Hier an impressive third in Stour race (From Dudley News)

Hier an impressive third in Stour race

2:00pm Friday 15th June 2012 in Sport

YOUNGSTER Will Hier finished an impressive third in Stourbridge Cycling Club’s road race.

The 17-year-old, who is from Stourbridge but races in the purple of Halesowen CC, got into the decisive eight-man break and attacked near the top of the Astley Hill climb with two miles remaining of the 70-mile course.

Despite gaining a small lead, he was eventually overhauled by former elite rider Mike Jones, who took victory by a bike length from Adrian Bird of Rapid Performance Coaching.

But it was still an impressive performance from Hier, in just his fourth race, particularly because as a junior rider his gear size is restricted.

Halesowen team-mate and Hagley racer Matt Clarke finished eighth, with Callum Ferguson 19th and Tom Gregory 22nd.

There were also strong performances from Ben Crone and Will Fotheringham.

It was the first race staged by Stourbridge for several years and there were plenty of early attacks on the first of five laps around the lumpy five-mile course near Stourport.

The decisive move came on lap three and the group of eight worked hard to establish a healthy gap over the peloton before the late attacks.