Charlotte Broughton enjoyed success in her first mountain bike race for three years.

Leicestershire Road Club's National under-14 cyclo-cross champion was the pick of the juvenile girls in the opening round of the Midland cross-country series at Hick's Lodge, Ashby.

Covering the two laps at a cracking pace, the Countesthorpe girl also made in-roads into the youth and women riders who had started two minutes ahead of her.

By the finish Broughton, who is better known as a road and cross rider, had three minutes in hand over the nearest challenger in her category.

Victory in the elite men's race went to Gareth Montgomerie who rides for the GT racing team.

The women's event was won by private member Maxine Filby, from Oxford.

Two of the county's leading time-trial riders, Matt Bottrill and Matt Sinclair, are gearing up for the start of their new seasons.

Having switched teams from I-Ride to Drag 2 Zero during the winter, Bottrill is the first into action against the clock when he races this weekend at the North Road CC 25 in Hertfordshire.

Lutterworth Cycle Centre's Sinclair had an excellent 2011 campaign as he clinched 16 wins, the best return of his career.

He is setting the bar high and aiming to better that in 2012. His first test will be at Kettering on March 4.