Surprise winners at 50-mile TT National Championship

Incidents abound as new champs crowned

- Snowdon Sports, Vern Pitt

Pre-race favourites suffered misfortune as surprise winners took the national 50-mile titles following an eventful morning in Essex on Sunday.

Adam Duggleby was the somewhat surprise winner of the men's event after scratch rider John Archibald punctured at the 25km mark, ending his race.

After winning the women's national TTT last month, Team Bottrill looked on course for a podium clean sweep.

However, reigning champion Kate Allan and team-mate Alex Clay both crashed out in separate incidents as Emily Martin took her first individual national title.

Duggleby, aged 38, won his first national time trial title in five years, recording a time of 1-41-33 on the two-lap, out and back course between Chelmsford and Great Dunmow.

The Leeds-based rider, who competes as a tandem pilot for the Great British Paralympic squad, beat an in-form Oliver Peckover (trainSharp) into second (1-42-52), while Jack Crook (Richardsons-Trek RT) finished third in 1-43-10.

Alex Dowsett (Nopinz) had to settle for fifth, just seven seconds outside the medals in a close finish.

Meanwhile, Duggleby riding for ADDFORM Vive Le Velo said that a pre-race recon was vital to his success. “The road was pretty rough so I rode on quite low pressures because it was bumpy,” said Duggleby.