Michael Thompson scores first win in Yorkshire cyclo-cross series
National Junior MTB XC Champion Michael Thompson (Hope Factory Racing) secured his first victory in the Yorkshire Points Series on Sunday in a race which was dominated by bright young talent.
The 18-year-old from Teesside was almost two minutes ahead of his nearest rival, Orange Monkey's Billy Harding, the 17-year-old who was the first junior in the race at Centre Vale Park in Todmorden, West Yorkshire. And at the other end of the scale, veteran Ian Taylor (Jedi Cyclesport) completed the podium in third.
Also winning his first cross race of the season was former Great Britain junior Jack Clarkson, the Hope Factory Racing rider who took victory in round 13 of the North East Series on Boxing Day.
The 20-year-old from Bradford crossed the line 30 seconds ahead of Team Scott UK rival Tony Fawcett as their season-long rivalry continued.
Clarkson is just two points ahead of Fawcett in the senior National Trophy rankings, having beaten his rival three times while it has been the other way round twice.
Another youngster, 17-year-old Sean Dunlea from Chelmsford won his second round of the Eastern League at Snetterton in Norfolk on Sunday, crossing the line 1-14 ahead of runner-up Billy Whenman (Zannata CT).
A second behind him, prolific league winner Ross Tricker (XRT Elmy Cycles) salvaged third place, just two seconds ahead of Hackney GT's Matt Webber in fourth.
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In the Western League at Beaufort School in Gloucester, Bristol-based John Whittington (Diabetes UK) notched up his sixth league win when he crossed the line around 20 seconds clear of Adam King (Cardiff JIF) after a race-long battle between four riders.
In the Wessex League, former National Trophy Series winner Jody Crawforth (Hargroves Cycles) crossed the line alone and two minutes clear of runner-up Michael Cotty (Wheelbase) in the Crabwood Christmas Cross in Southampton on Sunday.
Crawforth and Cotty were together on the opening circuit until Crawforth put the hammer down and steadily pulled away to the win.
And in the Notts and Derby League in Derbyshire on Saturday, David Fletcher (Orange Monkey) took his fourth cyclo-cross win of the current season at the Thornbridge Outdoor Centre at Bakewell.
The 24-year-old was 1-07 ahead of Keith Murray (Scott UK), whose team-mate Dieter Droger took third, another 59 seconds back.
Road racing
In road racing, Jake Martin (Pedal Heaven RT) won a third consecutive round of the Imperial Winter Series at the Hillingdon circuit in London on Saturday.
The 21-year-old Surrey rider beat veteran Vince Halpern (Handsling Racing) to the line, while Jerzy Kuzminski (High Wycombe CC) was third.
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Snowdon Sports is a long-established independent sports news agency, which supplies editorial to a range of media outlets - such as Cycling Weekly - as well as sports governing bodies. Snowdon Sports often covers results at Cycling Time Trials events in the UK and has long been a source of information and imagery to Cycling Weekly.