Cycling: Wright makes it two on the trot

VICTORY by six seconds in the third round of the Cyclo-cross National Trophy series has seen Ian Wright extend his lead in the Over-50 category at the halfway stage of the season.

The Yoxall rider, competing for the Raleigh Avanti team, was in fine form in the race at Ipswich.

Wright now looks to have put his opening round defeat by over-50s newcomer Martin Eadon behind him after responding with two successive wins.

Eadon was fourth on the day and is now 18 points behind Wright in the series standings with three more races to come.

In the youth (under-16) category, Chellaston's Sam Lowe, also riding for Raleigh Avanti, lost the series leader's jersey after coming fourth in his race, 34 seconds behind winner Joseph Fox, from Solihull.

Hugo Robinson, second on the day, now has the yellow jersey overall, by six points from Lowe, although he has yet to win a round.

Tom Lowe, Sam's brother, was fourth among the under-23s and 30th overall in the senior race.

He is now third in the standings, a single point behind Robert Watson, who finished eight places behind him.

In what appears a very open race for the national tite, Arctic Premier rider David Nicholls landed his first win of the series to take a 12-point lead overall.

Raleigh Avanti team leader Geoff Giddings, from Ilkeston, saw the chances of a successful defence of his over-40 title slip further away as he came third in the veteran race, a position he also holds in the overall standings.

But Giddings is now 48 points behind series leader Chris Young, who enjoyed his second win of the season on the day.