ILKLEY Cycling Club racers performed in cyclo-cross, time trials and circuit races last week.

The Yorkshire Cyclo-Cross Association’s summer series kicked off in cool and damp conditions at Huddersfield on Wednesday.

The flowing off-road course based at Newsome School was a good blend of technical sections, uphill efforts and off-cambers, all played out on wet spring grass.

The evening’s main race had 126 starters and Ilkley were led home by Arthur Wilson in 29th spot, followed up by Jason Bishop in 44th, Tim Bull in 46th and John McManus in 79th.

Disaster struck for Ian Cliffe, after a routine cyclo-cross tumble resulted in a trip to A&E to find he had broke his fibia.

It is really bad news for Cliffe, as he will miss the best part of the summer season to recover.

Alba Rosa Cycling Club hosted Friday night racing at the local Brownlee race circuit at Lawnswood.

The 3/4 category events are always well supported here and this was no exception with a big field of riders fighting it out in the hour-long race.

Combative Richard Kelt scored his first licence points of 2019 with a fine third place, with support from Steven Gott in 19th, Dan Sharp in 21st, Tom Asher in 22nd, Michael Strange in 25th and Dan Wilkinson in 31st.

A mechanical failure sent Paddy Carter over the bars onto the ground, and hopefully he will be fully healed for the next event.

In time trialling, veteran David Leckenby scored a season’s best of 55 minutes 51 seconds in the Drighlington BC 25-mile event.

Bronte’s Stephen Ayres won the race in 50 minutes 14 seconds, almost achieving 30mph average speed, and also taking a notable scalp by beating Olympic gold medallist, Stephen Burke MBE into second place by over a minute.

Meanwhile, in the West Pennine 10-mile TT held near Clitheroe, Liam Rees clocked a creditable 25 minutes and five seconds.