Thomas leads Team Sky domination

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Geraint Thomas (Team Sky) claimed his first individual professional road race victory when he outsprinted teammate Peter Kennaugh to win the British road race championships on Sunday.

Thomas was delighted to win the championship on a tough day. "This circuit is harder than any World Championships course I have ridden on. It was up and down all the time and it was quite stressful," Thomas said. 

"I won the Team Time Trial in Qatar but this is my first individual win and it is really special. The nationals are something everyone dreams of winning. In the back of my mind I knew I had some good form. After the Dauphine I was going well but I had a little bit of a head cold last week so I took it easy and came here really fresh. I will be honoured to wear the jersey in the Tour de France to represent Britain.

Thomas was one of three Sky riders who made it into the race winning break early in the race. Jeremy Hunt (Cervelo Test Team), Simon Richardson (Sigma Sport – Specialised), Thomas, Kennaugh and Ian Stannard (Team Sky) built an unassailable lead on the toughest course in recent history.

The quintet held their advantage as the race behind gradually splintered into pieces and the challenge faded. Richardson was the first to feel the damage caused by thousands of metres of climbing in Lancashire in the hottest day of the year and he fell back with two laps to go. Hunt was finally distanced as the Sky team put the pressure on to create a unique 1-2-3 for the new team and put a smile on the face of Team Principal Dave Brailsford.

"Hats off to Simon Richardson. He was in the lead group with four ProTour professionals and he was definitely holding his own. He pulled his weight and he rolled through with us quite a few times when he could have just have sat on. With three to go I put in an attack to see how everyone was doing and Simon got tailed off and then Pete attacked and I went with him and we waited for Ian (Stannard) to get up to us and the rest is history."

"I am in the best form of my life. I have just got up a level and am really happy in my life. I have got a girlfriend, which has settled me down now and the family back are home supporting me all the way. I am in a good place at the minute."

"I only went after Jeremy (Hunt) because I had a bit of speed going up the little kick near the finish," Thomas said. "We were off the front and I thought I really don't want to be here but I am here now so got stuck in. When Ian and Peter came over to us we had to ride. Jeremy and Simon sat on a bit, as you would expect as there were three of us."

David Millar (Garmin – Transitions), Bibby and Daniel Shand (Raleigh) Fleeman were in close attendance and the elastic finally broke. Millar finally showed some of the form seen on the continent recently and he went on the offensive taking Shand, Fleeman and Bibby with him. Ben Swift (Team Sky) jumped across and went along for the ride, but made only a fleeting visit.

"We just tried to keep the bunch around two minutes behind and then they sat up and our lead went up to four minutes," Thomas explained. "We heard David Millar was getting across and we pressed on a bit, as we obviously didn't want him to get up to us. The cracked and then it was a race between ourselves."

"Dave Brailsford pulled up alongside us with two laps to go said he was happy that with the team getting the 1-2-3 and it was up to us to race. I really wanted to win going into the Tour de France. I was worried about Pete because he is a strong climber and I had to mark him. He attacked and I sat on and that's all I needed to do. I waited for the sprint because I was confident I would beat him in that."

One on final note, Jonathan Bellis (Saxobank) was applauded all the way round the circuit by the appreciative fans. This was only Bellis's second race since he recovered from head injuries sustained in a motor scooter accident in Italy last year.

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