HALESOWEN Cycling Club's road team have been crowned winners of the West Midlands Junior Series circuit competition.

The team took the trophy against stiff opposition from the likes of Solihull, Wolverhampton and Lichfield over a year of competitions.

Halesowen was headed up by not one but two national champions, Simon Wylie, who won the U16 cyclocross championships in January, and Alex Barker, who was the recent winner of the National Championship Circuit Race in Scarborough.

The competition started in February so conditions have varied from below zero to races in the recent heatwave with the last race held at Tudor Grange in Solihull.

Over the course of the series, 27 Halesowen riders raced with podium positions for five of those riders.

Alex Barker took the honours in the U14 series, Rose Lewis won the U10 girls and Stephanie Hopkins the U8 girls. Ellie Swingell grabbed second spot in the U14 girls and Ava Patterson third in the U10 girls. The strength in depth in the squad meant a deserved win and augurs well for the future.

Meanwhile, Halesowen Cycling Club continued to shine as first year rider Jamieson Blain, 16, put in a fine display to come eighth in the National Junior RR Championship held in the East Midlands last weekend.

Jamieson, who was riding for Zappies but is still a member of Halesowen A&CC, was riding very strongly in a field of 130 of the best juniors from around the UK when a puncture forced him to chase for 12 miles before regaining the main field.

In an incredible ride Jamieson, who lives in Belbroughton, near Stourbridge, still managed to finish in eighth position.