Bury cyclist Adam Yates secured an impressive sixth place in the Criterium du Dauphine, finishing the annual road race just over two minutes behind winner Andrew Talansky on Sunday.

The 21-year-old, who rides for the Australian Orica GreenEdge team, completed the Tour de France warm-up race in 31hrs 10mins 13secs, less than two minutes behind runner-up Alberto Contador from Spain.

The Tour of Turkey winner also finished more than two minutes ahead of reigning Tour de France champion, and last year’s Dauphine winner Chris Froome, who finished 12th after a crash during stage six.

Peter Roscoe, secretary of Bury Clarion Cycling Club said: “He (Adam) has been in three big tours, but this was a classier race than the others. It is effectively a trial run for the Tour de France.

“It was a tough race and he was up against top riders.

“Adam was sitting around ninth or 10th in the race and on the last day he rose to sixth place which is fantastic.

“I was particularly impressed with him finishing ahead of seventh-placed Vincenzo Nibali, who won the Tour of Spain in 2010 and the Tour of Italy in 2013.

“Both he and his twin brother Simon have always had the potential, but from the people I have spoken with it seems they are way ahead of schedule. They’ve got great promise and we are all buzzing.

“And Simon could well have been pushing for honours as well, but for injury (he broke his collar bone during the Tour of Turkey.

“One wonders what would have happened if both had been riding the Dauphine,” said Roscoe.

The 101st Tour de France begins on July 5.