Blythe beats Cavendish to British national championship victory

Adam Blythe (Tinkoff) denied Mark Cavendish a second British national road race title as he outsprinted the Manxman at the end of an aggressive day in the north east of England.

Cavendish, who will try to claim the yellow jersey on the opening day of the Tour de France next week, was the favourite as a 14-rider group that came towards the line for a sprint and it was he who opened it up. However, Blythe, who had been part of a long four-man breakaway before limiting his workload on the final laps once caught by Cavendish's chase group, took his wheel before brushing shoulders and coming past him on the slightly-uphill drag to the line.

The 26-year-old Tinkoff rider punched the air and celebrated wildly as he crossed the line for what is probably the biggest result of his career. Andy Fenn, whose Sky teammate Alex Peters had attacked repeatedly to shake up the closing stages of the race, was a more distant third.

"I wanted that one, I was thinking about it all day, trying to be in the right moves," said Blythe, who won’t be at the Tour de France but is instead set to debut his white, red and blue champion’s jersey on home soil at the RideLondon-Surrey Classic later this summer.

"With a couple of laps to go I thought we might hold off the chasers, it was hanging around 20 seconds and I did a few hard turns, but it came back together and I just gambled it’d be a sprint and luckily I got round Cav."

The 207km course was based on two circuits – a main 13.4km loop to be covered 12 times before a 6.7km finishing loop in Stockton to be covered six times – and it produced the aggressive and chaotic racing that has come to characterise national championships.

Indeed, Blythe described how hard it was, the WorldTour-level rider saying it was the toughest day his power meter has seen this year.

"Normally when Cav wins there are leadout trains, but today was a hard day," he said. "We were marked out all day, we weren’t really given any room, always on the pedals all day, I’ve had one of the highest powers I’ve had all year."

Five-time national time trial champion Alex Dowsett was aggressive early on, sparking various moves in a fluid opening portion of the race. However, the Movistar man didn’t make the key selections that were soon made, with two groups joining up to make a breakaway of 16, including Blythe.

It was fast and furious in the bunch as Dowsett and others looked to bridge over, and a large group of 28 ended up clipping off in pursuit of the leaders. That group itself split, and in the end eight riders, including Cavenidsh, Dowsett, and Tao Geoghegan Hart, made the junction to form a lead group of 22.

On the final lap of the main loop, Team Sky neo-pro Alex Peters showed his aggression and formed a four-man group with Geoghegan Hart, Tom Moses, and Blythe that would go close to contesting the victory. The quartet collaborated well and held onto around 30 seconds for four of the six final laps before an aggressive Cavendish helped drag the chase group – which by that stage had been whittled down to 10 – back into contention.

With 14 now at the head of the race with under two laps to go, Peters attacked repeatedly, with Chris Lawless the most active in shutting down the moves. It was frantic, with splits opening and closing all the time, but by this stage Blythe had set up shop on the back of the group – as he said, gambling on it coming together for a sprint.

After relative calm on the final lap, that’s what happened and once Cavendish had opened it up to come past Lawless and Thwaites, Blythe found he had enough in the tank to take the spoils.

