This was the first time that I have photographed a cycle race, and it was quite a challenge. It was the 53rd Lincoln Grand Prix, with competitors racing round the 8 mile circuit a total of 11 times. The course took riders out into the countryside to the north and north-west of the City, but the most spectacular racing was through the historic heart of Lincoln. The punishing climb up the cobbles of Michaelgate, with a gradient of 1:6, was the critical part of the course and tested riders to the limit. Full results and reports can be found on the event website at http://www.lincolngrandprix.org.uk/webtest/frontpageframes.htm

In these shots I've tried to capture something of the enormous effort expended by the riders, the atmosphere created by a big crowd on a glorious day, and the beautiful setting for this great race.