ALEX Dowsett powered to a top ten world championship finish.

The Maldon cyclist was Britian’s sole representative in the men’s elite Time Trial at the UCI World Championship in Limbury in the Netherlands.

Fifty eight cycylists battled it out in the 45.7km event.

The Team Sky rider finished in eighth place in an excellent time of one hour one minute four seconds in Wednesday’s race.

The British National Time Trial champion had been sitting in silver medal position when he crossed the line but was slowly pushed down the field.

But he did take the scalp of Spain’s Alberto Contador Velasco, the triple Tour de France winner and one of five riders to have won all three Grand Tours of road cycling, who he beat into ninth place.

The gold medal was won by Germany’s Tony Martin in a nail-biting finish as he clocked 58m 38.76s.

He was just ahead of American Taylor Phinney, whose time was only 5.237s down on the German.

The crowd cheered on the Olympic silver medallist, who finished behind Bradley Wiggins in London, as he chased down Phinney’s time.

Vasil Kiryienka, from Belarus, took the bronze medal.