WYRE Forest Cycle Racing Club's Peter Banham got his first season as a junior off to a stunning start with victory in round one of the Dragon mountain bike series.

The 16-year-old of Stoke Prior underlined his exciting potential with a fantastic race on the muddy seven-mile course at Beaulah, in Builth Wells, on Sunday.

He counter attacked hard on a long climb to put himself in contrention and made a superb late surge to power to a four minute winning margin.

Banham, who recently joined the club, is currently studying science in sport at Worcester college and is on their talented athlete programme as well as being a member of the British talent team.

Meanwhile, Joe Rowe raced to eighth place in the League of Veterans Racing Cyclists Pinvin road race for C and D category riders at Evesham.

Chris Poole finished safely in the bunch.

In the A and B category race, Mike Hopkins got into a small break of riders on the third lap, only to be pulled back into the bunch with himself, Kris Doms, Gary Bartram, Dave Wood and Phil Tranter just finishing outside the top 10 after being hampered by a crash.

Karl Davies, Richard Pedersen and Paul Sargent finished a few minutes back.

Gary Bartram and Dave Wood rode strongly in the Hereford and District 25 mile time trial with Bartram recording a time of one hour, five minutes and 14 seconds to finish 20th and Wood five seconds and one place behind.

Doms continued his impressive form with a good ride in the Severn RC sporting 23-mile time trial, finishing in one hour one minute and 33 seconds for 21st place.