BURLEY-in-Wharfedale’s Scott Thwaites finished fifth in a captivating British Road Race Championships.

After crosswinds saw the peloton ripped apart in the early stages, Commonwealth Games road race bronze medallist Thwaites was in a six-man breakaway with defending champion and eventual winner Pete Kennaugh, fellow Manxman Mark Cavendish, Ian Stannard, Adam Blythe and Luke Rowe.

Thwaites and Blythe dropped back before Rowe decided to work with Cavendish to shut down the gap on his Team Sky associates with only three laps remaining.

On the final 13-kilometre lap Stannard burst free but was caught before Kennaugh and Cavendish accelerated away.

Kennaugh had the stronger legs on the final ascent, which has an average gradient of around 16 per cent, beating Cavendish by five seconds.

“That has got to be one of the hardest races of my career,” said Kennaugh.

The 2012 champion Stannard pipped Rowe to bronze on the line in a sprint finish.