Thomas continues impressive spell with victory in national time trial
Geraint Thomas will head to the Tour de France as Britain’s national time trial champion after claiming victory in Northumberland.
The Team Sky rider completed the 39.7 kilometre course in a time of 48 minutes 54 seconds, beating Harry Tanfield (Canyon-eisberg) by 37 seconds while five-time champion Alex Dowsett of Katushaalpecin was third, 54 seconds down. It continues a strong spell of form for Welshman Thomas, who won the Criterium du Dauphine at the start of the month as he prepares for the Tour, where he is expected to be a protected rider in the Sky squad alongside Chris Froome.
“It was great,” said Thomas, who was the British road race champion in 2010. “Obviously winning the Dauphine was a big boost, and I’ve done a big bit of training since so to come here and win the Nationals for the first time is really encouraging. I rarely get to race in the UK or do a one-off time trial either, so I’m really happy.”
Earlier in the day, Hannah Barnes of Canyon-sram won the women’s title with a time of 39 minutes 38 seconds over the 28.6km course.
That was enough to beat her younger sister and team-mate Alice Barnes by 17 seconds, while Scotland’s Neah Evans of Storey Racing was third, but over a minute and a half off the winning pace. “This is a target I had for the season so it’s nice to have this jersey, and to have Alice in second is pretty cool,” Barnes said.
“There’s not much rivalry between us – we’ve both focused a lot on our time trials this season, so coming into this we had a lot of help from our team.”
Harry Tanfield’s brother Charlie, also of Canyon-eisberg, won the men’s under-23 title with Mel Lowther (Storey Racing) winning the women’s event.
0 Geraint Thomas: In fine form. Amir Khan believes he can fight for a world title by the end of the year.
The 31-year-old will take on Colombian Samuel Vargas in Birmingham on 8 September in a WBA welterweight eliminator with the winner to face the victor of Manny Pacquiao and Lucas Matthysse.
Khan, a former unified world champion, is also eyeing a bout with Sheffield’s Kell Brook as he prepares for just his third fight in two years. But Khan insists he is targeting a world title bout to prove he is back to his best.
“We’re getting closer to a world title fight, which is where I want to get to. It could be by the end of the year, or early next year – I want to be in there quick,” Khan said.
“Waiting around is not something I like doing. I was third youngest world champion in Britain, that’s because I don’t like waiting around.
“Brook is a fight I want, let’s see how it goes. I’m ready for everyone, I’m not ducking anyone. I want to fight all the biggest names. That’s where I belong.”
Khan returned to the ring after a two-year absence to beat Phil Lo Greco in 39 seconds in April.
He admits facing Pacquiao, who lost the WBO world welterweight title to former schoolteacher Jeff Horn last year, is a massive carrot but he must perform against Vargas first.
Khan said: “I have to win but win in good style. I finished so quickly against Lo Greco, I finished so fast I didn’t have the chance to get the ring rust out.
“This fight for me will lead me on to bigger fights and bigger names. I want to be back at world title level.”
Vargas, a 29-year-old Colombian welterweight based in Toronto, has a record of 29 wins – 14 by KO – three losses and two draws.
He said: “This is my time, I’ve been up here before, I have the experience, I have the time, I feel ready and I’m going to pull off an upset. It’s going to be the biggest break of my career. I know what it’s like to be on the B side of boxing. It’s rubbish. I’m excited for this fight.”