National Championships Sunday 2017

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June 25, 2017, Europe, Europe, Road

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Live updates on one of the busiest days of racing, as riders battle for national champions' jerseys across Europe.

Good morning, and a warm welcome to Cyclingnews' live race centre on what is, believe it or not, one of the busiest days on the cycling calendar. It's Nationals Sunday, and all across Europe and the world, riders are battling it out to become the champion of their respective countries. 

The Agenda

Jolien D'hoore wins Belgian women's title

In Britain, on the Isle of Man to be precise, three riders lead the women's race onto the finishing circuit. Elinor Barker, Anna Christian, and Manon Lloyd have a small advantage over a dangerous group of seven that includes the past two champions - Hannah Barnes and Lizzie Deignan.

In Belgium, Germany, and the Netherlands, the men's road races are underway.

In Spain, there are just under 100km remaining in the men's road race, and we have a group of 11 out front. Ivan Garcia Cortina was solo for a while but he was joined by 10 chasers. They are: Erviti, Pedrero, Arroyo, Sáez, Irizar, Iturria, Etxebarria, Guerrero, Verona, and Sola.

Here's Brecht's report from the Belgian women's race in Antwerp. 

Elinor Barker is now alone at the head of the women's race in Britain.

Elinor Barker is now alone at the head of the women's race in Britain. 25km to go.

Over in France, it should be a day for the sprinters, and we have a large breakaway of 17 riders with a lead of three minutes. FDJ are massed at the front of the peloton, keeping things under control for Arnaud Démare, who is probably the top favourite considering his June run of form. 

Movistar are always the dominant force in the Spanish men's road race, and they're controlling the peloton at the moment, with a couple of riders in the break for good measure. Alejandro Valverde is treating this as a 'training race' for the Tour de France, but you can never count him out, and this lumpy course should suit him.

Elinor Barker has 35 seconds in the British women's race and her lead seems to be growing with one lap - 7km - to go.

It's not looking good now for Barker as Deignan, Barnes and Archibald give chase. 10 seconds the gap.

Barker is caught, and Deignan attacks now.

Lizzie Deignan wins the British women's road race

Deignan's late attack saw he cross the line solo for her fourth national road race title, after 2011, 2013, and 2015. Archibald outsprinted Barnes for second, while Barker rolled home behind in fourth - so close but yet so far. 

The peloton has come back together in Italy in the women's race.

It looks like a fairly dull race in France. The 17 leaders are still being kept on a short leash by the FDJ-led peloton.

In Spain, the front group chopped and changed but now the peloton has come back, and it's all together going into the final 25km. 

Surprise surprise, Christine Majerus has won the Luxembourg road race title. The Boels Dolmans rider makes it eight in a row, after making it 11 straight time trial titles earlier in the week. Add to that her eight straight cyclo-cross titles, and you have a remarkable 27 national titles. 

Into the last 10km in Spain and Team Sky's Mikel Landa has rolled the dice with an attack. He's solo with a slim lead.

Landa is caught

80km into the Italian men's road race, and there's a break of four riders. Bahrain-Merida are setting the pace in the peloton - they have Sonny Colbrelli and Giovanni Visconti, and even Vincenzo Nibali, as candidates on this hilly 236km course.

Interesting development in Spain as five riders open up a 30-second lead in the closing kilometres. Ion Izagirre, Valverde, Jesús Herrada, Mas and Ezquerra.

Jesús Herrada wins the Spanish men's road race

The Movistar man opens up a small lead onto the downhill finishing straight and takes his second national title after 2013. His teammate Valverde mops up second place ahead of Ion Izaguirre.

Elisa Longo Borghini is alone at the head of the women's race in Italy.

Story of the day over in France.

In Belgium, the Antwerp course is largely flat but there are some cobbles. 

Crosswinds in France. The peloton is all over the place.

Zdenek Stybar wins the Czech road race

Juraj Sagan wins the Slovakian road race for a second year in a row

Elisa Longo Borghini becomes Italian women's champion

That was some solo ride from Longo Borghini, who finally gets her hands on the tricolore jersey after finishing second in the previous two editions. 

The situation is still chopping and changing all the time in France after the crosswind chaos, but the simplest way to put it is that we now have a group of 20 at the front of the race.

There are also 20 riders clear in the early stages of the British men's road race. 2016 champion Adam Blythe is there with Alex Dowsett. The British nationals always seem to serve up uncontrolled racing and this lumpy Isle of Man course should give us another memorable edition.

