GEORGE Fox might need to work on his smile on the podium a bit, but then again the Bradfordian wasn’t expecting to be standing there.

On the comeback trail after a serious accident six years ago, the 24-year-old finished third in the men’s race at round four of the Yorkshire Points Cyclo-Cross Series at Temple Newsam Park in Leeds.

Wibsey-based Fox was not too far away from home when he went over his handlebars at speed going down Wibsey Bank in March 2016.

He said: “I went too fast over a speed bump and ended up in hospital.

“I broke my kneecap in three places and had cuts and bruises to my face and my lip.”

However, Fox then lost his passion for cycling until last February.

He explained: “I had a change of jobs from joinery to a purchasing department for an electrical wholesalers in Skipton, and I started commuting by bike and fell back in love with riding my bike and decided to start racing again.

“It was March when I started training again and it was really hard as I had put quite a lot of weight on as I got up to 90kg so I had a lot to lose.

“I am about 74 or 75kg now whereas before I was 61kg so I still have a way to go to get super fit but at the moment I am just happy to turn up and race without any pressure and I am really enjoying it.”

Temple Newsam Park was at its autumn finest with golden leaves on trees and on the floor, but Fox was not there to admire the scenery.

With no expectations, other than hoping for a top-ten place at Temple Newsam after 20th-placed finishes at Hunsworth and Bingley, Fox said of the Leeds course: “It was savage, really tough, and I remember it being hard from before.

“They have taken a section of woods out where you got a bit of respite but they have added a few more climbs.”

After his unexpected podium, Fox is now turning his attention to perhaps losing a few more kilos and preparing for the road race season next year.

He revealed|: “This was my last cyclo-cross race of the winter as I am now going to prepare for the road season next summer.

“I haven’t got a club but I am happy to be unattached and just have a bit of fun.”

Fox was not the only rider on the comeback trail as Sophie Thackray (CAMS-Basso) continued her comeback from Long Covid.

The 23-year-old from Eldwick enjoyed her women’s race at Temple Newsam, saying: “It was really hard but I was in a big group of about five riders, which made the race really exciting and we were together for about two laps and we were loving it.

“When I woke up in Eldwick this morning it had been raining, so I was expecting mud, but it was a fast race and it is about moving forward to the end of the season. “I am happy with how I rode.”

Things looked very different a year ago for the student, who has just finished her physiotherapy course at the University of Cumbria.

Thackray explained: “I got Covid in August 2021 and was just really tired for months. They didn’t really know what it was and I ended up with a heart murmur for a few months which sorted itself out eventually.

“I have just been listening to my body to see when I could get back into training, and everything has been going well for the,past few months so that is hopefully the end of it.

“I started training in August in earnest and try to get my fitness back while I am racing and just making sure that I enjoy it.

“It takes a few weeks to get your body into making that effort again.”

Thackray is cramming in as many races as possible this winter, taking part in not only the Yorkshire Points Series but also the National Trophy Series and the National Championships.

She added: “The physiotherapy course took a lot of my time up the last year. It was pretty intense working in hospitals which didn’t leave a lot of time for training but I am really happy with how that went.

“I will be working at PhysioDoc Ltd at Saltaire, hopefully in a few weeks.”