HARDLEY Athletic CC's Kevin Grant was a worthy winner of Saturday's annual Cricklade Festival Road Race, promoted by local cycling club Swindon RC.

The Cricklade town crier got the 60-strong field away at 10am from the High Street with ten laps ahead of them, including the ascent of Common Hill each lap.

But the high early pace saw a number of riders losing contact with the bunch, especially when the mid-morning temperature rose.

The first of many attempts to break clear came on lap three when six riders gained a handful of seconds on the bunch through Chelworth.

The response from the peleton, though, was immediate and this group was reeled in just in time for a counter-attack up Common Hill where several riders were dropped.

The attacks continued each lap with the most successful one, that included the only lady competitor, Claire Hall (CC Giro), from Swindon, gaining ten seconds.

Even so, the penultimate climb up Common Hill was at a more leisurely pace as the remaining riders contemplated the last lap before a final fast drop through Chelworth en route back to Cricklade and with just one kilometre to go.

This time, the fast pace up the hill began to take its toll with riders dropping off.

Setting the pace at the head of the race was Grant, who had been very active throughout.

In the end, he took the victory just ahead of junior rider Jon Opie (Team Tor 2000), who placed one better than last year in taking second spot.

Chris Ward (Antelope RT) was close behind in third. As in previous years, this race was part of the Cricklade Festival week with the proceeds going towards a local charity, Jubilee Gardens Project, based at Purton Stoke.

Top placings: 1 Kevin Grant (Hardley Ath CC) 55km in 1hr 28min, 2 Jon Opie (Team Tor 2000); 3 Chris Ward (Antelope RT); Giles Hembrough (www.bikeshop.uk.com), 5 Lloyd Sockett (Bristol RC); 6 James Griffin (Cheltenham and County CC), 7 Mark Thomson (St Ives CC), 8 Nick Watson (Hardley Athletic CC), 9 Stuart Hopkins (Team Maestro), 10 Nick Stephen (Swindon RC).

1st junior Jon Opie (Team Tor 2000); 1st woman Claire Hall (CC Giro).