NOT even a car crash could stop Pete Williams being hailed as York’s newest cycling hero.

The 24-year-old York-based professional ripped apart the field to win the Tour of Ulster, while still recovering from a serious accident in training.

Williams collided with a car head-on during a fast descent from a climb while on manoeuvres in Majorca – a horrific crunch which left him hospitalised.

Still recovering from the effects of operations on his nose and teeth, the last of which were only completed last week, Williams and his Motorpoint team dominated the four stage tour in Northern Ireland.

After taking the yellow jersey with a victory in stage two, Williams then pipped Isle of Man rider Christian Varley to the line in the fourth and final stage – throwing his fist into the air to collect the win and the general classification victory.

The tour, based out of Dungannon, saw the Motorpoint outfit take in more than 140 miles of tough hilly Ulster terrain and the former York St John College student said he was thrilled to have clinched the title.

“It wasn’t very pleasant to say the least,” Williams said of the crash. “You always think it happens to other people. It makes you stop and think about things. It does make you analyse.

“It happened while I was training in Majorca and I hit a car head-on during a fast descent.