Unexpected return from injury for Hunt

Cycling

Almost as quietly as he slipped into the company of Miguel Indurain, Jeremy Hunt became a starter in the five-day Thwaites Grand Prix which opened in Manchester yesterday, writes Robin Nicholl.

In the early months of his professional career with the team of the five- times Tour de France winner, Hunt sampled the famous European classics, but a back injury has sidelined him for the last two weeks.

Back home for treatment he was a late and unexpected entry for Britain's premier stage race. Late yesterday he lined up in the famed Banesto team colours for the opening race over 40 miles, a gentle prelude to some hard days which end in Blackburn on Monday after 346 miles.

Hunt is back where it all started a year ago when a 30-mile solo gave him victory in the stage to Blackburn. He finished the year with 15 victories, and a contract to work with Indurain.