MILLAR WINS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Click here to view our photo gallery from the 2007 National Championships

FRESH from his exploits in the Tour de France, David Millar (Saunier Duval) proved he is the best of British when he won the National Road Race Championships at Abergavenny on Sunday.

Millar outsprinted breakaway rival Daniel Lloyd (Team DFL-Cycling News) at the end of the 106-mile event, the pair having been working well together ever since they escaped on a small climb at Newcastle, just outside Monmouth, at the 56-mile mark.

The Saunier rider had missed the first big break of the day, when around 10 riders got clear. But Millar was soon back at the front, and when the group was just about to be swallowed up he dug in again, taking Lloyd with him.

After 50 miles of graft with the bunch chasing hard to close them down, Millar looked the stronger of the two in the sprint, and they crossed the line 1-26 ahead of Gordon McCauley (Plowman Craven-Evans Cycles).

Although the New Zealand national takes third spot in the Premier Calendar event he was not eligible for the National Championship, and so Hamish Haynes, the winner 12 months ago, took third, one second further back.

With Premier Calendar leader Chris Newton and second placed Dean Downing out of the points, Robin Sharman (KFS Special Vehicles) took advantage to finish sixth and move up to second spot in the overall rankings with one round remaining.

See this week?s Cycling Weekly for more details.

Click here to view our photo gallery from the 2007 National Championships

National Road Race Championship (Abergavenny).-

1 David Millar (Saunier Duval) 106 miles in 4-00-09

2 Daniel Lloyd (Team DFL-Cycling News) same time

3 Gordon McCauley (Plowman Craven-Evans Cycles) at 1-26

4 Hamish Haynes (Team DFL-Cycling News) at 1-27

5 Russell Downing (Team Health Net-Maxxis) at 2-26

6 Robin Sharman (KFS Special Vehicles) same time

NB: McCauley third in Premier Calendar event, but ineligible for National Championship. Hamish Haynes takes third.

Click here to view our photo gallery from the 2007 National Championships