WELLINGTON School pupil, Evan Richards recorded a superb second place finish in the first round of the British National Circuit Race series.

Year 9 pupil, Richards took the runners-up spot with a final sprint to the line, after the pack had been whittled down to an elite group of 20.

The racing was held at the twisting and undulating course at Hetton le Hole near Durham.

The National Series is contested by under 14s and under 16s for both girls and boys. The racing was hard and fast in all categories.

Over 70 of the best riders in the country lined up for the under 14 boys with the riders setting a fast pace from the start with attack and counter attack and numerous crashes.

This means Evan has qualified to ride all future National Series races this season. The next one will be the Youth Tour of the Isle of Man, where he will compete in a challenging stage race over three days.