BURNHAM BMX rider Liam Phillips says “it feels great” to have become the first British man to win the UCI BMX Supercross series world title, after the 25-year-old rode to glory at the fifth and final round in California on Sunday.

The former King Alfred's School pupil led the series heading into the weekend's round, but crashed out in the quarter finals to leave a nervy wait to discover his fate.

But his closest rival Anthony Dean was eliminated in the semi-finals, to ensure Phillips, who was crowned BMX world champion in Auckland, New Zealand last year, would finish 100 points clear at the top of ladder.

Phillips says the title “is different to anything else” he has achieved and is perfect preparation for the 2016 Olympics.

He said: “It feels great to have won the title and it's been a crazy few days to be honest. I went to California with a pretty comfortable lead and, barring disaster, it looked like I was going to win it.

“It (crashing out in the quarter finals) is just BMX really, it's the nature of the sport, and it just proves that unless you are right on your game, these things can happen.

“The series is different to anything else I've achieved because it's not just the result of one race. In World Cups and that sort of thing, you can go to a race and finish on the podium, but with this, it was across five rounds - and to finish on the podium in three of them was satisfying.

“My objective at the start of the year was to prove I am more versatile and more than anything, I think this proves it.

“The World Championship win in Auckland was a big step for me and now this win is perfect preparation as I build for the Olympics.”

Phillips also tweeted on Sunday: "Super happy to win the 2014 UCI BMX SX overall title.”

British riders Kyle Evans and Tre Whyte were drawn in the same quarter-final as Phillips, with the latter making it as far as the semi-finals.

He joined the Olympic Academy Programme in 2005, before reaching the quarterfinals at the Beijing Olympics three years later.

Liam finished eighth overall at the 2012 Olympics and won silver medals at the European Championships in 2006 and last year's world time trial. He also took gold at the Supercross World Cup in Manchester earlier this year.

Phillips is now aiming to make up for the disappointment of London 2012, at the 2016 games in Rio de Janeiro.