Kent cyclo-cross ace Ian Field took a confident victory in the opening round of the National Trophy Cyclo-Cross Series in Wales on Sunday, attacking as he headed into the final lap and winning by ten seconds from his breakaway rivals at Abergavenny.
Field, a 22-year-old who is riding as a first year senior, has plenty of experience having ridden for the GB Academy in several world cup ‘cross and mountain bike events - but he needed all his experience to secure victory with a quality field snapping at his heels.
"It was a good race, and panned out pretty much as I expected," he said afterwards. "The series is definitely an aim for me this year. It's been a while since I did a whole series so it'll be good, especially as there are six races this time."
Last years series winner Paul Oldham (Hope Factory Racing) was driving the leading group, but when Field attacked as they reached the pits for the last couple of circuits, he caught his rivals napping and established a lead which he clung on to.
Oldham held off the challenge of Belgian visitor Dave Willemsens to take second spot, but he will be aiming to improve one place when the second round is staged in Devon in two weeks time.
Swift Racing's Gabby Day won the women's event by 25 seconds from Climb On Bikes ace Paula Moseley, while Isla Rowntree (Stourbridge CC) was third, 36 seconds behind Day.
Noel Clough (Fietsen Tempo) was a convincing winner of the veterans race, the Yorkshire-based rider crossing the line 48 seconds ahead of Matt Denby (Zepnat RT), while MI Racing's Geoff Giddings was third, just two seconds behind Denby.
And Daniel McLay (Univega) was just seven seconds ahead of Keighley's Tom Moses (SSC Cyclesport) in the junior race, Will Verney (Felt Racing) another ten seconds back in third.
Downing wraps up Premier Calendar with a win
Russell Downing scored a record seventh victory in the Premier Calendar Series when he won the Richmond Grand Prix in North Yorkshire on Sunday.
The Candi TV-Pinarello RT rider from Yorkshire won the series with two races remaining, but still turned out to ride the event - and give the crowds a strong performance to enjoy.
Despite heading out to Italy this week to ride for Great Britain at the World Championships, Downing plugged away with grit and determination, driving a three-rider break onwards and holding off his rivals to complete the series in style.
Russell pipped brother Dean in the sprint, and said afterwards: "Dean had been sitting on in the break, leaving me and Simon [Richardson, Plowman Craven] to do the work, so I did enough to keep off the front but I wasn't going to give him a free ride to the finish.
"He came over the top as we headed for the line, but luckily I had enough left to pull him back."
Cumings together in NW road race
Father and son Mike and David Cuming crossed the line first and second in the Cycling Development North West Road Race near Preston, Lancashire, on Sunday, after breaking away around 13 miles from the finish.
The Macclesfield Wheelers pair worked well together following their escape just before the penultimate lap, and established a lead of more than one minute.
That lead was whittled down to 36 seconds by the finish, but they had easily done enough to dominate the podium, with dad David choosing not to contest the sprint and leaving his offspring to take the glory.
Sigma Sport's in-form rider Steve Golla took third spot at the head of the bunch.
Prior wins Derby Mercury RR
Christian Prior (Onimpex Bioracer) sprinted to victory at the end of the 86-kilometre Derby Mercury Road Race in Staffordshire on Saturday.
Repeated attacks were launched off the front of the bunch throughout the tough race, which took in four and a half laps of a circuit which included the 1km climb of Hanbury Hill, but none of the breaks could snap the elastic and a bunch sprint ensued.
The promoting club's Nigel Martin took second spot by inches from Beacon Roads CC's Ian Treadwell third. It was only Martin's second road race after switching from mountain biking, where he is an elite XC rider.
Beetham wins Notts and Derby Cyclo-Cross
Junior Geoff Beetham (Retro Bikes) proved victorious in the third round of the Notts and Derby Cyclo-Cross League, staged at Shipley Park by Heanor Clarion on Saturday.
He was 2min 16sec ahead of veteran Chris Green from Matlock CC), while Beauvale CC's Gareth Whittall, who went on to ride the following day's National Trophy opening round in Wales, was third, just over three minutes back.
Array