GWR'S GRANT Bayton clinched an excellent third overall in the two-day Totnes-Vire Stage Race, held in Devon.

Promoted by the Mid Devon CC, the race, in its 35th year, saw a quality entry of 74 riders from across the country, including Bayton who was joined by teammates, 2006 winner Ben Luckwell, Nic Tilling (pictured right), Peter Kench and Dan Smith.

Doing battle over three stages, a total of 130 miles.

Tilling picked up a five-second sprint bonus in stage one, in which the GWR riders were especially prominent.

However, Smith withdrew with heat exhaustion and the stage was won by Polish rider Marcin Bialoblocki (Middrige CRT), with Bayton third.

In the chasing peloton some 20 seconds behind the victor, Kench crossed the line 14th with Luckwell and Tilling just outside the top 20.

With barely an hour to recuperate, the survivors faced a short individual time trial around a 5.4 mile circuit, with Bialoblocki powering to a decisive victory.

Bayton was ninth, clocking 12 minutes 9 seconds and was followed home by Tilling (12.24), Kench (12.29), Dan Smith (12.59), who despite being ineligible for the overall classification, used the stage for training, and Luckwell (13.10) On the final stage, Bayton came home fourth, again behind Bialoblocki with Tilling (14th overall), Kench and Luckwell all in the depleted bunch.