Twisting finishing circuit set to decide the national titles
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Peter Kennaugh (Team Sky) enjoying his victory salute
Peter Kennaugh (Team Sky)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
The map of the out of town TT loop of the 2016 British national road race championships(Image credit: British Cycling)
The map of the main road race circuit of the 2016 British national road race championships(Image credit: British Cycling)
The map of the road race finishing circuit 2016 British national road race championships(Image credit: British Cycling)
The map of the 2016 British national road race championships finishing circuit (Image credit: British Cycling)
Lizzie Armitstead was the most consistent rider in season 2015 and was a worthy winner of the women's road race(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Elizabeth Armitstead (Great Britain) in her rainbow jersey(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Alex Dowsett (Movistar)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alex Dowsett upseat Bradley Wiggins to claim his first grand tour stage win n the stage 8 time trial(Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti)
British Cycling has announced the routes for the 2016 British National Road Championships that will take place in Stockton-on-Tees, in the northeast of England, from 23-26 June.
The 2016 championships form part of the annual Stockton Cycling Festival and will begin on Thursday 23 June with the national time trial championships. The senior road race titles will be contested on Sunday June 26, with current national champions Lizzie Armitstead (Boels-Dolmans) and Pete Kennaugh (Team Sky) expected to defend their titles.
Alex Dowsett, Hayley Simmonds and Scott Davies won the time trial titles in 2015 and they will compete on an 11.6km circuit, with the men completing four laps, while the women and U23 categories will each complete three.
The road races start in the centre of Stockton before heading out of town where the riders will complete six laps (women) and 12 laps (men) of a 13.4km circuit that takes in the neighbouring villages of Carlton, Thorpe Thewles and Redmarshall. The riders will then return to Stockton town centre, entering the fast and twisting 6.7km finishing circuit to complete three laps in the women's race and six in the men's before racing for the line on the High Street.
In 2015 Kennaugh retained his 2014 national road title in a closely fought battle with fellow Manxman Mark Cavendish. The Team Sky rider only managed to distance the sprinter on the final climb of the race in Lincoln, while Ian Stannard rounded out the podium. Cavendish, who started the race without any teammates, took the fight to Team Sky and made the winning move inside the closing stages of the race. Kennaugh, who had already been on the attack, made it across, leaving Stannard and Luke Rowe to fight for bronze.
Armitstead won her third national women's road race title in Lincoln with a dominant performance. She attacked on the penultimate ascent of the Michaelgate climb and despite a valiant chase from defending champion Laura Trott (Matrix Fitness), Armitstead opened up an unbridgeable gap over the top of the climb to win alone.
"We are delighted to be able to announce the routes for this year's national road championships in Stockton. Lincoln's iconic course last year resulted in a great race for both the athletes and fans," British Cycling's director of cycle sport and membership, Jonny Clay said.
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"We've worked closely with Stockton Borough Council to deliver a testing but fast course which incorporates a mix of punchy climbs and rolling roads. I think we can expect to see some exciting racing that the National Championships is now well known for."
As the championships form part of this year's Stockton Cycling Festival, there will also be activity on the Friday and Saturday, with a youth race on Stockton High Street taking place on Friday and the Stockton Sportive taking place the following day.
