National Championships 2021 – UK – Road Race [FULL RACE]

October 17, 2021

National Championships 2021 – UK – Road Race – Lincoln – Lincoln : 166 km

The British National Championships mark the pinnacle of domestic racing in the UK. All types of riders, from talented amateurs to full-blown professionals, are eligible to compete for the coveted blue, white and red bands of National Champion, making these events some of the most dynamic and hard-fought of the entire season.

Ben Swift (Ineos Grenadiers) defended his British national title, winning the men’s elite road race ahead of Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) after a ferocious final sprint on Michaelgate.

The chief animator of the race, Swift first attacked as early as the third lap, which though initially unsuccessful, left him in prime position to force a split on the third ascent of Michaelgate. This breakaway, in a slightly different constitution to its original form, made its way to the finish.

Behind, Wright had to settle for second place, and first place in the U23 category, while a late turn of speed by Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) ensured that he took the bronze medal.

“I’m over the moon,” Swift said at the finish. “I’ve become used to wearing this jersey. Unfortunately we didn’t get to race last year so I got another year for free and hopefully today I justified that extra year. It was an incredible day. I think my form…I’ve had a bit of an up-and-down year. I’ve had some real highlights – I had my second child, Harry, but in terms of personal results it just didn’t go that well at the start of the year. It started to come together now and to finish it off like this. I’m really happy.

“In nationals you have to race from the front. I first went away with Ben Turner on lap three and I thought it would be a long day. I came back but as soon as you keep moving off the front, we had a really nice group with six others early doors. The guys were riding a bit too hard. We knew that Dan Bigham and Harry Tanfield were really strong but they put them out that back and it was like ‘ease off and use them as much as you can’. Harry was incredible today, he was absolutely flying and definitely kept the groups away,” continued Swift.

“It was always going to be difficult with just two of us, but luckily I’ve worked with Ethan [Hayter] quite a lot this year – I’ve seen how talented he is, what a year he’s had and what an outstanding career he’s going to have in the future. It was nice to keep this one of his shoulders – I know he had the other two. Having a teammate like Ethan who is by far the strongest guy in the race and my experience, we worked well together.

“It was just riding from the front and once I knew that Ethan was coming across at the end, I could play that card and say I’m not going to work because Ethan’s coming. I knew that Fred was at the side of me and we were toe-to-toe. It was just first to that corner and luckily I got it.”

How it unfolded

The opening lap was marked by a series of probing accelerations rather than attacks as each rider sought to conserve his energy while maintaining position towards the front of the peloton.

A small crash on the approach to the first ascent of Michaelgate underscored the importance of positioning but the peloton tackled the climb at a largely sedate pace, except for an attack by Lewis Askey (Equipe Cycliste Continentale Groupama-FDJ).

He was later joined by a group of riders including Dan Bigham (Ribble Weldtide Pro Cycling) but their endeavours initially only succeeded in stringing out the peloton. Bigham’s second attack, in which he was joined by Sam Watson (Team Inspired), broke the elastic and this duo built up an advantage of a minute.

They remained out front while, at the beginning of the third lap, Ben Swift and Ben Turner (TRINITY Racing) broke away too and dangled between the peloton and front group. At the back of the peloton, meanwhile, Mark Cavendish (Deceuninck-QuickStep) had an unfortunately-timed mechanical just before Michaelgate and found himself out of position for the climb.

On the third ascent of Michaelgate, Swift and Turner were caught, but Swift continued to set a high pace to force the creation of a small group containing Jake Stewart (Groupama-FDJ), Harry Tanfield (Qhubeka-NextHash), Dan McLay (Arkea-Samsic). They bridged across to Bigham and Watson, forming a sextet at the front of the race.

Behind them, the peloton fractured twice on the next two laps and, though none of the pre-race favourites seemed to be caught out, these two groups came back together again. Only Michaelgate seemed able split the race and, through the avenue of cheers and cowbells, Hayter floated away from the peloton, latching onto the breakaway with a languid ease.

