DESPITE no wins for Ilkley Cycling Club last week there was still plenty of racers in action and some promising performances.

In closed circuit racing, Alba Rosa CC promoted their latest youth event and the Ilkley placings were: Under-12s 7 Alfie Robinson; U14s 5 Joe Turnbull; U16s 5 Seb Cliffe.

Over the Lancashire border in the CDPP 3/4 category event, Michael Strange came 13th.

Round five of the Summer Cyclo-cross season took place at Thornes Park Ossett on a hot dry night.

The course consisted of a contrasting mix of fast turns around the neatly mowed football fields and deft single track through thigh high grass, with a notable leg-sapping 30 per cent ascent up the side of Roundwood Coal mine.

With the front of the race repeating the hill effort eight times, it was the defining feature of the course and quickly separated out the best from the rest.

Ilkley CC Stefan Macina (although racing for the Aurelius Cycles team) came a notable second from the 105 starters, followed by Arthur Wilson 18th, Jason Bishop 27th, John McManus 68th.

The latest event in the veterans Percy Stallard UK national road race series was The Tour of the Wolds held in North Lincolnshire.

The 50-mile event finishing at the top of a two-mile uphill section which was tackled six times during the event.

Ilkley had a team of four riders in the 50-59 age race, which was made up of a large field drawn from all over the country.

Tim Walton, Peter Kettleborough and Ged Millward were all in the age 50-54 sub section wearing yellow numbers and Neil Rollins in the 55-59 age, wearing orange numbers to signify the different age categories in the race.

From the gun it was a fiery affair with constant attacks, especially on the hill, before eventually a significant break gained ground on the peloton.

On the final lap the breakaway started to fragment and the bunch chased sporadically and it became obvious to the Ilkley riders that Neil Rollins was looking in the best situation to get a high placing in the 55-59s.

However, on the final climb a number of riders made a last-ditch effort to break clear of the bunch and overhaul some of the weakening breakaway riders who were clawing their way up the final drag to the line.

Team-mate Millward covered the gap with Rollins in his slipstream and they forced their way through the bunch in order lead Rollins out for the final sprint.

However, their progress was delayed when two of the leading riders in the bunch collided as the sprint started causing the Ilkley riders to brake, swerve and have to build up their speed again, passing riders on their way to the line and Rollins ending up fifth in his category.

This was also a landmark event for Walton who received congratulations all round.

After much hard work, training and race practice this event was his first finish in the main bunch and a testament to the improvements he has made over the last few years in this cruel sport.