Stannington’s Proctor pipped in Spring race

The Stannington-based rider was edged out at the end of the 54-mile race around the Yorkshire Wolds, with Teesside rival Rob Carter – who had been in a break for much of the race – taking a narrow victory.

Proctor had been in a three-rider break which was to prove decisive in the fate of the race.

He was joined by Nathan Wilson (Wilson’s Wheels) and Sam Ward (Dirtwheels) at the front and quickly gained 28 seconds over the bunch.

Four more riders joined them on the third lap and the gap to the bunch went up to more than a minute, and it soon became clear they weren’t going to be caught and Carter took the win from Proctor, while Scunthorpe’s Julian Grommett (Squadra RT) was third.

Meanwhile, in time trialling, Ingleton in North Yorkshire was the venue for the Nelson Wheelers hilly 50-mile event yesterday.

Richard Handley (Rapha Condor) proved victorious by more than two minutes, while Manchester Wheelers’ Simon Bridge was second.

Elsewhere, Andy Tennant (Madison Genesis) won the Team Swift 10-mile event on the V718 course at South Cave, East Yorkshire.

He clocked 18-59 to beat Adam Gascoigne (Pedal Power) by 32 seconds, while David Crawley (Fibrax-Wrexham) was third, another three seconds slower.

Fabian Cancellara won his third Paris-Roubaix after he edged out Sep Vanmarcke by inches in a sprint finish.

The pair fought out a private duel over the final 20kms but it was the Swiss RadioShack rider who came past the shoulder of his rival in the final metres to triumph in a track sprint after five hours 45 minutes 33 seconds.

Omega Pharma-QuickStep rider Niki Terpstra was third.

The 254-kilometre race unfurls over an unforgiving route that takes in narrow tracks with the bikes churning up blinding dust and slippery cobbles as well as paved sections.