Double delight for national champion Thwaites (From Ilkley Gazette)

Double delight for national champion Thwaites

10:26pm Wednesday 27th June 2012 in Sport

Burley-in-Wharfedale's ScottThwaites could not hide his delight after winning the 2012 British Circuit Race National Championship title in Otley.

He won the Otley Grand Prix for the second consecutive year, this time taking the national circuit race title into the bargain.

The pace was electric from the start and it was Thwaites that pulled the field round in the opening laps before powering home in a thrilling sprint finish in front of a record 14,000 crowd.

Thwaites and Endura team-mate Russell Downing came out of the final turn by Chevin Cycles and sprinted for the one-two, with Matt Cronshaw (Node4-Giordana) in third.

After taking centre stage on the podium in front of the massed throngs of cycle fans and locals, Thwaites said: “I think it’s always harder the second time.

“A lot of people say ‘you’ve won it before so you can win it again’, but it’s never that easy.

“It can work against you, but I’m just so happy to win it again in front of my home crowd and the National Championship title that comes with it. It’s an amazing feeling. It’s a scary sprint finish coming down the hill and there’s so many good guys in the race all prepared to risk all on that last corner.

“It was scary but I knew where to go and I knew I had to make my move down the hill.

“I'm happy with the way it worked out. This year has just been brilliant for me.

“Every race that comes I’ll just take it race by race and just try and get more victories throughout the year