BROCKHALL-based race team SIS Racing won one of the most prestigious events of the race calendar in their first season on the circuit.

Brothers Chris and Ed Nicoll led the charge in the 33-mile event with Chris crossing the line first to take the title of Lakeland and Lancashire Divisional Criterium champion.

Racing at speeds of up to 35mph around the one mile short circuit course, the brothers dominated the event to take first and second place with Eccleston rider Darren Young of the Central Lancs team in third place.

The Lakeland and Lancashire Divisional Criterium championship was the highlight of a full day's racing at Shadsworth Business Park in Blackburn which staged its first ever race event.

However the business park could be called into action again next year as the course proved to be one of the best around - and winning team SIS Racing have to organise the event.

The main event attracted teams and riders from across the country but it was North West riders who took the top places with Bill Nickson of Ribble Valley Cycle Race Club finishing in fifth place.

And it proved to be a good day's racing for local riders in the first competition of the day, the combined junior, veteran and category three and four race. For Blackburn and District Cycle Touring Club member Chris Helliwell crossed the line first ahead of team-mates and fellow category three riders Ian Yates and Shaun Pearson.

It was a busy day for Bill Nickson of the Ribble Valley CRC who warmed up for the Lakeland and Lancashire race when he finished in third spot in the second race of the day.

Nickson trailed in behind Gary Adamson of the Amore and Vita race team in the Elite, category one and two race with Tom Barras of Middridge CRT in second place.

While it was certainly a day for some of the country's top riders to get together, the event was split up by the fifth round of the North West Improvement Championships where riders as young as five competed in the fun competition.

However it was back to serious business in the afternoon and Whalley's Henry Iddon won the second junior/vet, cat three four race with fellow local rider Shaun Pearson of Blackburn and District CTC picking up his second third place of the day.

The final event of the day, the Elite, cat one/two race saw Gary Adamson win for the second time with Tom Barnes again in second place.

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