Professional Tom Barras helped Team Raleigh secure a good victory in the opening round of the Maxgear Road Race League in Lancashire.

The 31-year-old Keighley ace is one of the most experienced riders in the squad and played a big part in helping team-mate Daniel Shand win the 62-mile race at Treales.

However, it proved to be a mixed weekend for Team Raleigh, who had struggled to make an impact in the prestigious Eddie Soens Memorial race the previous day at Aintree Racecourse in Liverpool.

The juniors were set off three minutes before the elite group containing the Team Raleigh riders in the handicapped race.

And after just five laps the juniors had caught the elite group, leaving Barras and his team-mates facing the prospect of pulling back a lap to stand any chance of victory.

“They might be juniors but there was some serious quality in that group, so it’s no surprise they took a lap,” he said.

“As soon as the scratch group got going we were strung out and it only took five minutes or so for the juniors to catch us.

“At first I didn’t believe it but once they had caught us I knew it would’ve taken a lot to take the lap back.

“As the laps ticked over and we headed for the finish we had one last go but it came to nothing and it’s hard to motivate yourself when you’re in a bunch sprint for 33rd.”