Bradley Wiggins lived up to his status as the overwhelming favourite when he won today's British time trial championships in commanding fashion. Having struggled in the recent Tour de Suisse, the Olympic champion didn't take anything for granted and feared his teammate, eventual silver medalist Geraint Thomas.

Bradley Wiggins stormed to victory in the British national time trial championships as he led home a Team Sky 1-2 finish.

Wiggins claimed his third national title against the clock on a damp and chilly evening in Monmouthshire with a blistering time of 53 minutes and 56 seconds.

38 seconds up on team-mate Geraint Thomas at the lap one intermediate split, Wiggins pushed on as the rain began to fall harder to win by an eventual margin of 1:08.

Thomas himself set off at an impressive pace, capturing two-minute man David Millar (Garmin-Sharp) before half distance amidst an impressive ride to second place.

Also on home ground Luke Rowe went fastest briefly in a time of 56:55, a ride which stood up for a strong fourth place.

Last man down the ramp, Alex Dowsett (Movistar) set off looking to secure himself a historic fourth consecutive TT title. The Essex rider took the final step of the podium, 1:21 back on a rampant Wiggins.

Rain had began to fall during the late afternoon, turning an already technical and rolling 42-kilometre course into a altogether tougher challenge, albeit one Wiggins showed he was more than equal to.

Commitment

After crossing the line Wiggins, who will not ride the national road race on Sunday, said: "It was full commitment today. Any time trial you go into as Olympic champion, especially at the British championships, you want to win it.

"This is probably the best British championships they've ever had in terms of the field and the way the event's been run.

"I think G was perhaps the rider I feared most today, especially on home soil and the form he's in. I didn't take anything for granted today."