Paul Oldham takes National Trophy Series overall win
Second spot in the final round at Shrewsbury was enough for Paul Oldham (Hope Factory Racing) to take overall victory in the National Trophy Cyclo-Cross Series.
The Lancashire-based rider was well beaten at Shrewsbury by Belgian Under-23 ace Yorban van Tichelt (Sunweb-Revor), but it proved enough for Oldham to take the overall honours at a wet, muddy and challenging Sundorne course.
"Conditions were hard out there and a lot depended on when you swapped bikes," said Oldham afterwards. "I was swapping every half lap so I have the pit crew to thank for that. But Yorben put 20 seconds into us in one lap and went like a train. He was something else."
The women's title went to Hannah Payton (Kinesis Morvelo Project) after she secured victory at Shrewsbury ahead of rival Beth Crumpton (Hargroves Cycles) with junior Abby-Mae Parkinson (RST Racing) taking third.
"It was a really pressured race and there are lots of places where you could make mistakes on that circuit," said Payton. "Beth was really coming back to me on the last lap and she was quicker than me in the woods so I knew it would be down to the last section."
Elsewhere, there was a second consecutive victory for Alex Paton in the London League at Bethlem Hospital at Beckenham on Sunday.
The 23-year-old from Dover took victory in round 13 in the colours of Pedal Heaven RT, while his win in the last round was while riding for GWB Activ.
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He held off former team-mate Michael Butler (GWB Activ) to take the win, while Darren Barclay (Arctic SRAM) was third.
In the Wessex League, Matt MacDonald (Hargroves Cycles) win round 13 at Fairthorne Manor near Southampton, but only after a mechanical on the last lap.
He had a lead of around two minutes heading into the final circuit, but had to run to the pits for a new bike and ended up winning by just 16 seconds from Joe Hickerton.
Alex Jones (Clwb Rasio Mona) made the journey from Wales worthwhile when he took victory in round 13 of the North West League, staged by Border City Wheelers at Carlisle.
The 25-year-old, who was second in round 11 at Rossendale last month, took his first win in the race at Sheepmount.
And in another first, 18-year-old Edwyn Oliver-Evans (CX Magazine) won the York Sport cross event in York on Sunday, his first senior win of the season.
He took the win by ten seconds from Darren Binks (Blackhawk Bikes), while Tom Ramsey (Crosstrax) was another 14sec off the pace in third.
In road racing, the elite race at Saturday's Imperial Winter Series at the Hillingdon circuit in London was abandoned because of a crash which required medical treatment.
There was better luck in the Apres Hot Recovery Drink Winter League, where Simon Brooks (VC St Raphael) won again in round six at Preston Park in Brighton.
And in cycle speedway, Oxford rider Mark Boaler (Horspath) was crowned the British Indoor Champion after battling to victory over Tom Reed (Exeter) in the title race in Coventry.
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Founded in 1891, Cycling Weekly and its team of expert journalists brings cyclists in-depth reviews, extensive coverage of both professional and domestic racing, as well as fitness advice and 'brew a cuppa and put your feet up' features. Cycling Weekly serves its audience across a range of platforms, from good old-fashioned print to online journalism, and video.
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