Hope Factory Racing’s James Sharp continued his rich vein of form as he took first place in the Dirtwheels Cross in Otley on Sunday.

Junior Benny Pygott (Paul Milnes) took the early lead in the thick mud but Sharp son stamped his authority on the race, moving ahead of him by the time the riders dropped into the woods for the first time.

By the second lap, Sharp and four other riders had opened up a good gap on the rest of the field and it was getting bigger all the time.

Pygott started to drop down the order as the race wore on – the mud was a big problem for all of the riders and having a spare bike and someone to clean the bike down was a big advantage. But Benny didn’t have this luxury and it cost him dear.

With Sharp still leading, Rob Watson (Endura Racing) in second had managed to forge a ten second gap over Rob Partridge (Dirtwheels).

But Watson suffered a mechanical breakdown on his bike and had to run back to the start line to get his other bike – costing him 40 seconds.

Meanwhile, veteran Ian Taylor (Craven Energy), who had half an hour to rest after winning the veteran race with ease, showed his class as he worked his way up through field.

Sharp won by some distance and Partridge came second. Watson still managed to finish third and by the end of the race had reduced the gap to Partridge to just ten seconds.

In the veterans race, Chris Taylor made a good start over the field to put himself at the front. He, along with Ian Taylor and Matt Denby (Jewson), left everyone behind as they charged away into the distance.

After falling off his bike, Ian Taylor decided to change bikes and opted to take his mountain bike out for the remainder of the race.

And the decision paid off as he went on to win. But he never had it easy with Chris Taylor breathing down his neck all the way.

In the youth race, Scott Woolley (TEF/Richardson) led from start and enjoyed an easy race. Choosing a mountain bike from the start, Scott left everyone in his wake and went on to win by two-and-a-half minutes.

Results:

Seniors:
1 James Sharp (Hope Factory Racing) 1:01:21
2 Rob Partridge (Endura Racing) @1:24
3 Rob Watson (Dirtwheels) @1:34
4 James Thompson (Hope Factory Racing)
5 Ian Taylor (Craven Energy
6 Andy Johnson (Yorkshire Velo)
7 Matthew Downes (Paul Milnes)
8 Benny Pygott (Paul Milnes) JUN
9 Craig Gas (York Cycle Works)
10 Joe Partridge (Dirtwheels)
Veterans:
1 Ian Taylor (Craven Energy) 39:22
2 Chris Taylor (Pedalsport) @ 3 sec
3 Matt Denby (Jewson) @33 sec
4 Andy Carr (Sowerby Bros CRT)
5 Steven Bottomley (Crosstrax)
6 Mark Horrocks (Hope Factory Racing)
7 Richard Allen (Here Come the Belgians)
8 Stuart Rider (Riders Cycle Centre)
9 Andy Westwell (Pedalsport)
10 Phil Heathcliff (Bradford RCC)
Ladies:
1 Juliette Horrocks (Hope Factory Racing)
2 Alison Kinlock (Ilkley CC)
3 Nicky Hartle (Dirtwheels)
Youth:
1 Scott Woolley (TEF/Richardson) 30:19
2 Bobbin Gardner Harrogate Nova) @2:32
3 George Fox (East Bradford) @2:55
4 Will Lewis (High Peak Cycles)
5 Lucy Horrocks (Hope Factory Racing)
Under 14:
1 Thomas Nelson (Pedalsport)
Under 12:
1 Finn Cooper (Kirk Lees Cycling Academy)
2 James Ince (Kirk Lees Cycling Academy)
3 Morgan Mirzaali (Bronte Wheelers)
Under 14 girls:
1 Ava Oxley (Wakefield Junior Tri)
2 Lucy Whearty (Pedalsport)
3 Megan Cullen (Otley CC)
Under 10:
1 Toby Kershaw (Pedalsport)
2 Marcus Hiley (Pedalsport)
3 Alex Bailey (Huddersfield Star Wheelers)
Under 10 girls:
1 Kayleigh Wells (Yorkshire Velo)
2 Chloe Hinchcliffe (Wakefield Junior Tri)
3 Ella Hampson (Huddersfield Star Wheelers)
Under 8:
1 Seb Cliffe (Ilkley CC)
Under 8 girls:
1 Astrid Hiley (Pedalsport)

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British Cycling would like to thank the organising team, officials and everyone else who helped promote this event. Our sport could not exist without the hundreds of people, many of them unpaid volunteers, who put in many hours of hard work running events, activities and clubs.