Askey, Wright and Connor Swift (Arkea-Samsic) rode across more conventionally, measuring their effort over a couple of kilometres. James Shaw (Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling) and Sean Flynn (SEG Racing Academy) also eventually joined the front after a lap-and-a-half long chase, while Bigham and Stewart were both dropped.

This breakaway continued without much incident until the ninth ascent of Michaelgate when Connor Swift accelerated. He was countered by McLay, his teammate, over the top of the climb, who escaped with Wright, Tanfield and Ben Swift in what became the race-winning move.

By the time the front group entered the 11th lap of the race, about 38km from the finish, the gap had ballooned to 50 seconds, marooning Hayter and Connor Swift in the group behind, unable to counter the move of their respective teammates.

This group was then joined by Alexandar Richardson (Alpecin-Fenix) and this configuration remained until the penultimate ascent of Michaelgate when the pace in the front group proved too high for McLay. In the second group, Hayter tentatively attacked on the climb too, dropping everyone except Askey and this pair began to close in on the front of the race.

Knowing that he would be unable to match Wright and Swift in the sprint, Tanfield repeatedly attacked on the final lap but was closely marked. As the leading trio entered the bottom of the final climb, they slowed, playing cat-and-mouse with one another, while behind Hayter and Askey thundered ever closer.

On the final uphill sprint Wright and Swift charged up Michaelgate side-by-side, until Swift finally edged ahead and took the title.

