Greig Leach

Ian Stannard (Sky) had timed his attack to perfection. He had waited for Graham Briggs (JLT Condor) to take a pull. Once Briggs rolled off the front, Stannard went on the offensive, and try as he might, Briggs just couldn't get back on the Sky rider's wheel. When Stannard's team car pulled up to give him a bottle, they could also let him know that he had over a minute on his erstwhile companions. And of even more importance, over seven and a half minutes on the peloton. With twenty four kilometers to race, Stannard would be one of the top three on the stage, but most likely he would take his first ever Tour of Britain stage. It is always great to see one of the worker bees able to work for themselves.