The Bradford area could be celebrating another clutch of NATIONAL CYCLO-CROSS CHAMPIONSHIP medals on Sunday in Derby.

Moorways Stadium, venue for a National Trophy race last year, offers a mix of tarmac, woodlands, steep banks, hurdles and off-camber sections which will test a rider’s overall capabilities.

The youths category is often the hardest to predict but Birkenshaw’s Billy Harding (Paul Milnes RT/Bradford Olympic RC) has won two rounds of the National Trophy this season, although Mirfield’s Jake Womersley (Sowerby Brothers CRT) is leading those standings.

Keighley’s Chris Young (Wheelbase), bronze medallist last year, is looking good for a podium place among the veteran men, having a win and three second places in the Trophy this term.

Oxenhope’s Matt Denby (Zepnat.com RT) is another contender after three podium places in the Trophy. Bingley’s Rob Watson (Paul Milnes RT/Bradford Olympic RC) is a livewire possibility in the under-23 men, only three points separating leaders Tom Payton, Ben Roach and Watson in the Trophy standings.

Watson’s clubmate Joe Moses, from Keighley, is a contender for the junior men’s race – usually one of the best of the weekend – while Bingley’s Rob Jebb (Wheelbase) will shorten in the odds for the senior race if the course is muddy.

Wilsden’s Tim Baldwin (Paul Milnes RT/Bradford Olympic RC) is a contender for the top ten after a string of decent National Trophy results, including eighth at Bradford’s Peel Park. Skipton’s Victoria Wilkinson is a medal contender in the women’s race.

The final round of the YORKSHIRE POINTS SERIES took place last Sunday at Todmorden, with Young taking the seniors race.

This was after Jebb – who won by almost a minute – was disqualified for going back to the pits after he had passed them.

Watson was second, Baldwin fourth and Moses sixth.

Womersley won the youths under-16 race by 34 seconds from Harding, with East Bradford Cycling Club’s Edwyn Oliver-Evans third a further 45 seconds down.

Bradford’s Jonathan Watson (Charge Bikes) was fourth in the over-40 race.

Rob Watson was 60th in a world-class field of over 120 under-23 elite riders in the LOENHOUT GVA TROPHY in Belgium.

He was the only Briton on the same lap as winner Wietse Bosmans (Belgium).