Full Results

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#Rider Name (Country) TeamResult
1Adam Blythe (GBr) Tinkoff4:31:07
2Mark Cavendish (GBr) Dimension DataRow 1 - Cell 2
3Andrew Fenn (GBr) Team SkyRow 2 - Cell 2
4Mark McNally (GBr) Wanty - Groupe GobertRow 3 - Cell 2
5Scott Thwaites (GBr) Bora–Argon 18Row 4 - Cell 2
6Tao Geoghegan Hart (GBr) Axeon Hagens Berman CTRow 5 - Cell 2
7Thomas Stewart (GBr) Madison GenesisRow 6 - Cell 2
8Dale Appleby (GBr) NFTORow 7 - Cell 2
9Christopher Lawless (GBr) JLT CondorRow 8 - Cell 2
10James Shaw (GBr) Lotto Soudal U23Row 9 - Cell 2
11Dexter Gardias (GBr) Pedal HeavenRow 10 - Cell 2
12Kristian House (GBr) One Pro Cycling0:00:09
13Alex Peters (GBr) Team Sky0:00:20
14Christopher Latham (GBr) Team Wiggins0:03:44
15Matthew Holmes (GBr) Madison GenesisRow 14 - Cell 2
16Thomas Moses (GBr) JLT Condor0:03:45
17George Harper (GBr) One Pro CyclingRow 16 - Cell 2
18Sam Lowe (GBr) Team Wiggins0:03:48
19Steve Lampier (GBr) JLT Condor0:03:49
20Robert Partridge (GBr) NFTO0:03:50
21Max Stedman (GBr) Pedal Heaven0:03:52
22Alex Dowsett (GBr) Movistar Team0:03:54
23Daniel Mclay (GBr) Fortuneo - Vital Concept0:04:50
24Elliott Porter (GBr) Neon-Velo Cycling Team0:05:15
DNFGeorge Atkins (GBr) JLT CondorRow 24 - Cell 2
DNFScott Auld (GBr) Zappi's Racing TeamRow 25 - Cell 2
DNFKarl Baillie (GBr) Raleigh GACRow 26 - Cell 2
DNFYanto Barker (GBr) One Pro CyclingRow 27 - Cell 2
DNFPeter Barusevicus (GBr) Wheelbase Altura MGDRow 28 - Cell 2
DNFSebastian Baylis (GBr) Zappis Racing TeamRow 29 - Cell 2
DNFThomas Baylis (GBr) One Pro CyclingRow 30 - Cell 2
DNFIan Bibby (GBr) NFTORow 31 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Bigham (GBr) Planet X - Northside CyclingRow 32 - Cell 2
DNFWilliam Bjergfelt (GBr) Neon-Velo Cycling TeamRow 33 - Cell 2
DNFSam Boast (GBr) Wheelbase Altura MGDRow 34 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Bolland (GBr) Neon-Velo Cycling TeamRow 35 - Cell 2
DNFMatthew Bostock (GBr) 100% MERow 36 - Cell 2
DNFTom Bracegirdle (GBr) Goma Dakwerken vdb SteenhouwerijRow 37 - Cell 2
DNFEdmund Bradbury (GBr) NFTORow 38 - Cell 2
DNFKieran Brady (GBr) Richardsons-Trek RTRow 39 - Cell 2
DNFAlexander Braybrooke (GBr) Lotto Soudal U23Row 40 - Cell 2
DNFGraham Briggs (GBr) JLT CondorRow 41 - Cell 2
DNFDillon Byrne (GBr) Superano Ham - Isorex - TartelettoRow 42 - Cell 2
DNFRob Carter (GBr) TS Racing Team - OTRRow 43 - Cell 2
DNFMark Christian (GBr) Team WigginsRow 44 - Cell 2
DNFJoseph Clark (GBr) Envelopemaster Giant SheffieldRow 45 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Clarke (GBr) Massi Kuwait Cycling ProjectRow 46 - Cell 2
DNFMatthew Clarke (GBr) Excel Pedal Heaven AcademyRow 47 - Cell 2
DNFAngus Claxton (GBr) EISER INFORLUR/S.C DuranguesaRow 48 - Cell 2
DNFEdward Clemens (GBr) Spirit Bikes Racing TeamRow 49 - Cell 2
DNFMatt Cronshaw (GBr) Madison GenesisRow 50 - Cell 2
DNFGabriel Cullaigh (GBr) 100% MERow 51 - Cell 2
DNFScott Davies (GBr) Team WigginsRow 52 - Cell 2
DNFJonathan Dibben (GBr) Team WigginsRow 53 - Cell 2
DNFAndrew Disley (GBr) Harry Middleton Cycling ClubRow 54 - Cell 2
DNFJordan Doig (GBr) Pro Vision Cycle ClothingRow 55 - Cell 2
DNFRussell Downing (GBr) JLT CondorRow 56 - Cell 2
DNFNathan Draper (GBr) 100% MERow 57 - Cell 2
DNFJoshua Edmondson (GBr) NFTORow 58 - Cell 2
DNFAlbert Ellison (GBr) TBW Bottecchia Wigmore RTRow 59 - Cell 2
DNFJoseph Elwood (GBr) Langsett Cycles RTRow 60 - Cell 2
DNFJack Escritt (GBr) Raleigh GACRow 61 - Cell 2
DNFJoe Evans (GBr) Madison GenesisRow 62 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Fletcher (GBr) Sherwood Pines Cycles Felt - EnveRow 63 - Cell 2
DNFAlexander Foster (GBr) Bikehaus by RidleyRow 64 - Cell 2
DNFGeorge Fowler (GBr) NFTORow 65 - Cell 2
DNFJoseph Fry (GBr) Pedal HeavenRow 66 - Cell 2
DNFDan Gardner (GBr) Astellas Cycling TeamRow 67 - Cell 2
DNFJoshua Green (GBr) Catford CC Equipe/BanksRow 68 - Cell 2
DNFLuke Grivell-Mellor (GBr) JLT CondorRow 69 - Cell 2
