McLay crowned junior national champ
Hargroves Cycles junior Dan McLay was crowned the National Junior Road Race Champion after sprinting to victory at the end of a gruelling 75-mile title race in Wales on Sunday.
McLay, the 18-year-old from Leicester who was second in this year's Junior Paris-Roubaix, crossed the line about five yards ahead of his 17 rivals in a big sprint finish to the race in Brecon.
Incorporated in the National title race was the Welsh Junior Road Race Championships, and McLay's team-mate Owain Doull - who had been pipped to the line by McLay, took the Welsh crown as well as second in the British event.
But with just a few miles left, neither of the two Hargroves riders looked likely to win.
They had both missed the early breakaway, but a big effort saw a number of contenders bridge the gap and cross the line more than a minute ahead of the remains of the bunch.
Apart from a few early attackers who were quickly hauled back, the decisive break went on the second climb at Pen Gen Ffordd, with around ten riders getting clear and working well.
A number of high profile riders were left back in the bunch, so it was not long before a concerted chase was mounted on the second circuit. However, it was not until the final 10 kilometres that McLay and Doull made it across.
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RESULTS
National Junior Road Race Championship (Brecon, Wales, 75 miles)
1 Dan McLay (Hargroves Cycles) 2-59-00
2 Owain Doull (Hargroves Cycles)
3 Chris Nicholson (Team Isle of Man)
4 Simon Yates (Maxgear RT)
5 Conor Dunne (Glendene CC)
6 Oliver Rossi (PCA Ciclos Uno)
7 Adam Yates (Maxgear RT)
8 Lewis Balyckyi (Team Wallis CHH)
9 Perry Bowater (CC Giro)
10 Josh Edmundson (Motorpoint-Marshalls Pasta) all same time
Welsh Championship
1 Owain Doull
2 Sam Harrison (Planet X)
3 Matthew Haase (VC St Raphael)
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