Results :
1 Ben Swift (GBr) Team Ineos Grenadiers
2 Fred Wright (GBr) Bahrain-Victorious
3 Ethan Hayter (GBr) Team Ineos Grenadiers
4 Harry Tanfield (GBr) Team Qhubeka Nexthash
5 Lewis Askey (GBr) Equipe Cycliste Continentale G…
6 Alexandar Richardson (GBr) Alpecin-Fenix
7 Daniel Mclay (GBr) Team Arkea-Samsic
8 Leo Hayter (GBr) Development Team DSM
9 James Shaw (GBr) Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
10 Samuel Watson (GBr) Team Inspired
11 Connor Swift (GBr) Team Arkea-Samsic
12 Sean Flynn (GBr) SEG Racing Academy
13 Gruffudd Lewis (GBr) Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
14 Jacob Scott (GBr) Canyon DHB Sungod
15 Josh Whitehead (GBr) SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
16 Jim Brown (GBr) Canyon DHB Sungod
17 Ben Granger (GBr) Zappi Racing Team
18 Ross Lamb (GBr) SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
19 Alex Peters (GBr) SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
20 Charlie Tanfield (GBr) Canyon DHB Sungod
21 Oscar Onley (GBr) Development Team DSM
22 Alistair Slater (GBr) Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy
23 Cameron Orr (GBr) Team Inspired
24 Ben Turner (GBr) TRINITY Road Racing
25 Oliver Rees (GBr) TRINITY Road Racing
26 Owain Roberts (GBr) Wales Racing Academy
27 Matthew Kingston (GBr) Zappi Racing Team
28 Thomas Gloag (GBr) TRINITY Road Racing
29 Cameron Mason (GBr) TRINITY Road Racing
30 Charlie Quarterman (GBr) TREK – SEGAFREDO
31 Henry Lawton (GBr) AG2R Citroen U23 Team
32 Isaac Mundy (GBr) Richardsons Trek DAS
33 Thomas Armstrong (GBr) ELECTRO HIPER EUROPA
34 Zak Coleman (GBr) Acrog-Tormans
35 Alfred George (GBr) Team Inspired
36 Joseph Laverick (GBr) Axeon Hagens Berman CT
37 David Hird (GBr) Halesowen A & CC Academy
38 Callum Macleod (GBr) Canyon DHB Sungod
39 Matthew Bostock (GBr) Canyon DHB Sungod
40 Maximilian Stedman (GBr) Canyon DHB Sungod
41 Steve Lampier (GBr) Saint Piran
DNF John Archibald (GBr) Eolo-Kometa Cycling Team
DNF Joshua Avery (GBr) Brother U.K – Cycle Team OnFor…
DNF Toby Barnes (GBr) Crimson Orientation Marketing …
DNF Samuel Beckett (GBr) Wales Racing Academy
DNF James Bentley (GBr) Team PB Performance
DNF Cameron Biddle (GBr) StolenGoat Race Team
DNF Daniel Bigham (GBr) Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
DNF William Bjergfelt (GBr) SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
DNF Jamieson Blain (GBr) BIKESTRONG-KTM
DNF Sam Brand (GBr) Team Novo Nordisk
DNF Frazier Carr (GBr) Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor
DNF Mark Cavendish MBE (GBr) DECEUNINCK – QUICK – STEP
DNF Michael Chadwick (GBr) Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy
DNF James Chapman (GBr) Team PB Performance
DNF Mark Christian (GBr) Eolo-Kometa Cycling Team
DNF Damien Clayton (GBr) Canyon DHB Sungod
DNF Matthew Clements (GBr) Kuwait Pro Cycling Team
DNF Peter Cocker (GBr) Richardsons Trek DAS
DNF Ash Coning (GBr) Tavfer Measindot Mortágua
DNF Finn Crockett (GBr) Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
DNF Jack Crook (GBr) Dolan Ellesse Race Team
DNF Tobias Dahlhaus (GBr) Foran CCC
DNF Scott Davies (GBr) Bahrain-Victorious
DNF Tristan Davies (GBr) Saint Piran
DNF Matti Dobbins (GBr) RT23
DNF Robert Donaldson (GBr) Team Inspired
DNF Owain Doull MBE (GBr) Team Ineos Grenadiers
DNF Matthew Downie (GBr) TAAP Cervelo
DNF Matthew Ellis (GBr) Saint Piran
DNF Iwan Evans (GBr) Saint Piran
DNF William Foster (GBr) JRC-Shutt-Ridley Race Team
DNF Gary Freeman (GBr) Orwell Velo
DNF Jack Freeman (GBr) Meudon Pedal Heaven Le Col RT
DNF Sebastian Garry (GBr) Nopinz Motip Race Team
DNF Matthew Gibson (GBr) Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
DNF Michael Gill (GBr) Saint Piran Development
DNF Joe Hill (GBr) UpShift Nutrition Race Team
DNF Ross Holland (GBr) Saint Piran
DNF Matthew Holmes (GBr) Lotto Soudal
DNF Joe Holt (GBr) Wales Racing Academy
DNF Oliver Hucks (GBr) Nopinz Motip Race Team
DNF Oscar Hutchings (GBr) Team Tor 2000 Kalas
DNF Toby Jarvis (GBr) Team PB Performance
