HARRY Tanfield is ready to go for the British Cycling Elite Circuit Series title after victory at the Chepstow Grand Prix on Wednesday night, writes Gary Baker.

Tanfield outsprinted his Pedal Heaven team-mate Alex Paton on the final lap of the hour-long race around the streets of the town after the pair had dominated the field almost from start to finish.

Now Tanfield, 21, will be hoping to make-up for an accident in last year's Welsh Open Criterium in Abergavenny on Friday night, which kicks-off the Abergavenny Festival of Cycling weekend, and make it a double of Elite Series victories in Wales this week.

And his rankings and that of his team are high enough for him to try for the whole Series title now.

He said: "I think we (the team) are fifth or sixth in the rankings. It was not my intention to go for the full series but I may as well have a go for it now."

Graham Briggs, who was aiming for a third Chepstow Grand Prix win in successive years, was in the pack as the Pedal Heaven duo rode away.

And soon they were up the road and out of sight as the gap between them and the chasing group of four riders increased beyond thirty seconds.

One rider, JLT Condor's Steve Lampier, gave chase from the group but the gap was far too wide for him to bridge and, on the last straight, Tanfield, who rode for JLT Condor in Chepstow last year, got away from Paton to win by a few metres.

Later, after the champagne spray of the presentation had soaked him to the skin, Tanfield said: "I was encouraging Alex every ten minutes and it made it so much easier. Because we were hurting on the climbs, whoever was behind would be shouting encouragement to the person behind and the pain goes away when that happens.

"It is my first podium and win in a elite crit (criterium race) and it was a one-two. It was a great team effort and you couldn't ask for any more.

"It was a fantastic race and I really enjoyed the circuit. I enjoyed it last year. Back then, when we had Briggo (Briggs) up the road and it was just myself and Kristian (House) marshalling a little group of six or eight that were left in the race but this year, we got to race it out ourselves.

"This time, we got the opportunity and just went for it. I like these narrow streets with a little power climb. It means you don't have to fight with anyone and the race sorts itself out in the first twenty minutes because people get spat (out the back). It was just a case of getting to the front."

Now he is aiming to for Abergavenny and added: "I hope I just get around. Last year, I crashed at that hairpin. I only did about thirty minutes of the race.

"I like these circuits which are harder with a hill on rather than just fighting for position all the time. It is like a lottery with the hairpin."

Details of all the races and the Iron Mountain Sportif mass participation event at this weekend's Abergavenny Festival of Cycling are on abergavennyfestivalofcycling.co.uk