This last weekend saw the Junior Tour of Wales (17-18 year olds) take place over four stages this time across South Wales.

The lads selected to ride for Wales were Ben Bright (Mold), Spencer Davies (Cross-gates Powys), Josh Tarling (Ffos-y-Ffin, Ceredigion) and Griff Lewis (Clarach, Ceredigion).

This race drew the best Juniors in the UK to ride in this four-stage three-day race.

This was the first time these four lads had ridden in a team together and they were up against some really strong opposition.

There were some very good, good and reasonable times on Stage 1, the Time-Trial uphill from Brynmawr to the Top of the Tumble. This saw Josh pick up the Young Riders jersey and a third place.

Stage 2 was at the Welsh Closed Circuit Course at Pembrey Nr Llanelli. This was a fast and furious race with many attacks off the front.

With five laps to go three riders ‘got away’ one of whom was Griff Lewis riding for ‘Team Wales’. The rest of his team mates stuck to their job to ensure Griff had a 1 in 3 chance of podium.

The breakaway came around the last corner into the finishing straight and with 50 yards to go Griff pulled out of the slip-stream of the front rider to take the win for ‘Team Wales’.

A few hours break to eat and drink then it was back out onto the roads around Carmarthen for a 63-mile stage that finished in Nantgerredig.

Again a lot of attacks off the front and a furious pace all around the course. This ended in a sprint finish between two GB Junior track team mates with Josh Tarling taking the runner-up spot, but best of all securing the General Classification Leaders Yellow Jersey.

The final stage…the Queen stage saw the ‘Tour’ roll out from Abergavenny across to Raglan, Usk then on down to Chepstow, Tintern, Monmouth and then back towards Abergavenny with the final push up the Tumble to the finish.

‘Team Wales’ were now going to have to defend the Yellow Jersey. However, Josh had only six seconds at the start of the stage over his next rival.

He managed to gain some sprint prim seconds which saw his advantage go out to 11 seconds.

Attack upon attack against the Yellow Jersey holder continued and were stoutly defended by ‘Team Wales’ but finally the fatigue that comes with that high intensity defending took its toll and sadly ‘Team Wales’ had to ceed the Yellow Jersey at the top of the Tumble.

Great riding by the whole team and an opportunity to work together as a team representing their country.