LOCAL riders Gabriel Cullaigh and Levi Moody were in exciting form on the notoriously challenging Capernwray circuit.

The meeting was the fifth round of the Elite, first and second category North West League series and was staged in North Lancashire, with the course including a difficult, twisting 300 metre one-in-six climb to the finish line and riders had to engage it nine times in their 125km race.

Up against some serious first cat opposition, both RST riders set off well together and contributed intelligently to the pace in the first lap.

They stayed put when four riders, Rob Partridge (Team UK Youth), James Gullen (Team

Hope Factory Racing), Dillon Byrne (Champion Systems Maxgear) and Hugh Carthy (Rapha Condor JLT) went off the front in a break partway through the second, and continued to keep the pace in the chase group of fourteen riders.

However, by the fifth lap the breakaway group had stretched their lead to almost two minutes and hopes of bridging it began to fade.

Both Cullaigh and Moody attempted to increase the pace, but it was clear that the rest of the group were not in the mood on the day.

Partway through the eighth lap they got clear with five other riders but their effort left Moody, still recovering from an infection earlier in the week, with no reserve for the sprint finish.

In the final lap three of the group managed to launch an attack and get clear of Cullaigh and fellow ODP rider Joe Evans (Hargroves Cycles RT), who worked co-operatively until the beginning of the final ascent.

In the last 100 metres Cullaigh kicked hard and got clear of Evans to take a very well deserved eighth place.

Partridge got the win, from Gullen in second and Carthy in third.