Espoir proves a class act

YORKSHIRE?S Philip Graves made the best possible start to his 2009 Rudy Project Time Trial Series campaign, taking victory with an impressive ride on the Bassenthwaite Lake circuit in Cumbria on Sunday.

The 20-year-old Clifton CC rider was fastest by 47 seconds over the two-lap 31-mile course, as still and sunny conditions made for ideal time trialling conditions.

?I?m please with the way it went,? he said afterwards. ?I had no expectations for the event. I know Julian Ramsbottom was riding, and he beat me by 25 seconds a few weeks ago, so I had wanted to beat him, but I didn?t know anything about the other guys.?

Graves put almost three minutes into fellow Yorkshireman Ramsbottom, and with plans to ride the next two rounds of the series, Graves could prove an outside bet for the title with other riders struggling to amass enough rides to qualify.

Preston Wheelers? Jimmy Wright came home second fastest, while Dominic Munnelly (KB Cycles) was third, 1-40 slower than Graves.

?It?s a good series, and although there weren?t many senior riders there, at least you all go off in roughly the same conditions, so it?s a bit of a leveller,? added Graves.

Meanwhile, round one winner Sarah Storey (VC St Raphael) had to settle for second this time round, as Edinburgh Road Club?s Jessica Wilson-Young ? who she had beaten by four seconds in Kent a fortnight ago ? gained revenge with a five second win in Cumbria.