AFTER being overlooked by Great Britain selectors for the recent World Championships junior rider Joshua Sandman sent 'a statement' by taking third place in an international event last weekend.

The 18-year-old, from Ross-on-Wye took to the start-line for the final time this season in the Chrono De Nations in France.

Most of the world's best riders were in action along with recently crowned World Champion Remco Evenepoel.

Sandman, who is the National 10-mile Champion and National Record holder for his age started as 18th ranked out of 47 riders over the 26-kilometre course.

"I didn't expect to do that well as it is known as the race to do after the World Championships," said Sandman.

"All the good names if they do well at the World Championships go there so it is known as a tough.

"The course was a good mixture and was pretty rolling going out and was up and down but with no major climbs.

"The middle section was very twisty and windy through the French roads and then it finished with five kilometres of just flat straight back into town.

"It was also completely closed roads which did make a big difference and was nice to having to worry about car drivers."

Sandman clocked a time of 34 minutes and 27 seconds which was good enough for third overall behind French rider Donovan Grondin and winner Evenepoel.

The Herefordshire cyclist said that his result proved that he should have been selected for the World Championships last month.

"It was gutting not to be selected for the Worlds and doing this event was a way of proving to myself and everybody else that I should have gone to the worlds and should have been selected," he added.

"To finish on the podium there is just another statement that they should have taken me to the worlds.

"It was the same distance as the worlds course and I think if I had gone I would have been top five.

"Looking at the results from Sunday I would have done well. But there is nothing I can do about it and I just have to focus on next year's World Championships in Yorkshire."

Sandman will move up from the junior category into senior racing and the under-23 age category next season.