LOCAL riders featured in the action at round eight of the Midlands Cyclo-Cross League in Wolverhampton.

Despite the absence of some of the regular winners due to the National Trophy race in Leicester, it was a strong field that assembled in fine weather to tackle the technical yet fast course.

The long steady uphill drag to start with soon thinned the 45 riders out with a group containing international road rider Martin Ford soon pulling clear.

This group contained local riders Gavin Poupart (Stilton RT), Jon Newey of Worcester St. Johns and Malvern's Ben Dale.

Newey struggled with the high pace and soon dropped off to battle on alone.

Riding strongly, Poupart assumed the lead, but was soon overtaken by Dale and Wolverhampton Wheeler's Craig Ansell and Poupart was left battling for third with Wolverhampton's Shaun Hammond.

Newey gained a second wind with two laps to go, passing Rugby Velo's David Garret and was rapidly gaining on Garret's club mate Gary Hipwell when a broken gear forced Newey to run the final lap.

Ansell pulled clear of Dale for the victory and Pouparts strength triumphed over Hammonds superb bike handling skills to take third place.

Newey trailled home in tenth place with team mate Jon Starkey in 17th.