WYCOMBE racer Karl Freeman (Team Corley Cycles) scored what was probably the most important race win of his life last weekend coming home ahead of a full field in the second round of this year's national under-23 race series.

It was a great race for the trio of Team Corley riders, with Karl being joined by his younger brother Martin and Leighton Buzzard's James Flanagan in the top 20 overall at the end of the tough 60-mile race at the Eastway circuit in east London.

Freeman set himself up for the win during lap 20 of the 60-lap race. Both Karl and Martin pulled away from the main field with a select group of eight riders.

But within seven laps Martin punctured leaving his brother to fight out the race win on his own.

Karl pulled away with two other riders and this smaller group worked together to contest the winning sprint. Karl was so confident about his own ability that he was able to rasie his arms in a winning salute 100 meters from the line.

With his first target of the year now behind him, Karl can now concentrate on putting together at least one other win in the four remaining rounds of the series to hopefully secure overall honours at the end of the season and a possible place in the World Class Performance Plan for 2002.

Team sponsor Phil Corley, the Stacey Bushes/Milton Keynes cycle supremo, said: "I'm over the moon with this result. The boys are really repaying the faith we've put into them in forming this squad."