Fred Wright (Bahrain Victorious) won the British road race national title on Sunday with an all-out attack in the closing kilometres ahead of two breakaway companions. James Knox (Soudal-QuickStep) secured second place falling short of the catch by nine seconds. Stephen Williams (Israel-Premier Tech) finished third, another 10 seconds back at Saltburn-by-the-Sea.
The three riders got away from a breakaway of six on the eighth of 10 laps. Then Williams got out of the saddle for an attack with under 4km to race, but Wright then made his pass immediately dropping the duo.
Williams and Knox fought back to keep him in their sights, 10 seconds up the road before the final climb of the Saltburn Bank, where Wright continued his quest for his first professional victory.
Not only did Wright secure his first pro win, but he finally took the gold, having won the silver medal Wednesday in the elite men’s time trial and improving from a silver medal he earned at the 2021 road race.
“I still can't believe it, to be honest. I knew I had some of the best legs I've ever had today and it was so special to cross the line," Wright said. "I still imagined in my head, you know, 200 metres to go, ‘he's going to come flying past me!’. It's being able to wear the stripy jersey and then also for the rest of my career, I'll have a little GB logo on my jersey as well. It means a lot to win this and I can't wait for the next year.”
It was an emotional victory for Wright, as he pointed to the sky to honour the recent loss of teammate Gino Mäder.
How it unfolded
The field of 142 elite men began the 189km race with light rain falling. Making 10 laps of the same loop used by the elite women earlier in the day around Saltburn by the Sea, attrition would develop with eight climbs per lap. The final climb to the finish line came just after Saltburn Bank, a short, twisting climb with a maximum gradient of more than 22%.
The first attack which stuck was Ben Tullet (Ineos Grenadiers), opening a gap of about 20 seconds.
A select group of 10 riders joined Tullet as they took on the second lap, the rain still falling and the sun then regaining its place to dry the course. Simon Carr (EF Education-EasyPost) left the peloton for a solo chase of the leaders.
A group of six got away and had 1:25 advantage close to the mid-point of the race - Joshua Golliker (Groupama-FDJ La Conti), Trinity duo of Oliver Rees and Max Walker, Mark Donovan (Q36.5 Pro Cycling), Conor McGoldrick (Richardsons Trek DAS) and Harrison Wood (Cofidis).
With five laps to go, Fred Wright and Carr led a large chase group that had dwindled to about 15 riders. One lap later the chase group contained just 10 men, the gap to the six leaders holding at 1:05 as the rain began to fall again.
The gap came down to 35 seconds as the leaders headed for a fourth lap, Walker appearing to cramp as he fell off the back. Others soon began to follow suit and Donovan hit the gas to strike out as the last man standing.
With three laps to go, it was just Donovan who rode at the front, and he set a strong tempo that gave him a one minute cushion over the chasers, with the group of about 15 splintering into two, Paul Double (Human Powered Health) the first to roll back. Donovan’s day ended as nine riders made the catch on the circuit with 41.5km to go, Samuel Watson (Groupama-FDJ) setting the pace.
As the group passed through the finish banner passing the coastline at Saltburn with two laps to go, heavy rain fell. Four riders dropped off the pace right away and six continued to charge ahead - Wright, Connor Swift (Ineos Grenadiers), Williams, Knox, Samuel Watson (Groupama-FDJ) and Owain Doull (EF Education-EasyPost).
Swift began to suffer across the series of climbs, and could not sustain the paces set by Knox. Then Wright attacked over the top of the climb at Skelton-in-Cleveland, one section at 14%, the four behind matching efforts.
From the chase behind, Swift clawed his way back to the lead group to make it a sextet with one-and-a-half laps to go. Knox then attacked on the first switchback of the Saltburn Bank climb.
On the bell lap, Knox rode alone at the front, Wright and Williams back about 10 seconds while Swift and Doull falling adrift. Knox, Williams and Wright formed a formidable force and traded punches as they headed to the finish.
Results
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