WORCESTER St John’s Cycling Club hosted their annual Gerry Hughes Memorial Race on the Welland circuit and one of their former riders just missed out on taking the coveted title.

Paul Dring, now riding for the Pershore-based Echelon-Rotor club, was edged out in a sprint finish by Bevan Humphreys of Team Cyclemart from Wales.

On the first lap of the 65-mile race, Dring launched an attack and was quickly joined by seven other riders.

The group of eight quickly created a gap of over a minute which was maintained all the way to the finish with the loss of only one rider.

Matt Clinton was the only competitor from the main bunch who was able to bridge the gap.

Dring and Humphreys fought out an incredibly close finish with Humphreys winning by only a couple of centimetres while Clinton finished third.

St John’s rider Kieran Holdstock unfortunately crashed on the third lap and broke his collar bone, while Joel Turvey, competing in his first road race, stayed with the pace for three of the four laps.

Other Saints riders, Vince Page, Rob Nicholls and Mark Corbett all finished in the main bunch where Elliot Jones of Paramount CRT crashed with 200 metres to go.

Worcester’s Marcus Walker, at 54, was the oldest rider in the race and he also finished comfortably in the bunch.