Three days before the men’s road race, a similarly strong line-up will compete in the individual time trial, with Alex Dowsett (Movistar) bidding for a fourth straight success. Dowsett beat Matt Bottrill (www.drag2zero.com) last time out, and the two will be among the leading contenders again on Thursday June 26.
Dowsett has enjoyed one time trial success this season, in Angers – albeit over just 6.8km – and was sixth at Tirreno-Adriatico over 9.1km, 11 seconds slower than third-placed Sir Bradley Wiggins (Team Sky).
Olympic champion Wiggins will start as favourite, however, proving with his emphatic stage win at the Tour of California in May that he has lost none of his ability against the clock. As with the road race, it is a chance for Wiggins to prove a point with him – apparently – set to miss the Tour. Though he lost out to Dowsett at last year’s Giro, he was comfortably better at the Tour of Britain and World Championships.
Another rider to look out for will be Commonwealth Games champion David Millar (Garmin-Sharp), as he bids for form ahead of defending his title in Glasgow. In his last national championships before retirement, Millar – the first man to achieve a national ‘double’, with victory in both the 2007 road race and time trial – has shown little form this time out, but should never be written off.
