A HOST of cyclists will converge on the Kinnersley circuit to battle for the prestigious Worcester News Trophy on Sunday.

The Worcester St John’s Cycling Club-organised 125-kilometre road race is for elite 1/2/3 riders and takes place over four laps of the village course.

Eighty riders have entered, including local competititors Marcus Walker (Bush Healthcare), Ian Treadwell (Beacon RC), Scott Laws (Evesham Wheelers), Steve Dring and Joe Page (Echelon-Spuik), Adrian Bird and Ian Fagan (Team Nemisis) and last year’s winner Simon Wilson (cyclepremier.com).

All of these riders, bar Laws, are former Worcester St John’s members.

Meanwhile, 15-year-old German student Johannes Selz took first place in the VC Sevale 10-mile race to claim his first UK win in his last event before he returns to Germany on Monday.

Selz has spent the summer term studying at Christopher Whitehead Language College and racing with Worcester St John’s.

The youngster rides for the RSV Ebringen Racing Club based near his village of Wittnau, close to Freiburg in the Black Forest region.

He said: “It’s great to have been welcomed into Worcester St John’s Cycling Club and take part in training rides and races with help from many club members.”

Before coming to Worcester, Selz concentrated on mountain bike racing and had never ridden a time trial.

During his stay, he showed a natural talent for road racing and has been presented with Worcester St John’s CC bronze and silver medals for achieving 10-mile standard times for his age group.

In the VC Sevale 10-mile race, riding a specialist carbon fibre time-trial machine leant to him by a club member, Selz achieved his personal best time of 24 minutes seven seconds, at an average of 25 miles-an-hour over 10 miles.

In winning the race he beat all the senior riders as well as the juniors in conditions far from ideal.

The club’s weekly time-trial was at the top of the hill at Severn Stoke where 41 riders competed on a hilly Kinnersley circuit.

Adam Hart claimed the Kinnersley Cup in a time of 23 minutes, with Richard Cartland of Team Corley Cycles second, just four seconds back.

Echelon’s Matt Norman was third, a further seven seconds behind. Sean Dyson (23.32) took fourth, ahead of fifth-placed Dave Walker (23.48).

The weekend’s racing was spoilt when the Echelon two-day event was cancelled due to unforseen temporary traffic lights on the course.