MONMOUTH played host to the Junior Race of South Wales (Râs Ieuenctid De Cymru) on Sunday, with stage three starting at the town leisure centre.

More than 50 of the UK's top junior road racers set off on a tough 106km route from Monmouth Leisure Centre and down Monnow Street on two laps of a demanding circuit.

Taking in Cross Ash, Abergavenny, Llanarth, Llantilio Crosseny and Rockfield, the stage was animated by breakaway moves and relentless pressure on the rolling terrain.

In the end, Harley Widdowson (Tofauti Everyone Active Majoco) proved strongest, crossing the line solo near Cross Ash to secure an impressive victory and head into the final day leading the general classification by 1.05.

Zach Barbour and Nathan Levitt (Lee Valley Youth CC) took second and third 1.02 behind.

Monday's final climbers' 112km stage starting in Brynmawr and finishing at Blackrock, headed past Abergavenny and took in three loops around Llanvihangel Gobion, Usk and Raglan, with Thomas Lewis (BCC Race Team) winning by six seconds from a group of three riders.

Stage 3 winner Widdowson was overhauled on GC, with Magnus Denwood (Harrogate Nova Race Team) taking the Yellow jersey by just one second from Lee Valley Youth CC's Edwin Boyle.

William Mitchell (Matador Racing) secured the Points jersey and Huw Watkins (Lee Valley) the Mountains jersey.

The race replaced the Junior Tour of Wales this year – the UK’s top junior stage race – with Giles Pidcock, manager of the Fensham Howes-MAS Design-Cams junior squad and father of former winner, World Mountain Bike champion and Tour de France rider Tom – saying the axing was a "devastating blow" to the sport’s "fragile" ecosystem at youth level.

But Beicio Cymru said the new race was an "interim" measure while a "steering committee" assesses the long-term future of the Tour.

Meanwhile, excitement is rising ahead of the senior Tour of Britain hitting Monmouthshire, including Monmouth, on Saturday, September 6, featuring Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas in his farewell race.