Sky was unable to take the British time trial title when the championships were held today on a 49,2km course in Stewarton. Alex Dowsett took his third consecutive win at the event ahead of Matthew Bottril while Ben Swift was the best Sky rider in 3rd.

Alex Dowsett made a surprise move when he left the big British Sky team to join the Spanish Movistar squad prior to the season, claiming that he wanted to line up at the biggest races in the world. He promptly delivered on his promises by surprisingly beaten his former teammate Bradley Wiggins into 2nd in the long Giro d'Italia time trial.

Today he once again defeated the members of his former squad as he took his third consecutive British time trial title. In the absence of Wiggins and Chris Froome - the former suffers from a knee injury, the latter prepares for the Tour - he was the overwhelming favourite and his most likely challengers were the Sky duo Ben Swift and Luke Rowe.

Surprisingly, it was domestic veteran Matthew Bottrill who ended up as his closest challenger and his time was surprisingly close to Dowsett's. On the 49,2km course, he only lost 21 seconds to the favourite while Swift was the best Sky rider in 3rd.

It will be considerable harder for Dowsett to also beat his former teammates at the national road race championships which is held on Sunday as he will have no teammates to support him and will be up against a large number of riders from the country's biggest cycling team.

Result:

1. Alex Dowsett 1.02.30

2. Matthew Bottril +0.21

3. Ben Swift

4. Douglas Dewey +0.32

5. Luke Rowe +0.49