Three-time British elite men’s time trial champion Alex Dowsett is keen to regain his national title on Thursday in Lincolnshire and once again have the honour of racing throughout the world in the iconic red, white and blue-striped jersey.
However, carrying physiological changes resulting from the hour record, the 26-year-old isn't taking anything for granted as he stands on the brink of equalling Stuart Dangerfield’s record of four British titles (in 1998, 2001, 2003 and 2005).
“I’d quite like my jumper back,” joked Dowsett, who made the jersey his own from 2011 to 2013 before illness robbed him of the chance to battle on an even footing with Sir Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas in Monmouthshire in 2014.
Despite “not being in a good place at all”, Dowsett still took bronze behind Wiggins and Thomas but victory last year would have made Dowsett the first man to win the title four times in a row, a record that he was devastated to have missed out on.
“Last year I was particularly gutted. Obviously Stuart's done four but no one has done four on the bounce.
Take a look at the time trial course for Thursday's #RoadChamps: http://t.co/crzlpqRd7V https://t.co/a4tqfDW3U2
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"It's the national champs - everyone wants to be able to put that jersey on,” continued the Movistar rider, whose 2014 season has seen a number of personal watersheds – taking the hour record in Manchester back in May and in the same month taking his first ever stage race win at Bayern Rundfahrt, the latter on the back of his time-trialling ability.
But the hour record has taken its toll on Dowsett’s abilities on the road – the Essex-born man facing the challenge of losing around three kilos of muscle mass gained during preparation for the iconic track event.
"I've had four or five weeks to turn around track speed and weight into something that will get me selected for the Tour de France,” revealed Dowsett.
“It's been pretty difficult. It's been a bit of a struggle really. But I'm doing what I can.”
Dowsett rode the Criterium du Dauphine earlier in June but was forced to abandon on stage six, later commenting on Twitter that he had simply ‘ran out of legs’, struggling whenever the roads turned skyward.
But his flatland speed was encouraging.
"I was very good on the flat stages in terms of positioning our lead riders,” Dowsett explained. “I was as competent as I've ever been at that but with all the hour record training I've put on two or three kilos of muscle and shifting that has been really difficult.
"I usually struggle in the mountains but this was struggling a bit more than usual.”
Where this leaves the 2014 Commonwealth Games champion for Thursday’s 44.8-kilometre effort against the clock remains to be seen, with the parcours a race of two halves – the first on the open roads of Lincolnshire before the finale on the swooping tarmac of the county’s Cadwell Park circuit, a venue with which motor-racing fan Dowsett is familiar with.
"My dad used to race cars around Cadwell Park so he told me that section of it is a bit lumpy,” he said. “From what I understand the climbs are shorter. More short sharp climbs this year so it sounds like it will be alright for me."
Following the Dauphine, Dowsett travelled to Route du Sud to support Nairo Quintana in what will be the Colombian’s pre-Tour de France tester, with Dowsett himself keen to secure a birth in Movistar’s Tour roster.
A few days of re-familiarisation on the time trial bike after the French stage race was much needed, with the first half of Dowsett’s season dedicated to track preparation.
“I haven't actually ridden it a great deal this year with all the hour record stuff I've been doing,” admitted Dowsett, his priority for the nationals run-in “getting reacquainted with my time trial bike and getting myself through Route du Sud”.
With 2014 gold and silver medallists Sir Bradley Wiggins and Geraint Thomas ruling themselves out of the event, Dowsett's chances of taking back 'his jumper' are strong. However experience has taught him that once on course in the 'race of truth', rivalry rarely matters.
"It's a time trial - I go as fast as I can and try and gain time where I know I can and limit losses in other places", he concluded.
"It doesn't really matter who's there. I will just go and do the best ride I can.”
The elite men’s time trial takes place on Thursday 25 June starting at 3:30pm.
Elite men's time trial start list
How to follow the racing
- Live reporting on the British Cycling website from 11am covering the under-23 men’s and elite women’s and men’s time trials.
- Live video stream on the British Cycling Events YouTube channel - home of British Cycling’s event videos - from 2pm of the elite women’s and men’s time trials. Subscribe to the channel.
- Updates on Twitter @BritishCycling.
- A one-hour highlights programme on British Eurosport 2 (Sky channel 411) (Virgin channel 525) on Friday 26 June at 4pm.
