Stannard Wins The British Championship

Last updated : 24 June 2012 By Kev Monks

Ian Stannard,  was today crowned the British Champion for 2012/2013 after winning the Elite Mens Road Race at Ampleforth, near York.

Team Sky's Alex Dowsett was the first to attack along with Graham Briggs. They were joined by another one of the five Team Sky riders in the race in Ian Stannard, Oli Beckinsale and Hampton of Raleigh by the start of the second lap of the big circuit.

The race moved onto three smaller laps and Beckinsale and Briggs were dropped.

The peloton seemed to have given up and the trio, all of whom hail from Essex, out in front were now five minutes ahead with two lone  chasers at 6'20" and the peloton at 7'10" with 25 miles to go.

Six miles later, Ian Stannard who had been dropped for a bit, attacked Dowsett and Hampton as Pete Williams and Ben Swift chased some 5'20" back. 

Stannard, who is not in Team Sky's team for the Tour De France, got away and was 45 seconds clear as they got onto the final lap.

He kept going and took a deserved victory ahead of Alex Dowsett.  

ITV4 will show the race from 7pm tomorrow night. 

Sharon Laws of the AA Drink Leontien.nl team made up for the disappointment of being left out of the Olympics squad by winning the Womens race ahead of Lizzie Armitstead and Emma Pooley. Nicole Cooke was sixth.