UPPER DENBY’S James Sampson marked the week of his 22nd birthday with a stunning win in a major road race near Scaleby in Lancashire.

The former Huddersfield Star Wheeler, left, earned his victory the hard way, winning a three rider sprint after a race-long break.

Sampson made his break on the first of five laps of the tough Smithsfields circuit and was joined after two laps by Andy Guy (Kuota Biemme) and Craig Battersby (Lancashire Road Club).

The three worked together well and Sampson was strong enough to win the sprint.

Steaming hot weather and a hilly course made for tough going in the 48-mile Halifax Road Club road race for third and fourth category riders over 20 laps of a 2.4-mile circuit near Thornton, Bradford.

Best performance of four Star Wheelers came from Ivan Boyes, who managed to get to the front of the bunch on the final lap and sprinted up the hill for ninth place and two points – his first for seven years.

Of the other Star Wheelers, Paul Smith lasted 10 laps before losing contact with the bunch, Mark Dennis got in a breakaway on the penultimate lap which was reeled in by the bunch on the finishing hill and Mark Thaxter got blocked going into the last corner.

Three Star Wheelers rode the Holme Valley Wheelers’ 10-mile time trial.

Stephen Robinson, from the promoting club, was fastest on the night in just under 24 minutes, while Star Wheeler Nigel Dickinson clocked 25.50, and teammates Boyes and Graham Charles recorded 26-17 and 27-57 respectively.

The summer series of cyclo-cross races concludes with round seven at Huddersfield New College tonight.