Newton results improve

Cycling

A STRING of good results over the last week has shown just how much the form of Oldham-based professional cyclist Chris Newton is improving.

The 35-year-old took second spot in the National 25-Mile Time Trial Championship two weeks ago, and then moved on to bunched racing in good style.

His Rapha Condor team were fourth in the prestigious Tour Series, a programme of regular criterium races which are being screened on ITV4, after the Southport stage.

However, in Tuesday’s seventh round the Rapha team hit back in style, finishing as the best team on the night to move up to third overall.

Newton was fourth across the line in the team-based event where the points from your first three riders count towards the overall total, and Rapha were the team on top of the podium.

Newton’s good performance at Stoke was not his only good showing in the last week.

He he was third in the Leazes Criterium in Newcastle, with Downing second and rival Ian Wilkinson from Burnley winning.

The riders had 48 hours to recover before tackling the Beaumont Trophy, the latest round of the Premier Calendar Series.

Newton crossed the line sixth, 2.24 seconds behind Garmin Slipstream rider, Olympic ace Bradley Wiggins.