ILKLEY'S streets came alive for the annual town centre cycle races, with a return to action for Scott Thwaites in a star-studded field.

In the final race of the evening, Tom Moses (JLT Condor) won a scintillating sprint finish to just edge out Thwaites (Team Dimension Data) who made a return to racing after sustaining career-threatening injuries in March.

Olympic gold medallist Alistair Brownlee took ninth place behind the pair, proving that his talents on a bike extend to bunch racing on a testing town centre circuit.

Thwaites told the Ilkley Gazette last month that his training is going well and he was well ahead of where he thought he would be.

He added he was not in the best shape or back to full fitness but certainly able to compete.

The Ilkley event took place in fine weather and brought out good crowds to watch more than 250 racing cyclists participating in the five-race programme.

In the opening youth race for under-14s, victories went to Ben Partridge and Hermione Pickering.

The under-16s followed with the honours going to Madelaine Leech and world champion Tom Pidcock’s younger brother, Joe, who beat Finlay Pickering into second place in the boy’s race.

The women’s race finished in a closely-fought sprint between the five strongest riders who had distanced the entire field.

The 2017 winner, Annie Simpson (Trek Drops), took the verdict from fellow Tour de Yorkshire competitor, Hannah Larbalestier (Boompods) with Ilkley CC’s Annabel Fisher rounding out the top five.

Then, 45 minutes after his first victory, Joe Pidcock (PH-MAS/Paul Milnes Cycles) was back on the start line in the supporting men’s race alongside Jonny Brownlee.

The pair, along with Finlay Pickering and York’s Nathan Smith, soon split the field to pieces on the tough ascents of Riddings Road.

16-year-old Pidcock got the better of the Olympic silver medallist with a terrific sprint, and it was hard to tell which he was more pleased with; the victory or beating a Brownlee.