Rising St Neots star Jacob Hennessy is celebrating the biggest success of his blossoming cycling career.

The 19 year-old powered to victory in the Skipton Grand Prix race in Yorkshire on Wednesday night – despite some less than ideal preparation with his team arriving late.

Hennessy launched a solo attack early on before being joined by five other riders who managed to stay clear of the main bunch.

And the Spirit Bikes rider proved to have the quickest turn of pace to sprint to glory.

Hennessy said: “That win has been a long time coming and I can’t quite believe I did it.

“We turned up two hours late and didn’t really get chance to warm up.

“No-one was going full gas early on so I attacked I because I though I would get on TV if nothing else!

“Five other riders came over to join me and we worked pretty well together to stay clear.

“I know that I can sprint but I had to hope no-one would go early as I wouldn’t have had the legs to go with them.”

The race was the third of eight rounds that make up the British Cycling Elite Circuit Series. The next event is the Beverley Grand Prix tonight (Friday) in East Yorkshire.

Hennessy has made rapid progress since taking up racing last year with St Neots Cycling Club.

There was another triumph for one of the club’s members on Wednesday when Tom Stead won the latest Rockingham Circuit Race in Northamptonshire.