The BIKEChannel Canyon team were pushing hard at one of the largest meetings on the British domestic racing calendar The Road Race National Championships. Thursday included a individual time trial looping from St Johns to Kirk Michael. Harry Tanfield finished with a 5th place in the elite TT, even managing to finish ahead of a number of world tour pro from Sky and was very close to the lead testers Alex Dowsett of Movistar and creditable winner Steve Cumming from Dimension Data.

There is no shame in us admitting that a good proportion of us here at HUNT | TheRiderFirm and you the HUNT riders/customers are suckers for road racing. With the Tour starting tomorrow and the British Road Champs just passed, it is no coincidence that we'll all be pouring over stage profiles and making office predictions before each stage. We were also at the British National Champs with the BIKE Channel Canyon Team to work closely with them on new wheel ideas, feedback and do our soigneur duties with bottles & gel hand-ups at the feed zone.

Sunday was a serious test for all the the riders who had to take on one of the hardest courses in British Nat Champs history. The 193.7km road race route took inspiration from the famous Isle of Man TT as well as the iconic Snaefell mountain climb with nearly 1500ft of ascent on just this climb, plus many other lumps around the course. Youngster Harry Tanfield made it into the early break and held this own in the fast-paced dozen or so riders. Dexter Gardias from BIKE Channel Canyon also mixed it in the leading groups with Cav and other World Tour riders as the race progressed with constant attacking and finished a very creditable 16th in the Elite men's which included at least 10 world tour riders (that we could count anyway). The BIKEChannel Canyon team once again put in a stunning effort.


See below a photo journal of how things went down on the Isle of Man. Check out the shot when Alex Dowsett's bike hits the timing board!

 

 

Warm Up
Warming the engines.
Race Ready
Spares
Spares.
Our Ollie moving in on the energy bars.
Pro sign on with Adam Blythe last years champion.
Final Checks fanatically carried out by Mark Haylett team mechanic.
Car
Team car locked and loaded, prime position 3 in the massive 23 team car line-up, Team SKY only got position 22, oh well.
Jack 1
Probably the best car Jack has ever sat in. Serious business though, a little different to hitting the phones and emails at the HUNT office in his day job.
Look at those wheels!
When Ian Stannard saw a set of Hunt Wheels...
Just waiting for a mate...
HUNT Staffers Ollie and Pete spaced out and waiting for thirsty BIKE Channel Canyon riders
Perfect hand-up by Ollie to Harry Tanfield one of the hard working early break members from BIKE Channel Canyon
Wheel sucking Cav... as you do
Dexter Gardias Casually sticking to Cav's wheel whilst carrying out bottle opening/gel swapping admin... skills.
Oooh, man down 40m before us in the feed zone, suspected broken collar bone.
On the rivet
Max Stedman On the rivet.
Winner
Winner Steve Cummings, dude rolling to a well deserved double with the Time Trial.  Serious crowds at the Grand Stand which is normally reserved for 200mph bikes at the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy motorbike races held just 2 weeks earlier.
Cav and Isle of Man
Cav high 5ing his home fans on the Isle of Man.
game face
U23 Time Trial FAAAASSSSTTTT Max 'Stingray' Stedman!
 
ALEX DOWSETT TT BIKE
Oh and Alex Dowsett's bike in mid air with the bike rack just managing to hold on to it after colliding with the timing clock & finish arch during the time trial. Wow those bar ends look a bit whacked!
June 27, 2017 — Hamish Paine
Tags: Road/CX