ADAM Hickey leads the qualifiers for the finale of the British Athletics Cross Challenge in Birmingham next month.

Hickey will go into the race at Cofton Park, which will also be the UK Intercounties Championships and World Cross-Country trials, as the favourite to take the series win after winning two of the three races of the season so far.

Having won in Cardiff in January, the 26-year-old followed that up with a win in Milton Keynes on Saturday, once again showing he is in the form of his life.

Hickey ran away from a top-class field at Teardrop Lakes on Saturday which included Great Britain internationals Andrew Butchart, Dewi Griffiths and Richard Goodman.

It was on the last lap that Hickey made the most important move of the race as he put his foot on the accelerator to blow away the competition.

Butchart attempted to go with the break but could not hold off the burst of speed from Hickey who claimed another Cross Challenge win.

This puts him in pole position for the top prize in the final event to be held Birmingham in March.

Hickey said: “That was a really good run out. I just keep trying to build on from these and be in good shape for the races ahead. I was trying to hold off in the early stages which I find hard to do. Usually in past seasons I have gone off hard and paid the price. It was a case of waiting because there were a lot of tough opponents in the field so I’m glad I held off a bit.

“It would be good to get the win in Birmingham. I have struggled there in the last few years but hopefully it is coming along nicely and I’ll aim to be up there in a few weeks’ time.”

Having competed in all of the races in the series so far, Hickey earns an additional three bonus points which could be crucial as just six points separate the top four in the standings to date.

Each athlete’s best two scores from the first three races including bonuses plus points from the final event will be combined to crown the champion.

With double points on offer in the final event, there is an opportunity for several athletes to wrestle the title away from Hickey at Cofton Park with Butchart, who has two second places to his name, the most dangerous rival.