Alice Barnes yesterday secured her second elite road title in almost as many days after adding the British road race title to her individual time trial (ITT) win. After the weekend that saw many road national championships across the globe come to an end, the win from Alice Barnes gave CANYON//SRAM Racing five new national champions for 2019.

Her teammates, Rotem Gafinovitz and Omer Shapira successfully defended their Israeli ITT and road titles respectively. While in Germany, Lisa Klein won her first elite women’s ITT national title.

“I’m in a little bit of shock really. It was a hard race,” said Alice Barnes after yesterday’s road race.

“There were two girls away, and then I went across with Abby-Mae Parkinson, and so all four of us were working really well. I didn’t want to leave it to the sprint, so I attacked with a couple of corners to go, trusted my tyres and went for it. After the final corner I saw no one was coming around me but I just went all the way to the line. I’m just really happy,” said Alice Barnes.

Finishing sixth in the road race, Hannah Barnes was delighted for her younger sister. “I knew Alice was in good form after the TT and then when she went across to the break, I thought ‘oh this is really good’. I just wanted to have a radio to tell her that she’s got this. And now, she’s won the double, I’m really pleased for her!”

Read how each national championship went below.

Great Britain ITT championships

Alice Barnes, British ITT champion: “The course was pretty rolling, harder on the way out with the wind and more climbing. I hadn’t ridden the course before with a lack of time after coming from the European Games. I followed a U23 boy in the morning, to get an idea of the course at race pace.”

“I went out harder than I was planning as this was my mistake at the European Games and I didn’t want to make it again. My legs felt really good and I paced it perfectly. I am really happy to have won my first elite title and will wear the stripes with pride.”

Hannah Barnes, bronze medal ITT:  “I was feeling good during the ride and felt like I executed it well so I can be happy about that but I’m a little disappointed with the overall result.”

Belarusian national championships

Alena Amialiusik, silver medal ITT: “I suffered a little bit in the ITT with not very good legs after travelling the day before and coming off a hard block of training. I was only one second off winning, but I gave everything I could, so I have to be satisfied with that.”

Alena Amialiusik, bronze medal road race: “The day after we had the road race and it was really active! I was up against the full Minsk Cycling Team so they were making it hard for me. Looking back, I should have changed my tactic but it’s easy to say that now. I raced hard and got third, and now I have to move back into our nice team colours, so it isn’t so bad!”

French road championships

Pauline Ferrand-Prévot, 20th in the road race: “It was a super tactical race as expected. The teams played their numbers and the individuals were marking each other. FDJ sent two riders in a break and then nobody wanted to chase them. They had a two-minute advantage and then the gap came down after there were some attacks from the chase group. I felt good until the last two laps and then I was pretty empty.”

German ITT championships

Lisa Klein, German ITT champion: “When we saw the course the day before, I thought it was quite boring––flat, go out, two corners, come back––and to be honest it put me in a pretty bad mood because I was thinking it wasn’t a course for me.”

“But then we sat down with Lars Teutenberg (Performance Manager) and we worked out a pacing strategy and various finish lines throughout the course, that worked to the strengths of each of us. All of our staff worked hard, the mechanics were put out of their comfort zone, to warm up on the race TT bike until 15 minutes to go. So, I appreciate the efforts of everyone.”

“I paced it like we planned, and I had a good race, including a PB in my 20-minute power output. I could hold my aero position the whole race which is pleasing.”

“I’m very happy for the result and everyone that believed in me. It shows me that I can perform at a high level also on a flat, non-technical course, and not only undulating ones. It’s a satisfying feeling!” 

Teammates Hannah Ludwig finished fourth, Tanja Erath fifth and Christa Riffel twelfth in the ITT.

German road championships

Lisa Klein, silver medal: “I am happy about our team’s performance, we worked together and I could finish it off with second in the uphill sprint finish.” 

“For sure I wanted to win to bring the jersey back onto my shoulders and to our team, but I was not the strongest in this sprint. This gives me motivation to work with my coach to be able to have a better sprint.”

Teammates Hannah Ludwig finished 12th, Christa Riffel 14th and Tanja Erath 15th.

Israeli ITT championships

Rotem Gafinovitz, Israeli ITT champion: “Our ITT race was in the south of Israel. It was an out-and-back type course, not very technical, but rather undulating with two hills in the middle of the race. My race was slower than I had planned, but I didn’t have the best power in the week leading up to it, so it wasn’t really a surprise.”

“I’m very happy to defend my title, and to wear the blue and white stripes for another year is great!”

Israeli road championships

Omer Shapira, Israeli road champion: “The circuit was 23.5km with a climb of around 3km to the finish, Rotem and I managed to stay by ourselves already in the end of the first lap. We rode together until the end of the third lap and from there I went by myself, so I did about a 30km TT to the finish!”

“It was very nice and emotional finish. I’m very happy to keep wearing this jersey, I’ll do my best to keep representing my nation as best I can.”

United States road championships

Alexis Ryan 5th road race: “It was a really tough race and I gave everything. The result isn’t satisfying but I’m very pleased that my legs are back in form. After not achieving what I wanted in spring, I’m looking forward to this next part of the season and now I’m feeling confident.”

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