WORCESTER race ace Jonathan Dayus has clinched the British Hillclimb Championship at Elsdon, Northumberland.

Dayus, who lives near Chateaubriant, France, and races for 'U' Nantes Atlantiques, has ridden a number of UK races for the London based Arctic-Shorter Rochford Racing Team during 2004.

Suffering from a back injury for much of the season has meant that Dayus was not firing on all cylinders until quite late.

Therefore, the Arctic team offered him the chance to contest the relatively short Hillclimb season in the UK, which climaxed at the weekend with the National Championships.

On route to his title, Dayus had shown what he was capable of by winning two events, one near Sheffield where he broke the course record and, more importantly, in the Wrexham event held on the Horseshoe Pass.

In this event, which was a similar course to the Nationals, most of the contenders for the National title were present and Dayus demolished the opposition winning by a clear margin. But for a strong headwind he would have broken the 11-year-old course record, held by Stuart Dangerfield -- Britain's lone competitor in the Olympic Games time trial, such was the quality of his ride.

The Nationals course was a 2.2 mile climb on the edge of the Cheviot Hills, not severe in gradient, but exposed and potentially very windy.

On the day the wind proved to be favourable, being on the riders backs for much of the ascent. Most of the early times posted were fairly level until Alex Coutts from Scotland posted a six minute, 41 seconds ride.

This stood as the quickest until Dayus' team-mate James Dobbin lowered that by another six seconds.

Dayus, starting just five minutes after Dobbin, was quickest to the halfway point by eight seconds from Dobbin, but a slight miscalculation on his opening effort saw that lead eroded to just two seconds on the finishing line.

Then started a 15 minute wait to see what the remaining favourites could do. Nobody came close and only the last man off -- defending champion Jim Henderson -- stood in Dayus' way.

At halfway Dayus' and Henderson's times were identical, but Henderson who is not known for his power on the flatter sections suffered, fell away to a disappointing fourth spot.

Dayus along with second placed Dobbin, and Tim Bayley (21st) retained the team title won in 2004 for the Arctic team.

Peter Bissell (Arctic) won the Junior title. Dayus now returns to France, where he will ride some cyclo-cross events to prepare for the 2005 season.