Jamie Cousins took a well-earned victory in the Winners Edge criterium staged on the Fort Knox loop in St David’s today.

In oppressively hot conditions, the category A-B race got off to a typically fast start with Dominique Mayho, of Team VT-Madison, and Adam Kirk, of Winners Edge, quickly establish a gap of about 15 seconds over the chasing field led for the most part by Conor White.

Lapping the short loop in around two minutes, the spectators were treated to an intriguing battle as powerhouse White slowly pulled the leaders back.

However, as soon as contact was made, Cousins counter-attacked and was joined by junior rider Zander Miller. Again, it was White who closed them down and this set the pattern for the majority of the 45-minute race, which, despite the conditions, maintained and average speed of around 25mph.

Cousins was clearly enjoying a good day and after attempting moves off the front with Hatherly and then Miller, finally made the decisive move two laps to go and opened up a small lead.

Cousins was holding off the chasers when White, leading the chase group into the final sharp left corner, had a front flat tyre at high speed and crashed hard with Mayo, who was forced to jump his bike over him and, in doing so, experienced a flat tyre himself.

It enabled Cousins to ride to victory in a time of 47min 47.7sec, with Winners Edge rider Hatherly taking second in 47:53.6 and Mayho holding on to third in 47:55.8. White sustained road rash and received hospital treatment but is still expected to compete at the four-day Green Mountain Stage Race in Vermont this week.

In category C, Anthony Smith, of Winners Edge, claimed victory in the 35-minute race in 38:57.9, followed by team-mate Wayne Scott in second in 38:57.9 and Mark Lombardi, of Bermuda Roulers Cycle Club, in third in 38:57.4