MATT Bostock continued his unbeaten record at the top of the HSBC British Cycling Elite Circuit Series after beating local hero and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Jon Mould to the line in Abergavenny, writes Gary Baker.

Bostock, from the Isle of Man, won in Otley last Wednesday, the first stage of this year’s Series, and came out of the pack to take the honours on the final lap.

Bostock is now eyeing the Series title and his continuing success will do his chances of representing his Canyon dhb/Bloor Homes team in the upcoming Tour of Britain no harm at all.

He said: “I could not have had a better start to the Series. I just need to keep the run going and don’t have any mishaps. It would be good to win it.

“There are quite a few rounds left and I will try and keep luck on my side and stay up there.”

If he wins the Series overall, Bostock will almost certainly qualify in his team for the Tour of Britain, and he added: “The boss will be happy about this. There was a bit of pressure on me to bring it home

“There are quite a few rounds left and I will try and keep luck on my side and stay up there.”

He said: “It was great to win. I really enjoyed the race. The race did not break up as much as I thought it would. It was down to the last few laps and the final sprint from the corner of the finishing straight.

“Everyone was all over the attacks at the front during the race.

For Newport’s Mould, though, it was another year when he was the bridesmaid and not the bride over a track he considers his ‘home’ circuit, living as he does twenty minutes from Abergavenny.

However, the result puts him in fifth place overall after two rounds off the Elite Circuit Series and, having missed Otley, his second place in Abergavenny makes him the best rider in his Madison Genesis team so far.

Yet, the 28-year-old would have liked to have won in front of his Welsh fans. He wrapped up the 2015 Elite Circuit Series before getting to Abergavenny and finishing a few places off the podium that year.

And 12 months ago, he was second in Abergavenny, this time behind former National Road Race champion Connor Swift.

Now he has been denied yet again but reflected on a good race saying: “We were attacking a lot and trying to take it on in the race but Matt is fast, which he showed in Otley, and got into the last corner first.

“He came out of it and went. It was good to be there and maybe I might win it one day!

“I have had two seconds now and I think I’ve been third as well. I can’t be too disappointed with that because I know I can win races and this was close.”

Chris Latham, of the Vitus Pro Cycling team, was third behind Bostock and Mould. However, 2012 Olympic Games gold medallist Ed Clancy, also riding for the Vitus Pro Cycling outfit, had a poor start to the race from the outset, finding himself at the back, and failed to finish.

Nevertheless, the evening, which was preceded by a series of Youth races for up-and-coming riders and a Traders and Carnival Race, a fun, fancy dress event, plus the exciting Elite Series, had the big crowd around Abergavenny town centre cheering all night.

For more information about the Abergavenny Festival of Cycling, go to www.abergavennyfestivalofcycling.co.uk