NEW Merseyside-based cycling outfit Team Travelwise made a big impact with their first major victory in the 65-mile St Helens CRC road race on Sunday.

The event was won by Steve Stoneman on the testing Clieves Hills circuit with teamate Andrew Tinsley in third. The pair were split by Lee Matthews of Liverpool Mercury, who finished nine seconds behind Stoneman with Tinsley18 seconds back.

A group of about a dozen riders had gone clear with inside two laps to go when Stoneman made his move.

The Thatto Cycles points award went to Jim Henderson of Oxford University CC. New Brighton club rider Chris Burrows from St Helens finished 15th.

St Helens CRC juvenile Edmund Leary is lying in second place after the first leg of the National Cycling Centre circuit race series held at Manchester Velodrome. A poor start in the first scratch race cost the Rainford schoolboy first spot, but he hopes to make amends in the next round (tonight, Thursday).

Edmund went on to win the junior section in the Southport CC 25-mile time trial event at Tarleton on Sunday.

Also in time trial action was St Helens clubmate Peter Ware who notched an excellent 22.11 time for the Bolton Clarion 10-mile event at Garstang.

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