Cycling: Thomas pulls away at top

Published on Tuesday 16 June 2009 09:49

CAPITAL cyclist Claire Thomas has extended her lead at the top of the British Women's Road Race Series standings after finishing sixth in the latest round of the competition, at Capenwray in Lancashire, writes COLIN RENTON.

The Edinburgh RC rider produced an astute performance and attacked on the final climb of the day but was unable to shake off her rivals and was caught on the run-in.

Meanwhile, Evan Oliphant showed that he is relishing the move to the Endura Racing Team when he posted his best result of the season with eighth place behind Olympic champion Bradley Wiggins at the Beaumont Trophy in Northumberland.

However, there was as an agonising end to the day for Oliphant's team-mate Duncan Urquhart, who crashed and suffered a broken collarbone.

And Urquhart is not alone in facing several weeks on the sidelines. Commonwealth Games medallist Kate Cullen is also on the injured list after it transpired that she too had broken a collarbone in her crash at the DHL Edinburgh Grand Prix on Sunday.

Cullen came to grief during the heats of the derny-paced event and appeared to have escaped relatively unscathed when she walked away. However, further investigations in hospital revealed the full extent of the injury.