Russell Downing wins Stockton Velo29-Altura Grand Prix

Russell Downing (NFTO Pro Cycling) won the Stockton Velo29-Altura Grand Prix after a last lap attack saw him sweep through the leading break.

Downing, 35 and from Rotherham, attacked off the front of the bunch as they reached the end of Sunday’s race, which was round four of the British Cycling Elite Road Series.

Alongside Russell Hampton (Athlonsport) he bridged across to the leading five riders, and then got a great leadout from team-mate Hugh Wilson to win by a couple of lengths from Alex Peters (Madison Genesis), with Hampton third.

The break had opened up a gap of around three and a half minutes at one stage, and did superbly well to stay clear with Team Raleigh and NFTO pushing the chase hard. Alex Peters and Richard Handley (Rapha Condor-JLT) kept eyeing each other as the likely protagonists, but their lead fell to about 30 seconds as the bell sounded, and Downing timed his attack to perfection to take the win.

And in the latest Women’s Road Series event, the Essex Giro Two-Day, Sarah Storey (Pearl Izumi-Sports Tours International) took the overall victory after convincing wins in both the prologue time trial and stage one of the race.

Storey was 18 seconds ahead of her nearest rival in the TT, and then soloed to victory in the second stage before finishing safely in the bunch in the final road stage, with Laura Massey (Epic Scott) taking the win.

Overall Series leader Nicola Juniper (Echelon) again rode superbly to preserve her lead, finishing third overall after consistent performances throughout the weekend.

RST’s Joseph Fry got the better of rival Charlie Tanfield (Adept Precision) to grab top spot on the podium in the Hatherleigh Junior Road Race on Sunday.

Fry, in his first year as a junior, broke away with Tanfield and it came down to a straight shootout between the two in the race which was part of the British Cycling Junior Series.

He crept over the line just ahead of Tanfield after powering away with 100 metres to go. Summit Cycling’s John Didsbury was third.

The CC Hackney Road Race suffered from terrible weather conditions that saw the race neutralised for a while. A foot of water was said to be standing on the course at one point and of the 40 entrants, only half managed to complete the race held on Sunday.

Of the riders which did complete, Rhys Howells of Richardsons Trek coped with the conditions the best, crossing the line unopposed and 30 seconds ahead of Arbis-Colbert Cycles’ Richard Wood. Team Corley’s Roy Chamberlain completed the podium.

In Dorset, Kamden Reedy (Dymag T1D) won the Primera Purbeck Road Race on the Furzebrook Circuit on Sunday. The 37-year-old from Sherborne crossed the line alone, 1:23 ahead of Oliver Yates (RNRMCA), while Jordan Frampton (Primera Racing) was third.

In Scotland, David Gleave (East Kilbride RC) won the Arthur Campbell Road Race, staged by Glasgow Wheelers at Newton Mearns on Sunday.

The 30-year-old from Strathaven beat Gavin Dempster (Glasgow Green CC) to the win, with 46-year-old David Blockley (VC Astar) third.

In Suffolk, Colchester Rovers’ rider James Hockridge won the latest race in the Suffolk Series promoted by Ipswich BC. The 29-year-old from Clacton held off 46-year-old Daniel Zagni (Ipswich BC) to take the win, while 15-year-old Patrick Manning (Great Yarmouth CC) took third.

In West Sussex, Peter Morris (ASL360) win the latest round of the Surrey League Anniversary Series at Ashdown Forest on Saturday. He crossed the line 1:01 ahead of London Dynamo’s Rob Reid, while his team-mate Stuart Spies took third, 1:13 behind the winner.