Gregor Mühlberger is the new champion of Austria

In Belgium the race isn't splitting just yet. Quick-Step are still leading the peloton and they've brought the gap to the leading trio down to two minutes with 75km to go.

In Holland, Robert Gesink is part of a strong LottoNL-Jumbo contingent in the large leading group. Three minutes is the gap with 50km to go and the winner may well come from that group.

The gap's down to one minute in Belgium.

Marcus Burghardt wins the German road race

It was a Bora one-two in Germany as Emmanuel Buchmann crossed the line just behind Burghardt.

In Italy they're on to the finishing laps and the three breakaway riders have six minutes.

Back together in Belgium but now fresh attacks come. This a key part of the race.

25 kilometres to go in France. It's just been full gas since those crosswinds first split the bunch, and we now have 13 riders left out in front.

Ryan Mullen wins the Irish road race title

In Britain, the race is back together as the leading group is caught. Last year's winner Adam Blythe was already dropped from that lead group, but he has now abandoned the race.

5km to go in France as the race sort of comes back together. 30 riders are in the front group after a small climb. Demare is there. Coquard isn't.

We're heading for a sprint, and the FDJ and Cofidis trains are fighting for position.

Arnaud Démare wins the French title

It's the old rivalry: Arnaud Demare and Nacer Bouhanni. The two slug it out for the line but it's Demare who comes out well on top to claim his second national title - the first coming in 2014 when he beat...Nacer Bouhanni.

Sylvan Dilier wins the Swiss title

14 riders out front with 20km to go in Belgium

Speaking of national champions, today we have a special feature on two-time French champion Thomas Voeckler, as part of our Tour de France countdown. 

Ramon Sinkeldam wins the Dutch road race

The race came back together and Sinkeldam won a close sprint from Wouter Wippert, with last year's champion Dylan Groenewegen third. 

In Belgium, Stuyven, Keukeleire, Vanmarcke, Naesen, and Van Hooydonck have a lead over a chasing group of six.

Rein Taaramae wins in Estonia

In Luxembourg Bob Jungels could be on his way to another title. He's alone out front with his arms tucked over the bars as if it were a TT.

In Luxembourg Bob Jungels could be on his way to another title. He's alone out front with his arms tucked over the bars as if it were a TT.

Into the last 7km in Belgium and those five riders look like they're going to fight it out for the victory. Keukeleire and Stuyven have particularly impressive sprints.

Team Sky have split the field in Britain and now the decisive moves are starting to be made. Mark Cavendish and Ian Stannard are in a large leading group.

Oliver Naesen takes the Belgian title!

It was classic Belgian racing. That group of five were knocking chunks out of one another, with gaps opening and closing all the time. When they started looking at each other for the sprint, Vanmarcke went first, from around 200 metres, and it looked like he was going to take it, but Naesen jumped out from behind and took it on the line. 

In Italy the break was caught and now Fabio Felline and Gianluca Brambilla are off the front together with just over 25km remaining. 

In Britain we have a key move as Ian Stannard drags a group of six clear. In there are Alex Dowsett, James Shaw, Scott Davies, Chris Lawless, and Graham Briggs.

In the US women's race Amber Neben and Emily Newsom are leading the race by 30 seconds as the race heats up.

You can watch the US races live on Cyclingnews, so if you want to tune into the action, this is the link you need. 

Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) wins in Denmark

Fabio Aru has attacked on the final climb in Italy.

Another one for Trek - Ruben Guerreiro wins in Portugal

Aru flew down the descent and he takes 30 seconds into the last 8 kilometres. 

Luka Mezgec (Orica-Scott) wins in Slovenia. 

Amber Neben wins the US Pro women's road race

Incredible week for Neben, who adds the road race title to her time trial title. She's also the world time trial champion. At 42. Remarkable. 

In Italy Aru is into the final couple of kilometres and he's not going to be caught now, with a lead of 35 seconds.

Bob Jungels wins the Luxembourg road race

Fabio Aru (Astana) wins the Italian road race

In Britain, Steve Cummings, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Jon Dibben, and Ben Swift have joined the lead group to make it 11.

In the British race the attacks are coming thick and fast in the lead group of 14. Kennaugh comes through for five laps to go with a slim lead. 

With three laps to go in Britain, Cummings, Swift Kennaugh, Lawless and Bibby lead the race, with Stannard chasing.

Steve Cummings has taken off solo and he has a lead of 12 seconds with one lap - 7km - to go.

Cummings won the time trial on Thursday and would be the first man since David Millar in 2007 to do the double.

Cummings takes the British road race title!

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