Dexter Gardias and Max Stedman both finished inside the top 20 as Ian Bibby celebrated victory in the Velothon Wales.
The JLT Condor man got the better of ONE Pro Cycling’s Karol Domagalski in the final few metres of the UCI 1.1 battle, with Chris Lawless taking the bunch kick for third.
Gardias and Stedman had made the decisive selection and were part of an eight-man chase group attempting to reel the leading duo in as the race powered back into Cardiff city centre.
But they were caught by a further 15 riders and had little left for a telling attack in the final skirmishes of the 174km contest.
After a long wait, Gardias was confirmed in 14th position and Stedman finished 17th.
James Lowsley-Williams had earlier been active in the 11-man breakaway, which extended their advantage over the peloton to five minutes at one stage.
Bibby’s JLT team-mate Steve Lampier was there, while the move also included Matt Holmes, of Madison Genesis, Team Raleigh’s Enrique Sanz, Chris Latham, of Team Wiggins, and Peter Williams, from ONE Pro.
Great Britain’s Reece Wood was also involved. Jens Dekker and Philipp Walsleben of Belgian outfit Beobank-Corendon, while the group was completed by Christoph Schweizer, of Team Sauerland, and Cristopher Mansilla, from Start-Vaxes.
Following two ascents of the Tumble and with the peloton breaking up in their wake, Lowsley-Williams and Lampier had a dig off the front of the leading group.
Unfortunately it came to nothing and as the race set sail for Caerphilly Mountain, a chase group made the juntion with the break.
Dexter Gardias and Max Stedman were in their number, linking up with Lowsley-Williams as 24 riders looked destined to contest the finale in Cardiff city centre.
With the hammer down on the final climbs, so contenders were shelled. It was too much for Lowsley-Williams but Gardias and Stedman battled on.
Bibby and Domagalski had stolen a march, though, and they held on to their advantage before the former edged a few bike lengths clear to clinch victory.
Aside from Gardias and Stedman, Lowsley-Williams was 24th, Rob Partridge finished 31st, Jack Pullar was 37th and Joe Fry came in 39th. Full result here.