MALVERN'S Evie Richards retained her women's under 23s title at the HSBC UK National Cyclo-Cross Championships in Sunderland.

Fellow town cyclist Harriet Harnden celebrated success in the junior under 18s category at Hetton Lyons Country Park and was second behind Richards.

And former Olympian Liam Killeen was third in the senior men's field behind two of the country's finest competitors.

Richards, of Trek Factory Racing, led from the front and blew her rivals away for a convincing success.

The former world champion, who won a senior World Cup race in Namur before Christmas, powered up the opening climb to form a gap and increased her lead to over a minute by the finish.

“I knew I wanted to get away early on because it’s such a fast course and I hadn’t been feeling great in the last few days. I felt a bit empty but I managed to hold the lead and that’s what I wanted to do,” said the two-time champion.

“I’m quite unconfident sometimes when it comes to the races. I was really shocked with that race in Namur so every time I come to the race I’m really unsure of what I’m going to do.

“I just take each race as it comes and this was another good race so hopefully the confidence will build a bit before the World Championships.”

Sixteen-year-old Harnden, of T-Mo Racing, attacked the chasing pack for second overall and with it clinched the national junior title emphatically.

Her brother Ross Harnden tackled a tough men's under 23s category but impressed to earn 26th position.

Both Richards and Harriet Harnden are in British Cycling's squad for the World Championships in Valkenburg, Netherlands, on February 4.

Despite the latter being in the junior category, she has special dispensation to ride with Richards in the women's under 23s section.

All four competitors are involved with Malvern Cycle Sport.