DNF James Jobber (GBr) Kuwait Pro Cycling Team
DNF George Kimber (GBr) Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor
DNF Matthew King (GBr) Team PB Performance
DNF Oliver Knight (GBr) AVC Aix en Provence
DNF Zeb Kyffin (GBr) Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
DNF Matthew Lock (GBr) TAAP Cervelo
DNF Euan Macleod (GBr) Canyon DHB Sungod
DNF Harley Matthews (GBr) DAP Cycling Club
DNF Oliver Maxwell (GBr) Saint Piran
DNF Tom Mazzone (GBr) Saint Piran
DNF Daniel McDermott (GBr)
DNF Conor McGoldrick (GBr) Primera-TeamJobs
DNF Tom Merry (GBr) Vanelli-Project Go
DNF Oliver Moors (GBr)
DNF Theodor Obholzer (GBr) Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
DNF Charles Page (GBr) Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
DNF Jordan Peacock (GBr) Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor
DNF Oliver Peckover (GBr) SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
DNF William Perrett (GBr) Spellman – Dublin Port Track T…
DNF Neil Phillips (GBr) TEKKERZ CC
DNF Joe Pidcock (GBr) GROUPAMA – FDJ
DNF Joseph Rees (GBr) BIKESTRONG-KTM
DNF William Roberts (GBr) Wales Racing Academy
DNF Oliver Robinson (GBr) LVIV CYCLING TEAM
DNF William Scott (GBr) Richardsons Trek DAS
DNF Robert Scott (GBr) Canyon DHB Sungod
DNF Daniel Shoobridge (GBr) Nopinz Motip Race Team
DNF Nathan Smith (GBr) Team Novo Nordisk Development
DNF Jake Stewart (GBr) GROUPAMA – FDJ
DNF Bradley Symonds (GBr) Saint Piran
DNF William Tidball (GBr) Team Inspired
DNF Richard Todd (GBr) TRINITY Road Racing
DNF Timothy Torrie (GBr) TBW23 Stuart Hall Cycling
DNF William Truelove (GBr) Wales Racing Academy
DNF Daniel Tulett (GBr) Canyon DHB Sungod
DNF Nicholas Tyrie (GBr) Primera-TeamJobs
DNF Joey Walker (GBr) Crimson Orientation Marketing …
DNF Christopher Walkinshaw (GBr) Team PB Performance
DNF Matthew Walls (GBr) BORA – Hansgrohe
DNF Dean Watson (GBr) Clancy Briggs Cycling Academy
DNF Joe Wilson (GBr) Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
DNF George Wood (GBr) Cycling Sheffield
DNF Reece Wood (GBr) Canyon DHB Sungod
DNF Oliver Wood (GBr) Canyon DHB Sungod
DNF Jesse Yates (GBr) YOELEO TEST TEAM P/B 4MIND
DNS Samuel Asker (GBr) Richardsons Trek DAS
DNS Tobias Bartlett (GBr) Velo Club Lincoln
DNS Rhys Britton (GBr) Team Inspired
DNS William Brown (GBr) Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
DNS Lewis Bulley (GBr) Indulek-Doltcini-Derito Cyclin…
DNS Tom Couzens (GBr) Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor
DNS Gabriel Cullaigh (GBr) Movistar Team
DNS Sam Culverwell (GBr) TRINITY Road Racing
DNS Clay Davies (GBr) Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor
DNS Alex Dowsett (GBr) Team Katusha- Alpecin
DNS Alex Haines (GBr) GSC BLAGNAC VS 31
DNS William Harper (GBr) SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
DNS Angus Hawkins (GBr) Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor
DNS Josh Housley (GBr) Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor
DNS Cameron Jeffers (GBr) Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
DNS Christopher Latham (GBr) SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling
DNS Christopher Lawless (GBr) Total Direct Energie
DNS Timothy Lynch (GBr) London Dynamo
DNS Fraser Martin (GBr) Wheelbase CabTech Castelli
DNS Robert Orr (GBr) EuroCyclingTrips – CMI Pro Cyc…
DNS Isaac Peatfield (GBr) Crimson Orientation Marketing …
DNS Toby Perry (GBr) Equipo La Tova – Asesoria Al…
DNS Tom Portsmouth (GBr) Carbonbike Discar Academy
DNS Max Rushby (GBr) Team Inspired
DNS Alexander Sherwin (GBr) YOELEO TEST TEAM P/B 4MIND
DNS Oliver Stockwell (GBr) Team Inspired
DNS Matthew Taylor (GBr) Cycling Sheffield
DNS Tosh Teare (GBr) TRINITY Road Racing
DNS Ethan Vernon (GBr) Team Inspired
DNS Charles Walker (GBr) Spirit Bontrager BSS Rotor
DNS Stephen Williams (GBr) Bahrain-Victorious
DNS Simon Wilson (GBr) Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling
DNS Harrison Wood (GBr) SEG Racing Academy
DNS Jenson Young (GBr) Saint Piran
DNS Xeno Young (GBr) Creuse Oxygène Gueret