NEWPORT cyclist Jon Mould will lead the home assault on the Welsh Open Criterium around Abergavenny town centre on Friday night, writes Gary Baker.

The 26-year-old will be looking to warm-up for the National Criterium Championships in Sheffield later this month by claiming the top prize in the Abergavenny race, the third leg of the HSBC UK British Cycling National Circuit Series.

The Welsh Open Criterium, part of the Abergavenny Festival of Cycling, will also see a galaxy of other stars competing – including triple Olympic team pursuit gold medalist Ed Clancy.

Mould rode the first leg of the Series in Otley last week and continues his assault on the National Series crown at Skipton in Yorkshire before hitting the roads in Monmouthshire on Friday evening.

“Abergavenny will be really tough, there are some good riders in the field,” said Mould, who won the National Series in 2015 and rode for Wales at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

“I won the Series in 2015 but I never went out with the aim of winning it. I went out and raced each element of the Series as a bike race and, if you do that, you get up there in the Series.”

Mould is on the same JLT Condor team as Clancy and Doncaster’s Graham Briggs and they will all be fighting to overhaul current Series leader Chris Lawless, who won the Otley event.

With such big guns in the JLT Condor squad, Mould and his team-mates have no idea who will be leading their team on the night in Abergavenny.

“Ed is on my team but we don't have team orders before the day of the race,” he said. “I will be aiming to win it, though.”

Mould, who won a stage of the New Zealand Cycling Classic earlier this year, added: “I seem to be more in my car than on my bike these days, going up and down the country to race so it will be good to race near home.

“I have the National Crit Championships, which are in Sheffield, in two weeks so that will be a nice one to aim for. This is good prep for it and I will be looking to win the National Jersey.”

The Welsh Open Criterium takes place in the middle of Abergavenny town centre and starts with support races from 5.30pm.

One of the highlights of the evening, along with the National Series, is the Traders Cardiac Race which has already received excellent support and entries from businesses around Abergavenny.

There is free entry on the night to any local business person who wishes to take part.

For further information about the Iron Mountain Sportif and to enter any of the rides, visit www.abergavennyfestivalofcycling.co.uk