CYCLING: Wyre Forest development squad rider Joshua Papworth produced some promising performances at the first ever Northwest Youth race.

Papworth finished high up the order in the three-day event, but his strength and stamina was tested to the limit.

In Friday’s time trial stage, he was placed joint first, despite numerous independent timings, which suggested he was actually fastest rider.

The following day, Papworth’s attacking approach late on was hampered when he tired near the end of the race and finished in the chasing bunch.

But he bounced back in fine style on the final day to finish in a respectable high spot.

Jack Kirk, Tom Payton and Pete Banham all lined up for Wyre Forest’s 90 kilometre Jean Baker Memorial Road Race on Sunday.

The weather was kind to the riders and allowed them to try and force the pace with an aggressive style.

Kirk was in the thick of the action from the start and throughout the race, breaking away from the pack in the first lap but his attempts to inject some pace were thwarted when he was caught up.

Payton, back in training and racing full-time after his exams, looked comfortable throughout, but Banham was hampered by a punctured tyre on the first lap.

Kirk tried to break away on the final lap but he was sucked back in as the pack sprinted to the finishing line.

Payton avoided a crash and finished in seventh overall and first place in the junior section, while Kirk ended the race in the bunch.

Wyre Forest riders were in action in the League of Veteran Racing Cyclists ( LVRC) road race at Severn Stoke on Saturday.

In the A and B category race, Lorenzo Buratti coped well with a fast pace to finish second and 13th overall, while Brian Austin crossed the line in 16th.

Howard Jones finished 20th place in the C and D category event, followed by John Smith in 24th and David Prior in 27th place.

Michelle Brown and Warren King recorded the fastest time on their tandem in the latest round of the club events competition at Warndon.

The pairing clocked a time of 22 minutes and two seconds over the undulating 10 mile course.

Phil Blacker was the fastest solo rider and set a time of 22-22, with Jon Howard finishing in second place in 23-38, while Andy Convery was third with 23-56.

Dave Wood (24-48), Dave Meacham (25-36), Andy Overton (25-48), Brian Clarke (26-46), John Smith (26-56), Phil Hunt (27-31), Dave Fenton (27-52), Jonathon Higgins (28-20), Mick Gray (29-50), Ian Wall (30-39), Louise Rotheram (30-47), Alex Hamer (32-19), Jared Kraemer (32-53), Adrian Kraemer (33-56) and James Plant (34-09) all competed well.

Anyone wanting more information about the club can go to www.wfcrc.org.uk