The cyclo-cross season takes another step towards its climax with the final round of the season-long National Trophy Series tomorrow (Sun 15).

With the national championships decided a week ago, all eyes will turn to Shrewsbury for the crowning of the National Trophy Series champions.

 

Paul Oldham (Hope Tech) leads the series as the senior men head into the sixth and final round of the series, but defending champion, Jody Crawforth (Hargroves), could still retain the title by winning the race if Oldham finishes third or lower.

Crawforth beat Oldham at last week’s national championships, taking the bronze behind new champion, Ian Field, and Olympic cross-country mountain bike racer, Liam Killeen.

But Oldham has finished ahead of Crawforth in every round of this year’s National Trophy Series, leaving tomorrow’s race finely balanced.

The two men were separated by just five points at the end of the 2010/11 series. Both have been picked to ride for Great Britain at the UCI World Cyclocross Championships in Koksidje, Belgium, at the end of the month.

Hannah Payton (Kinesis-Morvelo) should complete a successful defence of her title with her closest challenger, Adela Carter, absent from the start list. Payton won her second consecutive junior national title last week in Ipswich.