WORCESTER St John's rider Phil Whiteley took the prime sprint lap halfway through the inaugural Ludlow Brewing Company and Pearce Cycles road race.

In a well-judged two-man break Whiteley held off the rest of the bunch as they surged up the hill to the finish line.

The overall race winner was Stuart Glover from Shropshire team Rhino Velo following a three-man break that stayed away from lap five.

Saints rider Adrian Bird also rode at Aston on Clun in Shropshire.

The race in heavy rain was over 70 gruelling hilly miles of an 8.7-mile course which a little over half the field completed including Bird.

The St John's club hill climb was moved from their traditional course up Ankerdine Hill to the historic Shelsley Walsh setting.

Sheer power dominated youthful exuberance as Whiteley beat Ollie Morgan by one second in three minutes 18 seconds to take the Brittlebank Cup, reversing the 2016 race positions.

They were followed by Alex Shepherd of VC Montpellier in 3.22, John Hunt of Beacon RCC in 3.23, Rob Grimes of Bikestrong KTM in 3.25 and Graham Browning of VC Sevale in 3.29.

Ben Lawrence of Wyre Forest CRC was quickest under 16s rider in 3.46 and Sam Ballard won the women's crown.

In St John's husband and wife teams Steve and Sam Clarke won in 8.37 from Kerry and Paul Guest in 9.25 and Dave and Jo Pardoe in 10.05.

Simon Garrett and Simon Adcook represented Saints in the Port Talbot Wheelers 25-mile time trial in south Wales.

Block headwinds on the first 15-mile section and torrential rain made life difficult.

In the main event Garrett rode a personal best of 51.50 but New Zealand's world time trial entrant Hamish Bond won in 45.51.

Adcook clocked 55.07 which was not quick enough to qualify.

But in the overflow event he finished in 56.23 for his second fastest time of the season and fourth place.