Max Walker rounded off an excellent week at the British National Road Championships with a bronze medal on Sunday afternoon. 

Having won a silver medal in the elite men’s time trial on Wednesday, the 22-year-old Manxman followed that up with another podium in the men’s road race which brought the curtain down on the championships. 

On a hillly course around Saltburn-by-the-Sea in North Yorkshire, which saw riders tackle seven laps of a course totalling 182 kilometres and 2,835 metres of climbing, the Astana Qazaqstan rider featured prominently throughout. 

Together with eventual winner Ethan Hayter (Ineos Grenadiers) and runner-up Lewis Askey (Groupama-Fdj), Walker escaped from a leading group of seven riders on the final circuit and stayed clear to the finish.  

With Hayter’s team-mate Connor Swift leading a chase to the leaders, the Ineos man was able to sit on the wheels of Walker and Askey.  

Therefore, Walker decided his best chance was to attempt a late attack on one of the steep climbs. Unfortunately for him, the move proved temporary and he was soon caught and overtaken by the other duo, seemingly dropping out of contention. 

To his credit though, Walker dug deep and was somehow able to regain contact with Askey and Hayter to contend the finish where he was only distanced in the closing metres as he crossed the line in an excellent third place to add to his time trial silver. 

Fellow Manxman Tyler Hannay, riding for Saint Piran, finished as the seventh under-23 rider in 22nd place overall. 

In the women’s elite road race, the Isle of Man’s Becky Storrie also featured prominently and played a key role in helping her DSM-Firmenich Post NL team-mate Pfeiffer Georgi win the gold medal and the national champion’s jersey. 

Storrie received plenty of mentions during the live coverage as she powered the peloton in the successful pursuit of a breakaway trio.  

Georgi went on to win her third national title, with Storrie coming home in 23rd spot.