YORK Cycleworks rider Alastair Kay came tenth overall in the four-day, 450-mile, Fleche du Sud race in Luxembourg.

The race, whose previous winners include Tour de France winner Charly Gaul and Tour of Spain winner Alex Zuelle, was contested by 20 seven-man teams with professionals from all over Europe.

York-based Kay led a strong Scottish national team who have been competing internationally in the build-up to the Commonwealth Games.

It capped a busy period for Kay, who has been cycling all over the globe in recent weeks.

A bout of food poisoning prevented him from repeating last year's stage win in Saudi Arabia Tour which was won by All Asia road race champion Mizibani Ghader.

Kay's next adventure took him to the Paths of King Nikola race in Montenegro, Yugolslavia.

The savage race was not without incident with numerous crashes on the first three days of wet weather in the high twisty mountain passes.

Kay performed consistently throughout to finish in the top 30 as half the 150 man field failed to finish.

As the race began to take shape, the back convoy of riders were accompanied by two UN peacekeeping vehicles. Italian proffessional Ivan Denoble secured overall victory.

An eighth place in the Welsh Cwmcarn three-day event against Britain's best domestic riders brought Kay to form ready for the Fleche du Sud.

He will now look forward to a good ride in the FBD Milk Ras, an eight-day 750 mile Tour of Ireland, which hosts the best field of the year in Britain.

Britain's Olympic medallist Paul Manning will look to repeat last year's victory over South African star Nicholas White.

York Cycleworks' Chris Belsham, a winner at the Wetwang road race earlier in the year tackles his first Ras, while Kay rejoins the Scottish team, as they improve in their build up to the Commonwealth Games on the tough Rivington curcuit, where they will be led by Britain's best rider, Tour de France prologue winner David Millar.

Updated: 11:55 Friday, May 24, 2002