Ian Wilkinson celebrated victory in his first ever Newport Nocturne – before revealing he would have been forced out of the race if it wasn’t for a rival squad’s generosity.

The Endura Racing rider edged out Dean Windsor and Jonny McEvoy to take the title, but only after rival team Sigma Sport, who’s best placed rider Tom Last finished in eighth place, lent him a wheel.

Wilkinson said: “I snapped a spoke in my wheel and I didn’t have any spares but a Sigma Sport guy subbed me a wheel so he’s had a couple of cases of beer.”

The winner’s wheel drama meant he was forced to take a lap out of Saturday night’s race, but was able to re-join in the leading group under race rules.

That drama followed an already chaotic start to the Nocturne with a huge opening lap crash on the tricky St Mary Street cobbles wiping out half the field, causing the main event to be re-started.

Once it did get ­going local favourite Andy Tennant, from Wolverhampton, made the early running but he was quickly swallowed up by the main field.

A three man breakaway group formed with Wilkinson, Windsor and McEvoy leaving the peloton. The trio built up an advantage they never lost, despite Wilkinson’s problems.

After the race Wilkinson couldn’t hide his pleasure.

“I’m delighted to have finally got my hands in the air,” he said.

“It was a plan to get away – I thought with the cobbles and it being damp that I needed to be at the front.

“I was at the front when the crash happened and we had to re-start — and I just did exactly the same thing.”

Gashed

Olympic medalist Chris Newton was one of the riders who hit the deck in the crash with the 35-year-old, in his final race before retirement, forced out with a gashed thumb.

“It was just one of those things,” Newton said.

“I’m not too badly hurt and I’ll be fine. It was just a bit hectic at the start. The rain made the cobbles very slippery and someone went down in front of me and I just had nowhere to go.”

Malcolm Elliott, at 49, another riding in his last ever race, was a late faller — crashing out of on the final lap while in the main field.

British Olympic Champion Ed Clancy was fourth, the 25-year-old leaving it too late to bridge the gap to the leaders.

“It’s the first time I’ve ridden the Nocturne and I’d definitely come back. It was a special atmosphere and a good course.

“I managed to avoid the crash at the start and once we had Jonny (McEvoy, a team-mate) in the break we didn’t want to bring him back. Unfortunately he couldn’t get the win but we’re happy with the race.”

By ALEX JAMES