HALESOWEN Cycling Club's depleted road team were still celebrating despite a host of injuries as Cameron Biddle became the first team member to go up a category this season when he reached first category status on Tuesday night.

Biddle who has ridden strongly all spring clinched the upgrade points he needed with second place in the evening race at Stourport. He then went on to ride strongly on Sunday in the West Midlands Road Race League event at Minsterley in Shropshire, figuring in a breakaway for much of the 60-mile race, and only being caught in the final few miles.

He still finished 18th with team mate Jo Hobbs also in the main pack, while second claim member Jamieson Blain landed sixth.

Elsewhere, junior Daniel Morris continued his run of strong rides in the Shropshire and South Staffordshire Road Race League to hold on to sixth place overall in the series, while second claim member Charles Walker set a new club record for 10 miles with 18min 55sec in the Hemel Hempstead event on Saturday, as he continues his build up to the national under-23 time trial in 10 days.

This weekend Matt Clarke returns to racing after a weekend off and will compete in the most prestigious UK event of the weekend, the Tour of the Reservoir in North East England. Clarke will ride as a guest for the Wheelbase team, while his club mates ride in the latest round of the West Midlands League at Astley near Stourport.