DEBENHAM schoolboy Hugo Robinson of XRT Elmy Cycles was the runaway victor of the Junior Men’s championship cyclo-cross race at Derby yesterday.

From the gun Robinson, U16 champion in 2010, was one a trio of fast starters which also included the hotly-tipped Alistair Slater and Tom Armstrong.

At the half-lap stage Robinson had made his move and opened up a gap on the chasing riders,despite a tumble on a tight turn.

The course had been made exceptionally muddy by heavy rain and riders were swapping bikes every lap.

“You could have changed them every half-lap,” said Robinson. “It was so muddy and slippery.”

At the end of lap one Robinson had the beginning of a comfortable lead while behind Luke Grivell-Mellor of Mid Shropshire Wheelers and Grant Ferguson of Dooley Cycles were locked in what would turn out to be a race-long battle for bronze.

Robinson extended his lead to around 40 seconds by the end of lap three taking the bell with no other riders in sight, while behind the battles still raged for silver.

Afterwards Robinson, a first-year junior, said that the race had mostly gone to plan.

“I did what I usually do and got a rocket start. ” he said. “I did come down on a muddy u-turn but bounced straight back up and kept the lead.

“I wasn’t the fastest today but I was quickest in the tricky sections. I was running a lot of the time when others were riding because it was quicker.”

It was a superb result for the youngster, who will now get to wear the champion’s jersey at next weekend’s final National Trophy race and possibly at the World Championships in Sankt Wendel, Germany, on January 29. He should learn this week if he has been selected to race.