Sunday saw the first race in the Crank It MTB series at Clayton Vale by the National Cycling Centre, an excellent venue with some testing trails to sort the field out.

Turn out was modest. The organisation by Jack Humphreys and his crew, and also the quality of the course did deserve better, but the ones who competed gave glowing reports of the quality of the event

The heavy rain which started the minute the race did and finished as the chequered flag dropped left some of the rockier parts a bit treacherous under wheel and several of the riders did struggle to get to grips with the conditions

Out on the course a fine win was taken by youngster Will Lewis riding for High Peak Cycles. He stormed off into an early lead and made light work of the conditions. Pre race favourites Giles Drake and Chris Lever were always off Lewis’s pace although I wrongly assumed that as these two pushed each other on he would be reeled in. Drakes chances were finally scuppered when he punctured at half way leaving Lever to chase alone and in vain. Lewis kept his head and ploughed on relentlessly and Lever showed no sign of making the catch.

Riders came in caked head to toe in Mancunian mud, illustrating just how heavy the course was but these are hard folk and I am sure many of them will be back and ready for action at round one of the Midweek MTB Madness at Leverhulme Park on Wednesday

Will Lewis Crossing the Line

A Delighted Will Lewis

Drake and Lever Give Chase