Torbay rider Harrison Wood finishes five minutes from Tour of Britain winner

Harrison Wood and his Portuguese team Anicolor-Tien21 more than justified their late inclusion in the Lloyds Tour of Britain which finished in Cardiff on Sunday.

Torbay pro Wood ended the six-day race in 32nd place, just over five minutes down on French winner Romaine Gregoire (Groupama FDJ).

But Anicolor were really celebrating because their spirited riding earned them second place in the Team competition, beaten only by Bahrain Victorious, against many of the strongest WorldTour squads in cycling.

The first three and last stages were dominated by Team Visma/Lease a Bike with their sprinters Olav Kooij and Brit Matthew Brennan.

But the overall honours were decided on the uphill finishes at the Wootton Bassetts Country Park (St4) and The Tumble (St5) in south Wales.

On those days Gregoire did just enough to beat Belgian star Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick step) and French favourite Julian Alaphillipe (Tudor Pro Cycling) by two and four seconds respectively.

The two Welsh stages marked the retirement of popular Cardiff-born Tour de France and Olympic champion Geraint Thomas.

Mid-Devon CC teenager Edward Fraille-Whysall was on the podium at the first major test of the South-West hill-climb season.

Fraille-Whysall, 17, was third (1st Junior) on Exeter’s Stoke Hill, behind George Watch (Team PB Performance) and Tristan Kelsall-Spurr (Okehampton CC).

Watch covered the 1,584-yard ascent (ave 6%) in 4mins 44.2secs, with Fraille-Whysall over the line in 4.55.8.

The effort should boost his confidence for the MDCC’s back-to-back climbs of Haytor and Widecombe Hill on Saturday, September 28.

Other times at Stoke Hill (MDCC unless stated): 1st Lady – Katrina Tse (Oxford Uni CC) 6.14.3; Robin Delve (1st 65-69yrs) 6.23.9, Rob Harrison 6.27.0, Jacob Coles (12yrs) 8.02.4.

At the National Youth (GHS) 10-mile Time Trial Championship at Wareham, Dorset, MDCC had two riders in the top-20, both in the face of extra difficulty.

Bayley Woodger, 16, was eighth in his age-group and 12th overall in 23mins secs, but only after his one-from-last start meant that he was caught in a downpour.

Meryn Kitching, 15, had no weather problems, but he lost some time when he dropped his chain at the start before clocking 24.03, good enough for third in his age category and 14th overall.

Matt Holmes headed to Clanfield in Hampshire for the first round of the Wessex Cyclo-Cross League, overcoming a 35th place on the grid to finish fifth in the Under-16 competition.