ROB O’Connor, from Rugby, continued his fine form with a race win in the penultimate round of the Stallard Series.
The final stage of the British Masters Cycle Racing competition takes place later this month.
A field of more than 40 riders took on the 11-mile circuit in Griffydam, Leicestershire which took in the county’s highest point, Bardon Hill four times.
Breakaway specialist Nick Giles attempted to move clear of the pack before O’Connor attempted a counter attack with both riders brought back into the bunch.
O’Connor and Giles continued to push the pace with the former strongest on the climb.
However, O’Connor could not shake off the remainder of the bunch and opted to drop back on the last lap and save his energy for the final sprint.
A total of five riders attempted to pull clear heading up Bardon Hill for the final time only for O’Connor to move clear after he jumped across on the climb.
O’Connor and Steve Wilkinson battled it out for the race win over the final 300m to the finish.
And O’Connor hugged the inside line en route to his 11th race win of the season ahead of Wilkinson and Martin Fisher.
