong through the second lap, he faded on his final lap and couldn’t convert that early pace into a medal as he clocked a 51:06.302 – putting him seventh overall.
Picture by Alex Whitehead/SWpix.com – 21/06/2023 – Cycling – 2023 British National Road Championships – Croft Circuit, Darlington, England – Men’s Elite Time Trial – Joshua Tarling of Ineos Grenadiers wins with Fred Wright of Bahrain-Victorious in second and Connor Swift of Ineos Grenadiers in third on the podium
Rounding out the podium was Swift, at 50:00.560 just relegating local rider Charlie Tanfield (Saint Piran) to fourth by 25 seconds. Ethan Vernon (Soudal-QuickStep) completed the top five with Bigham’s team-mate John Archibald squeaking ahead of him in sixth.
Josh Charlton (Saint Piran) won the men’s U23 national time trial championships, putting in a powerful ride to finish 21 seconds ahead of TRINITY Racing’s Max Walker. Shortly after, Maddie Leech (Lifeplus-Wahoo) take a resounding victory to become the women’s U23 national time trial champion.
In the afternoon, Elizabeth Holden (UAE Team ADQ) won a tense battle in the women’s elite time trial championships, with Anna Morris (WardPerformanceUK.com) and Elinor Barker MBE (Uno-X Pro Cycling) completing the podium.
In the men’s race, Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) took a convincing win, an impressive feat at just 19 years of age. Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) and Tarling’s teammate Connor Swift were second and third respectively, over a minute behind.
Read more about the course in our race preview here.
Featured photo: SWPix. Josh Tarling of Ineos Grenadiers.
Men’s U23 time trial
Ciaran McSherry (The Cycling Academy) set the early benchmark, coming in with a time of 17:45.482, 25 seconds faster than the other handful of early finishers. Out on the course though, one of the breakthrough riders of the season, Rowan Baker (London Dynamo) had gone six seconds quicker than McSherry’s intermediate time. Indeed, by the time Baker crossed the line, his time was 21 seconds faster than McSherry’s.
With the favourites now beginning their efforts, the question was, could Baker spring a surprise?
The intermediate times quickly suggested Baker’s lead would not last. Lucas Jowett, Harry Birchill (both Saint Piran) and Will Smith (TRINITY Racing) all took turns setting the best intermediate times. But then Joshua Golliker (Groupama-FDJ Continental) blew all of their intermediate times out of the water, over 34 seconds faster than Baker. Smith was closest at this stage, a full 17 seconds back.
Then came Golliker’s challengers. Josh Charlton (Saint Piran) beat Golliker’s intermediate time by four-hundredths of a second before Max Walker (TRINITY Racing) bettered Golliker more definitively, nearly four seconds ahead, the only rider to hit the intermediate point under 17 minutes.
At the finish line, meanwhile, Birchill was the new leader, setting a time 15 seconds faster than Baker, but it was clear by now the winner would come from a rider still out on the course.
Neither Ollie Rees (TRINITY Racing), Charlie Bailey (Foran CC) nor Callum Thornley (TRINITY Racing) could go better than Walker at the intermediate point, although Bailey was only fractionally behind, meaning Walker, Charlton, Golliker and Bailey looked the most likely riders to take the win.
Charlton put in a superb second leg, hitting the line in a time of 33:45.359, over 32 seconds quicker than Golliker’s finishing time to take the stripes.
Walker was unable to keep his intermediate lead, coming in 21 seconds down on Charlton to finish the event second, while Bailey – third last year – was 47 seconds back, finishing 4th.
Results
Women’s U23 time trial
A small field of just 8 riders duked it out for women’s U23 time trial honours. Maddie Leech (Lifeplus-Wahoo) came flying out of the blocks, setting an intermediate time of 18:56.893. Only Lucy Gadd (Stade Rochelais Charente-Maritime), third in this event last year, could come anywhere near close, over 28 seconds behind.
Leech’s lead looked commanding, but the battle for podium spots appeared less clear-cut. Flora Perkins’ (Fenix-Deceuninck Development Team) intermediate time was 17 seconds behind Gadd, with Ellie Parry (Watersley R&D Cycling Team), Abi Smith (EF Education-TIBCO-SVB) and Robyn Clay (Pro-Noctis – Heidi Kjeldsen – 200 Degrees Coffee) all within 8 seconds of Perkins.
Parry, the first rider to start, was also the first to finish, setting a target time of 39:52.132 over the 27.4km course. Leech, though, smashed this benchmark, overtaking two riders on her way to a time of 38:17.640, a full 1 minute and 16 seconds ahead of Parry.
