Elite podium finish for in-form racer Watson

At the Windley Road Race, Steve Paterson and in-form Dean Watson took on the tough open road event and a capacity field.

Repeated attacks on the Windley Hill section of the loop splintered the field, with the 10% gradient providing a gruelling battle.

It was on this section where Watson seized the opportunity to force a break, creating a useful-looking opening with a small group.

The pace of the attack was purposeful, and extended into a race-winning move.

Watson clawed his way over the line in an impressive seventh place.

A five strong line-up tackled the closed-circuit series event at Darley Moor.

Steve Paterson doubled up with Jono Dexter, who drove the pace early on. Paterson found a path through the bunch at the final chicane to claim seventh.

In the afternoon elite race, Worksop’s Andy Bishop, Aaron Chambers-Smith and Watson all looked strong against a peloton full of high-quality opposition.

Watson made an aggressive early move, which split the bunch.

With team mates Bishop and Chambers-Smith keeping a watchful eye on the main group, Watson sprinted in to take the podium with a well-rewarded third place.

The following day Harry Buxton produced a stunning junior victory in the Bourne Wheelers ten-mile TT.