Curran Romps to Comfortable Win

TEESSIDER Paul Curran (Manchester Wheelers-Trumanns Steel), in his first ride in the Echo Grand Prix, had an easy win, finishing eight seconds clear of a break of five riders who had been away for almost all of the race.

Curran was not an original member of the break, which left the bunch from the start as soon as the neutral zone was left. The instigator was Dave Maughan (Middridge C.R.T.) who, moving as though he was on an action replay of the personal best "25" of 53 minutes which he had clocked the previous evening, shot away, taking Paul Fisher on his wheel, then gradually another five riders joined them including Mike Smith, Dave Sowerby, Bernie Burns, Jeff Wright and Steve Jordan.

After five miles Maughan was off again, just ahead of the break to win the Hawthorn Hot Spot sprint, then they were together again, building up a lead of a minute by Castle Eden as they left the A19.

Gradually they increased their margin to 1.32 at 19 miles. At 25 miles the break of seven was 1.45 clear of the pack but the race-winning move had started as Curran and Dave Lamb had left the bunch to bridge the gap and the were only 1.15 behind the break.

On the first climb of the Quarrington Hill prime Jeff Wright showed the visitors the way crossing ahead of Sowerby and Burns.

Three miles into the second lap the break had 54 seconds on Lamb and Curran with the bunch at 2.10, but in another five miles the two chasers had caught the break to make it eight-strong.

Clipped

Encouraged by their spurt Gary Firth, Steve Davison and Richard Pascoe had also clipped off the front of the bunch to try to reach the break. On the second climb of the prime hill, even with Curran now in the break, Wright again took the prime from him and Burns.

The third lap saw the break still pulling away with a 2.30 lead on Davison and Firth, who had dropped Pascoe and 3.07 on the bunch, which was now down to only 13 riders. About half the starters had dropped out by now, including Eddie McGourley (Pedal Sport) who caught cramp at the top of the prime hill and quite spectacularly fell sideways in slow motion into the hedge.

Towards the end of the third lap Firth and Davison had moved to within 2.10 of the break, with the bunch now back at 3.08. On the third ascent of the prime hill Curran for once got the better of Wright with Dave Rayner in third spot.

Capable

On the final ascent of the prime hill, again won by Wright from Curran, the bunch had reeled in Davison and Firth, but was still 2.57 down, though they reduced this further to 2.38 as the race left the circuit to face the last 11 miles home into a rising chilling East wind.

At the High Moorsley Hot Spot sprint Mike Smith attacked to take it but there was a regrouping on the descent, prior to the last big climb at Houghton Cut. As the pressure increased on the climb Smith paid for his earlier efforts by drifting off the back.

Dave Lamb made an attack here but was held by Curran and Wright, though Sowerby, Fisher and Jordan lost ground. Over the top Wright and Curran jockeyed for position, allowing Lamb to ride clear. Their slowness allowed the dropped trio to catch them again, but together the five made short work of catching Lamb with two miles to go.

This left seven men coming in for the final sort out, but Curran, capable though he is at sprinting, decided he wanted none of that, so, with three quarters of a mile left he shot away from the other six and crossed the line eight seconds clear of them with Sowerby winning the sprint for second place from Steve Jordan.

International roadman and Commonwealth Games gold medal winner Joe Waugh (Gosforth R.C.M. Steel) presented the awards including a special one to Paul Blackett to mark the 21st year of his participation in the race. The popularity of this man and the wholehearted agreement with this special award, an engraved Sunderland Echo tankard, raised a volume of applause.

RESULTS

1. P. Curran (Manchester Wh) 75 miles in 2hrs 58mins
2. D. Sowerby (Ravensthorpe CC) at 8 seconds
3. S. Jordan (Tyne Velo)
4. D. Rayner (Bradford Wh)
5. J. Wright (Tyne Velo)
6. P. Fisher (Bradford Wh) all same time
7. M. Smith (Tyne Velo) at 1.10
8. M. Temple (TyneVelo) at 3.01
9. G. Pannica (Ferryhill Wh)
10. M. Edmondson (Leeds RRC)
11. P. Blackett (Tyne Electric.Hambro Life); 12 C Parkinson (Tyne Velo); 13 B Davison (Sunderland Clarion-Everfresh Bacon); 14 M Pratt (Leeds RRC); 15 P Bell (Barnesbury CC); 16 I Black (Jarrow St Chris CC); all same time; 17 S Davison (Sunderland Cl-Everfresh) at 5.58; 18 D Baronowski (Middridge CRT); 19 P Crossland (Leeds RRC); 20 D Maughen (Middridge CRT); 21 G Firth (Houghton CC); 22 R Pascoe (CC Bowland); 23 B Thompson (Houghton CC).