ALISON Kinloch (Shibden Cycling Club) is finishing the cyclo-cross season strongly after overcoming twin setbacks.

The Burley-in-Wharfedale woman won the female over-50s race over a testing course at Home Farm, Tong on Sunday.

However, due to back and knee injuries, she has competed in only two rounds of the six-event series.

Kinloch explained: “It has been a shorter season than usual in the Yorkshire Points Series and the National Trophy, and this was only my second Trophy race.

“I fractured two vertebrae in my back in April after slipping on the stairs at home and had an operation at the beginning of September.

“I was laid up for about 12 weeks with that, and I have also had a knee injury, which is just wear and tear.”

As for her race at the extensive Tong complex, Kinloch said: “It was a fast race to start with down the tarmac straight, but there was so much spray up in the eyes.

“Then we went through the mud, through the woods and it was a really good course.

“I loved it with those couple of technical sections through the woods and then the field with those tricky corners, where you had to decide whether to ride or run, and I was riding because it was more fun.

“I didn’t really have a plan other than to go hard and keep going hard, and I think that I went ahead by the end of the first lap.

“My stamina was good and it is all building up for next weekend and the National Championships.”

They are at Callendar Park in Falkirk, and Kinloch said: “It is my first year in the veterans’ 50 and I will just do as well as I can.”