Mark Cavendish and Geraint Thomas missed out on the medals in potentially their last race on home soil.
Sprint legend Cavendish, robbed of the chance to win a record 35th Tour de France stage when he was left out of the QuickStep team two months ago, didn't even contest the final dash after being marooned in the Birmingham 2022 peloton.
The Manx missile, who left the Tour of Poland early to prepare for the 100-mile road race in Warwick, was not among the 15 riders who made an early break – and they never looked like being reeled in.
Cavendish, 37, appeared to be furious about a lack of co-operation from other nations when he consulted the Isle of Man team car. But after trailing in 44th, 8min 39sec behind New Zealand's Aaron Gate, who won his fourth gold medal at the Games, he put on a brave face, insisting: “I love it. It’s the biggest thing you can do for the Isle of Man.
“It’s just fun - we’re sat there in the communal area just having a laugh. I just love it. To come in with that little group and know you have a realistic chance of winning, makes you dead proud of our little island.”
Cavendish was shafted in the London 2012 road by other nations refusing to do heavy lifting on the front of the race, and once the peloton had been dropped, it was the same story on 10 laps of a 10-mile circuit.
Thomas, who finished third on Le Tour last month, was eighth after a brave late charge fell just short. He promised he would be back for more big races with Ineos Grenadiers in 2023 but admitted: “I always knew it wasn't a course that suited me, and it felt weird having to deal with the expectation that I might win a medal.
“That's the last time I'm going to wear a Welsh vest because this will definitely be my last Commonwealth Games, so I wanted to give it everything I'd got. I had to try something, but to win a sprint I would have to be on my own.
“You'll definitely see me at major races next year - I just don't know which ones yet. I still feel competitive, and it's more about family than anything. I've been doing this a long time now, 16 years as a pro, and I'm looking forward to something different but I'm in no rush to do it.”
The home nations did not miss out altogether – Scotland's Finn Crockett won a surprise bronze with South Africa's Daryl Impey collecting bronze.