DNFLuc Hall (GBr) Team WigginsRow 70 - Cell 2
DNFRichard Handley (GBr) One Pro CyclingRow 71 - Cell 2
DNFJoe Harris (GBr) Spirit Bikes Racing TeamRow 72 - Cell 2
DNFSamuel Harrison (GBr) Team WigginsRow 73 - Cell 2
DNFAndrew Hawdon (GBr) Raleigh GACRow 74 - Cell 2
DNFJacob Hennessy (GBr) Spirit Bikes Racing TeamRow 75 - Cell 2
DNFRichard Hepworth (GBr) Raleigh GACRow 76 - Cell 2
DNFBen Hetherington (GBr) Planet X - Northside CyclingRow 77 - Cell 2
DNFLiam Holohan (GBr) Team WigginsRow 78 - Cell 2
DNFJoe Holt (GBr) 100% MERow 79 - Cell 2
DNFTobyn Horton (GBr) Madison GenesisRow 80 - Cell 2
DNFRhys Howells (GBr) Richardsons-Trek RTRow 81 - Cell 2
DNFJoshua Hunt (GBr) One Pro CyclingRow 82 - Cell 2
DNFHarrison Jones (GBr) Pedal HeavenRow 83 - Cell 2
DNFJake Kelly (GBr) Team WigginsRow 84 - Cell 2
DNFAdam Kenway (GBr) Metaltek Kuota Racing TeamRow 85 - Cell 2
DNFRoss Lamb (GBr) Godfrey Bikewear Race TeamRow 86 - Cell 2
DNFEdward Laverack (GBr) JLT CondorRow 87 - Cell 2
DNFAndy Leigh (GBr) Superano Ham - Isorex - TartelettoRow 88 - Cell 2
DNFGruffudd Lewis (GBr) Madison GenesisRow 89 - Cell 2
DNFAdam Lewis (GBr) Team NHT Cycling TeamRow 90 - Cell 2
DNFJames Lewis (GBr) NFTORow 91 - Cell 2
DNFJoel Lewis (GBr) Wheelbase Altura MGDRow 92 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Lines (GBr) Wheelbase Altura MGDRow 93 - Cell 2
DNFRhys Lloyd (GBr) NFTORow 94 - Cell 2
DNFJames Lowsley- Williams (GBr) NFTORow 95 - Cell 2
DNFRichard Mardle (GBr) NFTORow 96 - Cell 2
DNFFraser Martin (GBr) Raleigh GACRow 97 - Cell 2
DNFOliver Maxwell (GBr) Neon-Velo Cycling TeamRow 98 - Cell 2
DNFZachery May (GBr) Metaltek Kuota Racing TeamRow 99 - Cell 2
DNFTom Mazzone (GBr) Excel Pedal Heaven AcademyRow 100 - Cell 2
DNFLeon Mazzone (GBr) ILLI-Bikes Cycling TeamRow 101 - Cell 2
DNFJonathan McEvoy (GBr) NFTORow 102 - Cell 2
DNFLouis Modell (GBr) Zappis Racing TeamRow 103 - Cell 2
DNFAnthony Moye (GBr) Spirit Bikes Racing TeamRow 104 - Cell 2
DNFCraig Nicholls (GBr) API-Metrow/Bodyby JRRow 105 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Nieto (GBr) TBW Bottecchia Wigmore RTRow 106 - Cell 2
DNFSean Noon (GBr) Spokes Racing TeamRow 107 - Cell 2
DNFChris Opie (GBr) One Pro CyclingRow 108 - Cell 2
DNFAlex Orrell-Turner (GBr) Wheelbase Altura MGDRow 109 - Cell 2
DNFJoshua Outram (GBr) Richardsons-Trek RTRow 110 - Cell 2
DNFAlex Paton (GBr) Pedal HeavenRow 111 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Patten (GBr) Team WigginsRow 112 - Cell 2
DNFGeorge Pym (GBr) Raleigh GACRow 113 - Cell 2
DNFCharlie Renshaw (GBr) Envelopemaster Giant SheffieldRow 114 - Cell 2
DNFAlexandar Richardson (GBr) Pedal Heaven Excel AcademyRow 115 - Cell 2
DNFSteven Roach (GBr) Raleigh GACRow 116 - Cell 2
DNFTristan Robbins (GBr) Madison GenesisRow 117 - Cell 2
DNFBen Rowe (GBr) Wheelbase Altura MGDRow 118 - Cell 2
DNFErick Rowsell (GBr) Madison GenesisRow 119 - Cell 2
DNFLuke Ryan (GBr) Richardsons-Trek RTRow 120 - Cell 2
DNFDavid Shackleton (GBr) Wilsons Wheels Race TeamRow 121 - Cell 2
DNFDean Shannon (GBr) Richardsons-Trek RTRow 122 - Cell 2
DNFKieran Simcox (GBr) Neon-Velo Cycling TeamRow 123 - Cell 2
DNFMark Stewart (GBr) 100% MERow 124 - Cell 2
DNFBradley Stokes (GBr) Planet X - Northside CyclingRow 125 - Cell 2
DNFLiam Stones (GBr) NFTORow 126 - Cell 2
DNFJake Tanner (GBr) Envelopemaster Giant SheffieldRow 127 - Cell 2
DNFJoshua Teasdale (GBr) Prorace Cycling TeamRow 128 - Cell 2
DNFMichael Thompson (GBr) Team WigginsRow 129 - Cell 2
DNFRory Townsend (GBr) Pedal HeavenRow 130 - Cell 2
DNFAndrew Turner (GBr) KTM Impsport RTRow 131 - Cell 2
DNFJoey Walker (GBr) 100% MERow 132 - Cell 2
DNFDaniel Whitehouse (GBr)Row 133 - Cell 2
DNFPeter Williams (GBr) One Pro CyclingRow 134 - Cell 2
DNFSamuel Williams (GBr) One Pro CyclingRow 135 - Cell 2
DNFStephen Williams (GBr) JLT CondorRow 136 - Cell 2
DNFJake Womersley (GBr) Pedal HeavenRow 137 - Cell 2
DNFCameron Woolsey (GBr) Spirit Bikes Racing TeamRow 138 - Cell 2

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