Could anyone catch Leech? No.
Gadd came in second, just under a minute down on Leech, with Perkins completing the podium a further 16 seconds back.
Results
Women’s elite time trial
The forecast thunder and lightning ended up avoiding Croft Circuit for the start of the women’s elite time trial, but what started to make its presence felt was the strengthening wind – a headwind up the start/finish straight and a crosswind on the exposed parts of the course.
Putting her nose in the wind first was Anya Tamplin (Loughborough Lightning) and she was in close competition with Jadan-Vive Le Velo’s Laura Davies, the pair setting times of 19:54.598 and 19:53.936 respectively at the intermediate split.
Their times were the early benchmarks, but as the race got deeper down the startlist some of the more dedicated TT riders soon improved on those early intermediate times.
Sure enough, Miriam Jessett (StolenGoat) lowered Davies’ benchmark significantly, as she put in a time of 19:02.937. Jessett went on to set the best early time at the finish line with 39:13.492.
Meanwhile, out on course, Katie Archibald (Ceratizit-WNT Pro Cycling Team) was demonstrating she meant business, laying down a marker of 18:40.233 to take the virtual lead, and then taking the hot seat as she clocked a time of 38:06.015, 6 seconds quicker than AWOL O’Shea’s Hayley Simmonds.
Archibald’s intermediate lead remained for some time, with notable names such as Alice Barnes (Human Powered Health) and April Tacey (Lifeplus-Wahoo) all slower.
Elinor Barker MBE (Uno-X Pro Cycling Team) was the first rider to crack it, going 2.7 seconds quicker. As more and more favourites rolled over the intermediate time check, the race was looking extremely tight. Elynor Backstedt (Trek-Segafredo) was just 7 seconds adrift of Barker.
Anna Morris (WardPerformanceUK.com), a TT specialist, was 5 seconds ahead, Pfeiffer Georgi (Team DSM) was 5 seconds behind and Elizabeth Holden (UAE Team ADQ) was out in front, leading Barker by a full 12 seconds. The big unknown, though, was Anna Henderson (Jumbo-Visma), whose intermediate time had not registered on the live timing. It was all gearing up for a tense second half of the race.
Holden maintained her lead in the closing kilometres, despite a spirited charge from Morris, to win her first national time trial crown. Morris missed out by just 14 seconds, while Barker held on for third, 16 seconds back on Holden.
Former champion Henderson finished 11th, an unfortunate mechanical – a grazed shoulder suggests she may even have come off her bike – resulting in a bike change and costing her precious time.
Results
Men’s elite time trial
With three laps of the course compared to two for all the other categories in action today, the men faced a 41.1km test on the flat, windy roads.
First to clock in a final time that tested the mettle of the riders following was trainSharp Elite’s Timothy Torrie with a 52:48.065 – the first of the early wave of riders to dip under the 53-minute barrier.
It took a time for those early efforts to be bested, but bested they were as first Lewis Askey (Grouapama-FDJ) and then HUUB Wattshop’s Michael Gill put themselves into the hot seat – and didn’t Gill do that, his time of 51:56.55 was more than 20 seconds up on Askey’s time.
Through the intermediate split – at Croft’s start/finish line – though, there were some outstanding markers being put down. Josh Tarling (Ineos Grenadiers) caught the eye as he went through the split for the second time with an advantage of 1:24.872 compared to Gill’s best time.
Tarling’s teammate then clocked the second-best intermediate time, 36 seconds behind Tarling, with aero wizard Dan Bigham (HUUB Wattshop) just a further second back. Also in contention at this stage was Bahrain-Victorious’s Fred Wright and Charlie Tanfield (Saint Piran) who were both within range of Wright and Bigham’s intermediate times.
Tarling converted his splits into an overwhelming final time of 48:50.430. His victory has secured him a place in history as the youngest elite men’s TT champion, the 19-year-old younger than Josh Charlton, winner of the U23 time trial.
His closest challenger proved to be Wright, but he could only clock a 49:53.236, over a minute back on Tarling. That secured him silver, as all eyes turned to the last man to finish – Bigham. Still looking strong through the second lap, he faded on his final lap and couldn’t convert that early pace into a medal as he clocked a 51:06.302 – putting him seventh overall.
Rounding out the podium was Swift, at 50:00.560 just relegating local rider Charlie Tanfield (Saint Piran) to fourth by 25 seconds. Ethan Vernon (Soudal-QuickStep) completed the top five with Bigham’s team-mate John Archibald squeaking ahead of him in sixth.
Results
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