A SOUTH Lakes athlete was denied his chance to win the Three Peaks Cyclo-Cross for the twelfth time when he came into grief coming down Whernside.

Rob Jebb, of Staveley, was unseated from his bike and hit his head, rendering him unconscious.

He managed to make it down the hill once he came round, however he was hospitalised with concussion and had to forfeit the race.

Jebb said: "I was unconscious for a short time and then I didn't have a choice, I had to get down.

"When I got to the bottom the doctor made me go to A and E.

"I was in second at the time, and I don't know if I would have caught up. We were riding together at Ingleton, and by the time I fell I think I was about a minute behind.

"It was a bit of a downer to have to stop. But it was game over, I couldn't have carried on.

"I am now back at home and resting and recovering. I am hoping to be back out by Sunday as the fell running relays are this weekend. I hope to be back for that."

The cyclo-cross, which takes in Ingleborough, Whernside and Pen y Ghent, was won by Paul Oldham, of Colne.

He was cycling for Hope Factory Racing, and recorded a time of 12:36:16.

The fastest woman was Christina Wiejak of the Barrow Central Wheelers, at 13:35:44.

The Three Peaks, were first conquered on a bicycle by a 14-year-old Yorkshire schoolboy Kevin Watson in 1959.

Since then it has grown to become one of the most challenging cycling events on the calendar, with racers coming from all over the country in order to take part.

The course is 61km in total, 33km of which is unsurfaced and 6 - 8km considered unrideable. The total climbing distance is 1534m.