Max Stedman produced another valiant ride in defeat as Tom Pidcock powered to East Cleveland Klondike Grand Prix glory in Guisborough on Sunday.
Pidcock, 18, further enhanced an already stellar reputation by outgunning JLT Condor’s Tom Moses and Johnny McEvoy, of Madison Genesis, in the finale of the 159.3km battle.
Meanwhile, Canyon Eisberg’s Stedman was among a dozen chasers who crossed the line almost two minutes adrift of the leading trio.
The 22-year-old, who was sixth in a similarly tireless pursuit at the Chorley Grand Prix earlier this month, finished in 11th position.
Madison’s Erick Rowsell won the KOM award, while Stedman’s team-mate Harry Tanfield, from nearby Great Ayton, was named best local rider.
The East Cleveland Klondike Grand Prix was the second round of the British Cycling Spring Cup – with Karol Domagalski, of ONE Pro Cycling, winning that Chorley opener.
Amid the early skirmishes, Andrew Tennant’s bad luck continued – after breaking his rear mech at a crucial stage of the Rutland-Melton International CiCLE Classic last weekend.
The Canyon Eisberg man was caught up in a crash and was forced into two bike changes in the opening 90 minutes of racing in the north east.
Meanwhile, Team Wiggins’ Joey Walker and Madison duo Erick Rowsell and Connor Swift had broken away and went on to lead for two thirds of the contest.
They held more than four minutes’ advantage on the peloton before the hammer went down.
Rowsell, who had dominated the KOM competition, was the last to be swept up by the pack, prompting attacks to come thick and fast.
Tennant, Stedman, Tanfield, James Lowsley-Williams, Dexter Gardias and Jack Pullar were all prominent for Canyon Eisberg.
However, it was the counter-attack by Wiggins’ Pidcock, Madison’s McEvoy and Moses, of JLT Condor, which made the biggest impression.
They soon built up an impressive lead as the peloton splintered in an attempt to respond.
Stedman, who was sixth in the Chorley Grand Prix, escaped in a chase group of six, which quickly swelled to 12.
And as the race entered its final 10km, they trailed the leading trio by more than 45 seconds with the main group out of sight at 2min 25sec.
An attack from Moses, followed by Pidcock, saw McEvoy beat a hasty retreat and that left the pair to scrap for glory in Guisborough.
Pidcock then showed his class as he outsprinted his JLT rival for victory with McEvoy, who was runner-up in Chorley, a handful of seconds adrift.
Twenty-four hours earlier, Chris Opie finished eighth in the UCI 1.2 PWZ Zuidenveld Tour in Holland.
After a relentless day in the saddle, the Canyon Eisberg sprinter forged clear in a decisive 12-man group to race for the line in Nieuw-Amsterdam.
Only 39 riders finished the gruelling 197.3km contest, which included seven sectors of Dutch cobblestones. Matt Nowell franked his recent good form with 37th.