Although in many cases Bradford area riders were victims of racing accidents, they did pick up three medals in the National Cyclo-Cross Championships in Derby.

Keighley’s Chris Young (Wheelbase), who made a characteristically slow start, finished third in the veterans’ 40-plus race but won the over-45 sub-category. Defending champion Nick Craig (Team Scott UK) retained his veteran title with a faultless display, but Chris’ brother Mike (Pedalsport) was locked in a battle for the lead on the first lap.

Oxenhope’s Matt Denby (Zepnat.com) was unlucky to be brought down at the end of the starting road section as the riders turned right to go off-road.

Mike Young eventually lost contact with the front two of Craig and Darren Atkins (Team Jewson/Thule/Kinesis), and was eventually caught by his sibling towards the end of the second lap, settling into fifth place.

Chris Young, riding smoothly, climbed to third, making it a repeat of the 2010 podium with Craig and Atkins. Mike Young held on to fifth, while a shattered Denby battled through to 11th, just behind Bradford’s Jonathan Watson (Charge Bikes).

Birkenshaw’s Billy Harding (Paul Milnes Cycles RT/Bradford Olympic) slid off early in the youths’ under-16 race, putting him 14 seconds behind leader and eventual winner Harry Franklin (Hargroves Cycles).

Harding finished second, well ahead of bronze medallist Jake Womersley (Sowerby Brothers CRT) from Mirfield.

Sebastian Marsh (Paul Milnes Cycles RT/Bradford Olympic RC) finished a creditable 11th, with East Bradford Cycling Club’s Edwyn Oliver-Evans 21st.

In the under-14 boys’ category, Reece Wood (Aire Valley Cycles RT) performed well to come 12th.

Under normal circumstances, Bingley’s Robert Watson (Paul Milnes RT/Bradford Olympic RC) would have been pushing for a podium finish in the under-23 race but illness in the days leading up to the event and inadvertently wrapping his handlebars around the course tape helped to drop him to 12th, and he could only haul himself back up to seventh as Luke Gray triumphed.

Paul Young (Wheelbase) rode solidly to finish 14th. Fellow Keighley rider Joe Moses (Paul Milnes RT/Bradford Olympic RC) had to put his chain back on in the junior men’s race and finished fourth.

Former Bingley resident Rob Jebb (Wheelbase) hung on to seventh place in the senior men’s race, won by Paul Oldham (Hope Factory Racing) while Wilsden’s Tim Baldwin (Paul Milnes RT/Bradford Olympic RC) was 16th.

Skipton’s Victoria Wilkinson was fifth in the women’s race.

* Sunday is the last round of the National Trophy Series at Rutland Water, and Rob Watson is in a three-way battle for the under-23 crown, with only three points separating them. Paul Young is sixth.

with In the veterans, Chris Young is bidding for second place, while Matt Denby is only seven points off third place.

Another contender for a podium place is Billy Harding, who is fourth in the under-16 boys’ race, but Jake Womersley looks nailed on for the title.

In the elite competition, Rob Jebb is fifth and Tim Baldwin eighth.