JONNY Clay does not believe the annual Otley Cycle Races could get any bigger or better than it currently is.

Clay won an Olympic bronze medal in the 4km team pursuit at Sydney in 2000 and a silver medal in the World Championships a few weeks later.

Crowds estimated to be around 10,000 mark attended last week’s event and Clay, asked how the feast of cycling could possibly expand further, said: “It’s hard to know how much more it can grow really.

“It is delivered by a bunch of really hard-working volunteers and it has some great partners and great sponsorship.

“To do anything bigger with it would require an exponential amount of investment. I think I’m speaking for a lot of people here but it’s pretty much perfect as it is in its authenticity and the great crowds that it attracts.

“Even in poor weather, the crowds turn out and it’s part of the elite circuit series, which is a series of six or eight rounds mid-summer, finishing with the actual national championships in Birmingham at the end of July.

“It’s good to see the whole sport thriving, not just in Yorkshire but nationally because it has continued to grow.”

Horsforth-based Clay serves as British Cycling’s cycle sport and membership director and plays a key role in organising cycling events.

Clay said: “I’m slightly biased as I’m local, but I think the Otley Cycle Races is the best there is every year.

“It’s historic, Otley is the perfect market town and a great cycling part of Yorkshire, so it’s a bit of a hub for the sport really.

“It works brilliantly with great crowds every year and this time around was no different.

“It’s a great race and quite a challenging circuit with a few hills in it which throw up what we believe is more exciting racing.”