It was Scottish delight in the Alps and the Pyrenees as Oscar Onley and Phoebe Gale rode to excellent wins in a packed weekend of racing action on the continent.

While some of the best road riders were in action in Lancashire for a double header of British series races.

UCI World Cup - DH

Junior phenomenon Phoebe Gale (Canyon-Collective FMD) claimed another brilliant victory in the soaring heat of the Pyrenees on Sunday with an excellent ride in Andorra to win the latest round of the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup.

The Scot won by nearly six seconds as her time of 3:16.852 blew the field away and would have been good enough to finish sixth in the Elite event – a field which Gale will graduate to next season.

Gale’s win closes the gap to rival Gracey Hemstreet in the World Cup standings, as the two are separated by the slimmest of margins heading into the final three rounds.

The Highland trio of Aimi Kenyon (Pinkbike), Beth McCully (Black Isle MTB) and Nina-Yves Cameron (West Highland Wheelers) were also in action. Kenyon claimed another Top 10 finish in ninth place, which sees her rise to fifth in the overall standings. While McCully and Cameron came home line of stern in 16^th and 17^th place, respectively.

Louise Ferguson rode to another strong showing in 11^th place in the Women’s Elite field, while compatriot Mikayla Parton (Greenpower) just missed out on the final in 17^th position.

Greg Williamson (100%/Commencal) was the top Scot in the Elite Men’s finishing with a great Top 20, while Jamie Edmondson (Rockshox Trek) was in 36^th place.

William Brodie was the sole Scot in the Junior Men, with a very good ride to 21^st position.

UCI World Cup – XC

Team Scotland duo of Isla Short and Charlie Aldridge were in action in Andorra in the Cross Country events, with Cameron Mason also in racing action.

Isla Short (Hunt Bike Wheels) rode to an excellent 19^th place in the Elite Women’s event. It’s great to see the Borders-based rider continue her recovery from illness. It’s the first Top 20 the Scot has scored this season at the World Cup event.

Short will be looking to defend her British XC title this weekend in Dumfries and Galloway, stay tuned for a preview later this week.

Short’s fellow Team Scotland rider Charlie Aldridge continued his excellent form with a fourth place on Sunday in the Men’s U23 ranks. There was also another good ride from Linlithgow’s Cameron Mason (Trinity) who finished in 16^th place after starting back in 32^nd on the grid.

Giro Valle d'Aosta

The Italian Alps played host the UCI U23 stage race the Giro Valle d’Aosta with Scots Oscar Onley (Team DSM) and Sean Flynn (Tudor Pro Cycling) in action.

Onley, from Kelso, rode to a magnificent stage victory on the final mountain stage to Cervinia which propelled the Scot to 14^th in the overall general classification and the win in the Points Classification.

The race also saw the Scot take a brace of Top 5 stage finishes, a fifth place on the opening stage, as well as a 4^th place finish in the penultimate stage, which was also a high mountain parcours. Only a bout of cramp on Stage 2 stopped the Scot from an even higher finish in the general classification.

It was also more success for Sean Flynn, who was on the attack more days than not in his attempt to claim the red jersey. After winning sprints on Stage 2, the Team Scotland rider won the bunch sprint for 6^th place on Stage 3 before claiming the sprints jersey after he made it into the breakaway on the final two stages.

A very good week all-round for the Scots in Italy.

European U23 Track Champs

There was some Scottish success too in the European Under 23 Track Championships in Anadia, Portugal. Kate Richardson’s rise on the track saw her make her Team Pursuit debut for Great Britain in Portugal and be part of the squad that clocked a very impressive 4:25.943 to claim the silver medal.

The Scot also produced a great ride in the Individual Pursuit with a 3:33.256 to claim a strong fifth place. Another great track meet for a rider that only started riding the track in December.

Tim Shoreman was also in action riding for Great Britain in the first round of the Men’s U23 Team Pursuit and put in a strong showing to help the team progress into the medal races, where they claimed silver.

Lancaster

Sunday saw the latest round of the British National Road Series with the Lancaster GP and Team Scotland’s Finn Crockett (Ribble-Weldtite) finish in seventh which was enough to take the series lead.

Logan Maclean (Wheelbase CabTech Castelli) finished in 12^th and there was another Top 20 for Adam Mitchell (Cycling Sheffield).

Barnsley

Friday night saw the Lancashire weekend kick off in Barnsley with the Town Centre Criterium forming part of the British Circuit Series.

There was a strong showing from Beth Morrow (CAMS-Basso) to claim sixth place while Beth Harley-Jepson (Jadan Vive-le-Velo) finished in 20^th place.

In the Men’s Finn Crockett and Callum Thornley (Wheelbase Cabtech Castelli) both impressed yet again, with both riders attacking throughout the criterium. Crockett was able to just pip the younger Thornley to fourth place.