WIGGINTON racing cyclist Phil Brighton goes from strength to strength with a new sponsorship deal.

The former Yorkshire champion, who has enjoyed one of his most successful seasons, has enlisted the help of York strong man Rob Dixon.

The deal involves backing from Dixon's Samson and Delilah's fitness centres in York and Pocklington, and Ceejay Graphics, of Clifton Moor.

Brighton, 31, finished his racing season off with a win at the Leigh Premier Circuit race where he beat international rider Gary Adamson (Asics) in a sprint finish.

Brighton has won four open races for Elite, 1, and 2 Category riders, and in May was the first North Yorkshire rider in the British Cycling Federation All Yorkshire Championships at Brough, on Humberside. He also has had a string of top six places in circuit races.

Next season he has named the Yorkshire Championships and the National Circuit Race Championships as his likely targets. He also hopes to ride well in the longer and hiller events, which are not his fort.

Sponsor Dixon recently came a close runner-up in Britain's strongest man behind three-times winner Glen Ross. He will travel to Zambia next month to compete in the World's Strongest Man contest for the second consecutive year.

Updated: 12:09 Tuesday, September 18, 2001