Adria Moreno Sala (Raleigh GAC) was crowned the Motorpoint Spring Cup Series winner on the day that Tom Stewart (Madison Genesis) took victory in the final round - the Lincoln Grand Prix.
In a thrilling climax to a fiercely-contested race, 26-year-old Stewart from Cusworth near Doncaster managed to steal ahead of four-time Lincoln Grand Prix winner Russell Downing (JLT Condor) and Ian Bibby (NFTO).
Moreno Sala finished seventh, and despite not winning a round has shown great consistency throughout the series.
Bibby and James Gullen (Pedal Heaven) both scored the same number of points but Bibby edges second spot after winning two rounds.
With the first of 13 laps completed the bunch was still together. Envelopemaster-Giant Sheffield's Jake Tanner managed to get loose at the front but he was quickly reeled back in.
Then Harry Godding (PMR at Toachim House), David Lines (Wheelbase Altura MGD) and Adam Kenway of Metaltek pushed their way to the front of the peloton but struggled to get clear.
The course at Lincoln is tough and as the riders approached the cobbled Michaelgate climb for the second time, around 20 riders dropped off at the back as the pace proved too much.
Matthieu Boulo of Raleigh GAC then took a lead of 32 seconds, stretching up to a minute before anyone attempted to chase.
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With 10 laps to go, the chasing peloton quickly closed down the gap for lone leader Boulo. With three laps gone in 60 minutes, Team JLT Condor picked up the pace.
After controlling the front of the chasers they caught Boulo, and a group of 11 formed out front with all of JLT Condor's riders in there.
Russell Downing (JLT Condor) led the race through the line on lap four and the pace picked up yet again with an average speed of 27mph for the first hour.
With nine laps to go, a 14-man group formed at the front with eight seconds to 15 chasers and a minute over the chasing peloton.
The leader of the Motorpoint Spring Cup Series going into this race, Jonathan McEvoy (NFTO) made contact with the leading group with eight laps to go.
The high pace began to break the bunch apart, and with six laps done the 16 leaders who lead by almost a minute were being shut down by Raleigh GAC leading the bunch.
That lead group included Thomas Moses, Matthew Holmes, Ian Bibby, Matthieu Boulo, Erick Rowsell, Tom Stewart and Dale Appleby. Also in that lead group were James Gullen, Rory Townsend, Jack Pullar, Adria Moreno Sala and Jacob Hennessy.
After two hours of racing and 53.7 miles covered the lead group of 16 were 50 seconds ahead of the peloton. Jacob Hennessy of Spirit Bikes dropped his chain on Michaelgate to reduce the lead group to 15, but managed to re-join.
The gap between the leaders and the chasers began to drop dramatically and they finally met, forming a 30-strong lead group.
But there was a swift counter-attack, and three smaller groups formed with five to go.
The front group of 30 came back together with seven chasers 55 seconds back while the peloton were at 1.40.
Dexter Gardias of Pedal Heaven and Rhys Lloyd of NFTO then attacked. Chasers included Matt Cronshaw (Madison Genesis) Alistair Slater (JLT Condor), Evan Oliphant (Team Raleigh GAC) and Sam Lowe (Team Wiggins).
At the end of lap nine, Gardias and Lloyd had a small lead as the group splintered again. Chris Lawless set off in pursuit.
Ian Bibby and Jack Pullar were also chasing and were caught, leading to a group of five at the front with Lawless, Bibby and Pullar up alongside Gardias and Lloyd. They had a 17-second advantage but lots of attacks were going in.
At the end of the lap, it all come back together again at the front and the big lead group had two minutes on the peloton.
With three to go, those leading five broke clear with one chaser and the rest of the group was 19 seconds back.
After three hours and nearly 80 miles covered, Tom Stewart (Madison Genesis), Alex Blain (Madison Genesis), Russ Downing (JLT Condor), Ian Bibby (NFTO), Dexter Gardias (Pedal Heaven) and Dale Appleby (NFTO) had a lead of 26 seconds.
With two laps left three chasers were 1.05 back with Joshua Edmondson (NFTO), Gullen and Moreno Sala keen to join the action. With just over ten miles left, that trio were only 30 seconds behind and the gap was coming down quickly.
Then came the telling move of the race as Ian Bibby put in an attack that blew the group apart. At the bell it was Bibby, Downing and Stewart going clear as Gardias and Blain fell behind.
Downing, Stewart, Gardias, Blain and Bibby then opened up a 13-second gap with Appleby dropping off. However, Appleby came back at the leaders with Gullen and Moreno Sala for company.
Just as the chasers were about to make contact with the five leaders Blain attacked for Madison Genesis with one kilometre of racing left, but soon came back.
It was then the turn of NFTO to attack, but Downing put in a counter for JLT Condor with 500 metres left.
But as the riders came into the finish, it was Doncaster’s Tom Stewart who timed his move right to take the chequered flag.
“I’m over the moon!” said Stewart. “This is the best one-day race we have in UK.
"I used to come here when I first got into cycling. We’d have a ride out from Doncaster, me and my friends and we’d come to watch. I just dreamed of riding up Michaelgate one day so to win it is very special.
“The adrenaline gets you up Michaelgate, and with the crowd behind you it’s exciting. But then you get up top and it starts hurting.
“It was perfectly ridden from the team point of view. I’ve hardly had to anything so I’m really grateful to them - they should be proud of how they’ve ridden.
“I felt great all day, I didn’t want to push on too much and show my hand, I was just watching the other guys to see how they’re looking.
“I had team-mate Alex Blain with me, and I couldn’t ask for a better guy. He gave me some tough love, told me I could do it when I was doubting. He was chipping away at rest of group all the way round. You probably couldn’t see from here but he was attacking, driving and wearing them down all the way round.”
Watch race highlights from Lincoln Grand Prix on Eurosport 1 on Thursday 19 May 2016 at 8am and 8pm. Check the Eurosport schedule as broadcast times may vary.
Results:
1 Tom Stewart (Madison Genesis)
2 Russell Downing (JLT Condor)
3 Ian Bibby (NFTO)
