BRITISH Cycling president Bob Howden praised the region's "splendour" as the Ryedale Grand Prix proved a success once again.

The two-day event, coming hot on the heels of the Tour de France's Grand Depart in Yorkshire, centred around Ampleforth Abbey, and also comprised the National Junior Road Race Cycling Championships.

The men's Grand Prix, part of a re-branded National Series, covered 93 miles, and the Junior Championships, held 24 hours earlier, 64 miles. The women's Grand Prix, a 40-mile race, incorporated the National Junior Women’s Championships.

Race organiser Howden said: “Visitors to this part of Yorkshire can’t fail to be impressed by the landscape and the splendour.

“For the riders they see one of the toughest challenges on the domestic calendar and one that has always delivered hard action from the off."

Cardiff teenager Tristan Robbins won the Junior Championships, sprinting clear to win in wet conditions.

The Ryedale Grand Prix men’s crown went to Richard Handley, of Warrington, while the women’s title was won by Nicola Juniper, with the Junior Championship going to Beth Hayward.