CANVEY cyclist George Wood continued an impressive season at the Jef Schils Memorial Race, narrowly missing out on a win in a tight sprint finish.

The Richardsons-Trek rider took to the Colchester roads on Sunday and produced a storming ride, contesting a dash for the line that was eventually won by Mathew Cronshaw for the second year in a row.

Wood was part of a strong Richardsons-Trek team, which saw five of the riders finish in the top 20 – with Rhys Howells coming in three seconds down on the winners in 7th place and Andrew Hastings in 8th – 24 seconds down.

And the 18 year-old said he didn’t have anything left in his legs at the end of the 126km race, having got into the breakaway after 26 miles, when it came down to a sprint finish.

“I was giving all I had,” said the Canvey teenager. “I thought I would have something left in my legs as I went up the hill to the finish but I just couldn’t match the other guys.

“At the start I wasn’t feeling 100 per cent. I told the team I was feeling pretty tired and they said to see how it went. At the start of the race there were a few breakaway moves but the peloton kept dragging them back but after 26 miles I felt I able to go with one of the groups and we stayed away.”

Howells and Hastings were also in the breakaway, but Wood said with two laps to go he was feeling good.

“I was surprised at how good I felt with two laps to go but with one lap left I suddenly felt terrible. It was really sudden and I had some gels to try and get my energy levels back up. I was able to close down a few late breaks but I was looking for the finish line all the time.”

Just before the finish there was an uphill section, although Wood said he enjoys riding the steeper climbs.

“Rhys was trying to make a move at the end but was blocked off which was frustrating as that could have been a win for us. But to have as many riders as we did in the top 20 is an achievement in itself.

“Before the race I was aiming for top 10 so this is a success. I was tired from the Ipswich Coastal GP (the previous weekend) and I had a bit of a cold so I was pleased.”

Wood has enjoyed a successful season on the bike, recently winning the RAF Woodbridge meeting as well as an impressive win at the Hatfield Puncheur in May.

Wood and the rest of the Richardsons-Trek team will now head to Belgium to take part in a one-day race at Torhout, in West Flanders, before the Richardsons-Trek Road Team Road Race on Sunday, September 28.