FORMER Batley Cycling Club riders Tom Murray and Liam Holohan were in the thick of the action as the prestigious Tour Series kicked off in Canary Wharf.

Holohan (Team Raleigh), better known for his climbing prowess, was strongly placed in all the intermediate sprints and won the Boardman Bikes Sprint Competition.

Murray (Sigma Sport Specialized) got away in a breakaway with four laps to go with Yanto Barker (Pendragon Le Col Colnago) and they were within 200m of winning the race when the bunch caught them.

Murray, pictured right, hung on for fourth place with the win going to Tony Gibb (CyclePremier.com Metaltek).

The team prize went to Rapha Condor as they had three riders in the top 10.

The second round was held in Durham on a very hilly circuit with cobbled climbs and descents.

There was plenty of action early on with a series of crashes and that split the bunch into several groups.

The 48-year-old veteran Malcolm Elliott (Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta) claimed the win and his team were also victorious thanks to a great ride from former Holme Valley Wheeler Ed Clancy who battled hard to finish in the second group.

Overall, after two events, Rapha Condor lead the series by just one point from Motorpoint Marshalls Pasta.

Mark Thaxter (Huddersfield Star Wheelers) rode the Team Swift 10-mile Time Trial and, despite a problem with his cranks, claimed sixth place with 20min 35sec.

Adam Duggleby (i-ride team) won the event with a time just below 20 minutes.

Huddersfield Star Wheelers’ Ivan Boyes made the trip over to Doncaster for the Sportscover Evening Road Race, a 35-mile race for 2/3/4 riders on Pickburn circuit.

Stephen Ward (Crosstrax) attacked right from the start and Boyes broke clear of the bunch after the first climb along with Mark Thwaites (My Team Giordana) and Jack Cutsforth (Star Bikes RT).

This group grew to about 15 riders as several others jumped clear of the main bunch.

Boyes struggled to hold on to the leading group with three laps of the 18 to go and dropped back in to the bunch.

Thwaites won the sprint with Ward in 2nd place.

The third round of the West Riding Grass Track League has taken place.

Mason Hollyman (Sowerby Bros CRT) had another great night, with second place in the half-lap time trial and fourth in the 500m Handicap race, third in the three-lap Scratch race and third in the one-lap Scratch race.

Mason’s father, Nigel, also got in the results with fourth place in the 500m Handicap.

Also riding for Sowerby Bros CRT, Becky Womersley, was first place in the Female one-lap Scratch race, while Dawn Hartley (Huddersfield Star Wheelers) was fourth.

Ruby and Dylan Boyes (Huddersfield Star Wheelers) both got personal bests in the half-lap time trial and Ruby was third in the 400m block handicap race for Group C and D riders.

After four rounds of the Sovereign 10-Mile Time Trial Series, Steve Robinson (Holme Valley Wheelers) and Tom Broadbent (Huddersfield Star Wheelers) are tied in first place with 34 points.

Robinson turned the tables in the latest event, beating Broadbent by 16 seconds to get the fastest time on the night with 24min 40 secs.