JUST six points separate the top three riders in the British Cycling Junior Road Series as they arrive in this neck of the woods for their latest leg on Sunday.

The Cwmtillery Glass Monmouthshire Junior Grand Prix, finishing at Grosmont, will see Leicestershire’s Alex Haines, Yorkshire’s Mason Hollyman and Dylan Hughes, from North Berwick, Scotland, battling it out for the top spot as the business end of the Series comes into focus.

The race comes on the second day of the Abergavenny Festival of Cycling which kicks-off on Saturday with the mass participation Iron Mountain Sportif ride where cyclists of all abilities can take on challenges from 20, 40, 70 and one hundred miles around Monmouthshire.

The Sportif will also include multi-sport activities in Bailey Park, Abergavenny, that are backed by the Welsh Rugby Union, Tennis Wales, Welsh Cycling, Gwent Outdoor Centres and Monmouthshire County Council as part of an initiative to get kids active.

Sunday’s race is over a distance of 77.4 miles (124.6 kms) and starts at Hilston Park, Newcastle, Monmouthshire, at 11am and is due to finish between 2pm and 2.15pm.

Riders will take on one big loop of a route to Abergavenny before returning to Grosmont where they will tackle three laps of a tough circuit around the village before the victor is acclaimed.

There will be a number of road closures during the day and residents on the route are advised to check whether they are affected and at what times by looking on www.abergavennyfestivalofcycling.co.uk

Team Wales have a four-man squad which includes Abergavenny’s own Joe Beckingsale, Cwmbran’s Zach Bridges, Joe Rees, from Cardiff, and Port Talbot’s Owain Roberts.

Festival organiser Bill Owen MBE said, “It is a testing course and one which proved exciting last year when we first held the Monmouthshire Junior Grand Prix.

“The people of Grosmont really took the day to their hearts and we expect a similar atmosphere for this Sunday’s race.

“It is also great to see the next generation of British cycling stars on the roads of Monmouthshire this weekend.”

(Pictured is Cardiff’s Oscar Mingay being interviewed after last year’s Monmouthshire Junior Grand Prix)