Kay, Heras, Hutchinson, Brompton world champs, Bike Blenheim Palace 2009

After last year's podium upset, triple Vuelta a Espana winner Robert Heras eventually clinched the one title he's always dreamed of winning - the Brompton World Championship.

Heras travelled over from Spain to the Brompton champs, held at Bike Blenheim Palace on Sunday, complete with dashing suit and flowery helmet.

The Spaniard dashed to his bike during the race's Le Mans-style running start, before quickly assembling his folder and blasting around the closed road circuit course around the grounds of the Oxfordshire stately home. Heras headed a field of around 400 riders to take the win.

Read more: Best folding bikes: a buyer's guide 

Last year's surprise winner Alastair Kay was third, with the morning's Blenheim time trial champion Michael Hutchinson swapping skinsuit for fetching green jacket to take second place. Hutchinson is rumoured to be 'gutted' not to have taken the title.

In 2008 Britain's Kay pipped Heras to the win, which stunned the Spaniard causing him to query the results with officials on the podium. The result stood.

The Brompton World Championship was first held in Barcelona, Spain, in 2006, and have been held at Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, since 2008.

Results
Bike Blenheim Palace 2009: Brompton World Championships
1. Roberto Heras

2. Michael Hutchinson

3. Alastair Kay

Kay, Heras, Hutchinson, Brompton world champs, Bike Blenheim Palace 2009

Brompton champions (l-r): Alastair Kay (third), Roberto Heras (winner), Michael Hutchinson (second)

Brompton world champs, Bike Blenheim Palace 2009

The riders await the Le Mans-style running start

Michael Hutchinson, Bike Blenheim Palace 2009

Michael Hutchinson during the champs. Or on the way back from his gentleman's club, we're not sure which

Alastair Kay, Bike Blenheim Palace 2009

Alastair Kay: last year's winner was third

Roberto Heras, Brompton world champs, Bike Blenheim Palace 2009

Roberto Heras in action

Related links

Hutchinson wins Blenheim Palace TT

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Nigel Wynn
Former Associate Editor

Nigel Wynn worked as associate editor on CyclingWeekly.com, he worked almost single-handedly on the Cycling Weekly website in its early days. His passion for cycling, his writing and his creativity, as well as his hard work and dedication, were the original driving force behind the website’s success. Without him, CyclingWeekly.com would certainly not exist on the size and scale that it enjoys today. Nigel sadly passed away, following a brave battle with a cancer-related illness, in 2018. He was a highly valued colleague, and more importantly, an exceptional person to work with - his presence is sorely missed.