Felix English continues breakthrough season on UK pro crit scene with victory in Otley

Irish U23 international Felix English was a clear winner in Otley last night, having taken flight from the breakaway in the closing stages (Photo: Larry Hickmott - www.velouk.net)

Irish U23 international, Felix English has continued to build his reputation on the UK pro scene having taken another victory last night, Wednesday, in the opening round of the 'Elite Circuit Series'.

The Rapha Condor-JLT man went clear in a six-man escape and not content to wait for the sprint, he attacked his fellow escapees and took a very clear win against what was a quality field.

He took his win at the Otley Town Centre Race, sponsored by Skoda and featuring a field of most of the biggest Continental teams based in the UK.

With most of teams represented in the breakaway that went clear in the second half of the race, the gap had grown too large to be pegged back by the time the bunch came to life in the pursuit of the closing laps.

The escape was made up of Tobyn Horton (UK Youth), Andrew Hawdon (Herbalife), George Atkins (GB Academy), Dan Barry (Node 4 Giordana), Tom Moses (Raleigh) and eventual winner English.

With just two laps remaining it was clear that barring a major disaster the breakaway would stay away to share the spoils and it was Moses who attacked first just inside the second last lap. Atkins panicked and gave chase, closing most of the gap up to the leader.

English waited until the group had come back to together and put in a very hard attack, opening a clear gap on the others and using his speed and time trial skills to motor to the line and take the flag just seconds ahead of the group he had just left and went plenty of time left to celebrate.

Behind him, with was UK Youth's Horton who took the sprint for second place from Herbalife's Hawdon.

Having won a criterium in Australia in January, English took victory in the Milk Race at the end of May. The iconic event has been revived as a crit. And he has also been in the mix in the Tour Series in recent months, getting into the escapes and playing a much more active part in animating the races compared with last year.