Paul Oldham (Hope) won the opening round of the Rapha Super Cross series at Broughton Hall, north Yorkshire.
The defending champion saw off the challenge of close rival, Jody Crawforth (Hargroves-Specialized), to win the opening round of the three-round series.
Crawforth’s teammate, Steve James, was third, while the Rapha-GB Development squad placed three riders in the top 10.
But Hope were declared the team winners on the aggregate score of the first three riders home, thanks to Oldham’s victory, fifth place for Rob Jebb, and twelfth for Dave Collins.
Some 400 riders took part in an event where, the elite race aside, the accent was firmly on fun, with riders in some of the support races facing ‘the wall of foam’ and taking ‘the Tequila Shortcut’.
The next round of the series takes place at Miserton Hall in Lutterworth, West Midlands, on Saturday (October 27). Entries are still available at www.rapha.cc/super-cross.
Alexandra Palace will host the final round of the series on Sunday (October 28). RCUK’s own George Scott will compete in the fun class.
Spectating is free at both events.
Rapha Super Cross round one – elite men
1) Paul Oldham (Hope Factory Racing)
2) Jody Crawforth (Hargroves-Specialized)
3) Steve James (Hargroves-Specialized)
4) Adam Martin (Rapha/GB Development)
5) Rob Jebb (Hope Factory Racing)
6) Hugo Robinson (Rapha/GB Development)
7) Ben Sumner (Rapha/GB Development)
8) Ian Wilkinson (Endura Racing)
9) Dieter Droger (Dirtwheels Cycles)
10) Will Bergfelt (Cycle Premier-Kovert)
