Thwaites wins with honours

The 21-year-old Leeds Metropolitan University student from Burley in Wharfedale, near Ilkley, took the title from Swansea rival Sion O'Boyle at the Aldersley Leisure Village, while his brother Mark Thwaites – also a Leeds student – was fifth.

The event was run alongside the 12th and final round of the West Midlands League over a muddy course at the venue, which is used for cyclo-cross events several times each year.

Cult Racing rider Dan Booth proved victorious in the open race, taking the win from team-mates Jamie Harris and Tom Payton.

In other cycling news, Bradford racing ace Tom Barras has been named as one of the key riders in the new Raleigh Professional Cycling Team launched this week.

Barras joins Team Raleigh after a difficult 2009 season with the now defunct Plowman Craven-Madison outfit which folded because of financial problems.

But the 31-year-old is now in a strong team with major support, which is being led by former Continental professional Dan Fleeman, the National Hill-Climb Champion who rode for the Cervelo Test Team last year.

"Last year was quite disruptive," admitted Barras. "But I have come out with eight wins. So all things considered, I am very happy with how it went."

Nottingham-based bike manufacturer Raleigh have a long and distinguished history of supporting teams – the legendary TI-Raleigh team won the Tour de France in 1980 – and have long-term plans to expand further afield.

Team Sky's Chris Sutton won the sixth and final stage of the Tour Down Under as Andre Greipel held on seal overall victory.

HTC-Columbia's Greipel has been on course to win the Tour all week and held on to claim it for the second time, while Team Sky ended a positive week on a massive high as Greg Henderson followed Sutton home for a one-two.

"I can't believe it," said Sutton. "It's all about teamwork. We took control with about 2km to go. I just kicked and went for it. I just went as long as I could and if Greg went around me, he went around me, but we just went 1-2, it was incredible."

Greipel's fifth-placed finish in the Adelaide City Council Street Circuit stage was enough to secure him the title.