FORMER Cononley resident Ian Taylor (C and N Cycles RT) defied his wife's wishes and competed in the fifth round of the National Trophy Series in Bradford on Sunday.

Nick Craig (SCOTT Racing) won the men's 40-49 years' race, with Rob Jebb (Hope Factory Racing), who was brought up in Eldwick, coming second and Taylor third.

Taylor, who had finished third in the UCI World Masters Cyclo-Cross Championship men's 45-49 years' race the previous weekend in Mol, Belgium, confessed: "I have been bunged up since I got back and my wife didn't want me to race, but I thought I would give it a go.

"I took it out hard in the first half but I couldn't breathe in the second half, and it was very cold."

As for his race in Mol, he said: "I had won the event the year before there, so to get two podiums in as many years is great as there is a lot of pressure on you as defending champion.

"Plus I was only beaten by Erik Dekker, who has won four stages of the Tour de France, and Arne Daelmans, who has beaten cyclo-cross ace Sven Nys."

Jebb, who now lives in Staveley in the Lake District and also competed well in the men's elite race at the end of the day, said: "I love racing in Bradford."

Meanwhile, Shipley's Chris Young (PH-MAS-Paul Milnes-Oldfield ERT), formerly of Stocksbridge, pulled out of the men's 50-plus race on the opening lap, and said afterwards: "I wasn't feeling well."

Chris' nephew Jenson Young (PH-MAS-Paul Milnes-Oldfield ERT) was third in the junior men's race.

In the men's race, former East Morton resident Ian Field (Hargroves-Ridley-Montezuma's) finished fourth to clinch the overall men's series.

Belgium's Braam Merlier (Steylaerts-Betfirst) recovered from an early crash which also involved American Jeremy Durrin (Neon-Velo CT) to notch a comfortable win, while Field went down on the next corner.

Bradford's Billy Harding (PH-MAS-Paul Milnes-Oldfield ERT) led at the end of the first lap only to fade, with Merlier joining Lewis Craven (Wheelbase Altura MGD) at the front, with Durrin and then Field further back.

With two laps left, Merlier was 20 seconds ahead of Craven, with Ferguson and Field neck and neck at 50 seconds.

Rio 2016 Olympian Ferguson then produced a storming finish to come second.