Ian Field was back home in Ashford this week reflecting on his best ever finish in the elite men’s race at the UCI World Championships in front of crowds topping the 50,000 mark at Hoogerheide, near Antwerp, on Sunday.

The 27-year-old Harcourt Cycles rider, fresh from claiming a third successive British title in Derby last month, finished 29th, just missing out on his pre-race top-25 target but only 4½ minutes behind winner Zdenek Stybar, from the Czech Republic.

Field said: “It was a close race, with many of the riders in groups,and I was not far off finishing in the top-20. I made a good start and was 16th after lap one, which opened up a bit of an opportunity to get the result I wanted.”

Field was the leading British finisher with team-mate David Fletcher finishing 45th.

The previous week, Field had finished 35th in the final World Cup event at Nommay in France, ending the seven-race season with another best-ever finish of 22nd overall.

He said: “It was more than I hoped for, having never been in the top-25 before. I have made a big step-up this season and it has been pleasing.”