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.

See this week's Cycling Weekly for more.

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)