Millar and Dowsett win in Chrono des Nations

David Millar and Alex Dowsett convincingly won their respective categories in Sunday's Chrono des Nations time trial in Vendée, France.

Recently-crowned Commonwealth time trial champion Millar (Garmin-Transitions) was the only rider to duck under the hour mark to win the elite men's race, covering the UCI 1.1-ranked race's 48.5 kilometres in a blistering 58 minutes 53.27 seconds.

Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen (Sky) was the only rider to come close to Millar, and even then he was two minutes and 19 seconds adrift of the Scot.

Liewe Westra (Vacansoleil) finished third, at three minutes and six seconds.

Millar is the first British rider to win the Chrono des Nations - or Chrono des Herbiers as it was then known - since Chris Boardman in 1996.

Amazingly, Tour of Lombardy winner Philippe Gilbert (Omega Pharma-Lotto) also took part in the event after Saturday's efforts in despicable weather conditions in Itay. He finished 30th, seven minutes and 37 seconds behind Millar.

Dowsett takes under-23 race

Alex Dowsett, meanwhile, raced under the banner of Great Britain to win the under-23 men's category. Like Millar, Commonwealth TT silver medallist Dowsett was in a class of his own, the only rider to blast through the 38.6km espoir's course under 50 minutes. 

French pair Romain Bacon and Nicolas Bonnet finished second and third respectively.

In the elite women's event, French veteran Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli repeated her 2009 win. It's the sixth time Longo-Ciprelli has won Chrono des Nations in her career, having first won the event in 1987. 

Results

Chrono des Nations 2010 time trial

Elite men, 38.5km

1. David Millar (GB) Garmin-Transitions in 58-53.27

2. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky at 2-19

3. Lieuwe Westra (Ned) Vacansoleil at 3-06

Under-23 men, 38.61km

1. Alex Dowsett (GB) Great Britain in 49-38.06

2. Romain Bacon (Fra) CM Aubervilliers

3. Nicolas Bonnet (Fra) Vulco-VCVV

Elite women

1. Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli (Fra) in 29-22

2. Amber Neben (USA) at 30 secs

3. Edwige Pitel (Fra) at 1-07

Related links

Millar wins Commonwealth TT, silver for Dowsett