Having finished behind second stage winner Nick Craig, of Cheshire, over 25-miles of the course, Epsom's Barrie Clarke, 30, was delighted to have come away with the yellow jersey.

He said: "It was tough, with the Olympics in mind I have been training hard. The course suited Nick (Craig), he's light in the mud, but I held on until the end."

Clarke continues his Olympic preparations in three rounds of the World Cup that are scheduled before the Sydney spectacular.