CYCLING: Wyre Forest Cycle Racing Club sent a four-strong team to the L'Etape de la Defence two-day stage race in South Wales.

A poor time trial cost Paul Prince, Phil Tranter, Joe Rowe and Rob Holbeche in the overall classification.

But Prince finished third in the points thanks to his prime and stage successes.

The team rode hard but not to their best in a tough hilly 7.5-mile time trial, finishing midway in a field of 22 in 21 minutes 8 seconds.

In stage two's gruelling 77-mile road race on Saturday afternoon, Prince joined an early four-man break to build a healthy 40-second lead and won the first prime.

But again the wind made life difficult and the bunch caught up after about 10 miles with three riders breaking away in the end.

Rowe finished 12th, Prince 13th, Tranter 41st and Holbeche 51st.

Prince then pulled off a tremendous victory in the 45-mile mountain road race around the valleys in stage three.

After several attempts, Prince joined in an attack on a two-man break in the last mile and spectacularly flew past them with 100m to go to win by five seconds.

Rowe finished in the bunch behind and Holbeche was in a group just off the back.