Briggs takes Elite Circuit Series opener in Brighouse

Raleigh-GAC's Graham Briggs continued his impressive week by storming to victory in the Elite Circuit Series in the aptly-named Brighouse last night.

Briggs played a key role in helping team-mate Russell Hampton finish third in Sunday's National Road Race Championships, and the former British Circuit Race Champion beat former team-mate Dean Downing and Node4-Giordana's Matt Cronshaw in the series opener.

He was part of a six-man group who broke clear in the opening laps, and promptly lapped the peloton twice. Briggs attacked four laps from the end and, despite the best efforts of Downing and Cronshaw behind, he stayed away to take the victory.

The remaining escapees - Jack Pullar (Wheelbase), Liam Holohan (Raleigh-GAC) and Jake Hales (IG-Sigma Sport) - unsurprisingly stayed clear to finish fourth, fifth and sixth. Rapha-Condor-Sharp's young Australian Ben Grenda took the bunch kick for seventh.

The next round of the series is the Stafford GP, next Wednesday (July 4).

Results

Elite Circuit Series 2012, round one: Brighouse

1.  Graham Briggs (Raleigh-GAC)

2.  Dean Downing (Rapha-Condor-Sharp)

3.  Matt Cronshaw (Node4-Giordana)

4.  Jack Pullar (Wheelbase)

5.  Liam Holohan (Raleigh-GAC)

6.  Jake Hales (IG-Sigma Sport)

7.  Ben Grenda (Rapha-Condor-Sharp)

8.  Rico Rogers (Node4-Giordana)

9.  Tobyn Horton (Raleigh-GAC)

10. Tom Murray (IG-Sigma Sport)