Clinton falls short in championships race despite a bold attacking effort

The Elite/1/2/3 Category race would take into account 7.5 laps of a tough circuit near Burton-upon-Trent to complete 84 miles.

A very twitchy bunch of 70 riders set off with a fast pace, happy to let two riders, Dom Jelfs (Madison Genesis) and Matt Gee (Corley Cycles) gain a 2-minute advantage on the rest of the field.

After a couple of laps, a lull in the bunch saw two riders take off in pursuit while Clinton, who was looking to improve on his second place finish in 2012, took this advantage to join them.

Joined by two more riders for a couple of laps, this group of five would soon become nearly ten absorbing Jelfs and Gee, while having more riders join from another chase group.

Maintaining a good advantage over the main bunch, this group started to lose a few riders while the pace was maintained and at just under two laps to go, eventual winner Liam Holohan (Madison Genesis) and second placed James Williamson (Node4 Pro Cycling) jumped away.

With the rest of the group hesitatingand unwilling to make an effort to pull the duo back, it was game over for the chasers, but there was still third place to aim for.

The chase group had now diminished and Clinton took another gamble and attacked on the tough climb with three quarters of a lap to go.

The chasing pack did not want to let Clinton go and the group was split in the process as they reacted.

An attack by Jelfs then had Clinton chasing, joined by Martin Ford (Herbalife) with only a matter of miles left.

The trio would hit the base of the final 1km climb to the finish just ahead of the fragmented chasers.

As it kicked up Clinton attacked again, but it was too early and he faded rapidly with only a couple of hundred metres to go.