Henderson looking content after her title win(Image credit: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com)
Anna Henderson on route to winning the Elite Women's title at the National Individual Time Trial Championships in Catterick(Image credit: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com)
Elynor Backstedt after the National Individual Time Trial Championships(Image credit: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com)
A rider on the course at the National Individual Time Trial Championships(Image credit: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com)
Alice Wood in one of her last races on the time trial course at the British National Championships(Image credit: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com)
Dame Sarah Storey racing for the Elite Women's title at the National Individual Time Trial Championships(Image credit: Olly Hassell/SWpix.com)
Anna Henderson (Visma-Lease A Bike) swept to the British elite women’s time trial title on Wednesday, completing the 30km Catterick course in a time of 46:07.
Henderson, who won the title back in 2021, averaged 39kph for her run to beat Claire Steels (Movistar) into second place by 33 seconds, while Elinor Barker (Uno-X Mobility) rounded out the podium in third with a time of 47:09, 1:02 down on Henderson.
“I’m over the moon! It was a really, really tough course out there today so I’m really happy that everything came together, and I can pull on the stripey jersey," Henderson said.
"It’s been a really rough few years – last year with the crash, and the year before with sickness – so this year everything came together and was perfect. It’s great to get a white jersey and I’m really excited to wear it at the Tour [de France Femmes].”
25-year-old Henderson, who recently finished second at the Tour of Britain Women, was one of the last runners out on the course, and shot to the top of the standings at the 15km checkpoint.
She was the only rider to record a time under 23 minutes there, with her time of 22:46 coming in 29 seconds up on previous leader Steels. Over the second half of the course, she’d slightly extend her advantage by three seconds to claim the hot seat.
Henderson would watch late runners including Barker and Pfeiffer Georgi (DSM-Firmenich PostNL) close out the race, though both women were well down on her time at the checkpoint, with Georgi ending up in fourth place with a time of 47:42, meaning Henderson could celebrate her title victory.
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Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, having joined in 2017 as a freelance contributor, later being hired full-time. Her favourite races include Strade Bianche, the Tour de France Femmes, Paris-Roubaix, and Tro-Bro Léon.
