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1-Mar-91

STAR TROPHY SERIES PREVIEW

TT Climax for new-look Star Trophy

Five Star Trophy series winners, from left to right: Pete Matthews, Phil Griffiths, Bob Downs, Steve Joughin - with two wins each - and Paul Curran, with four.

On Sunday week at 11am, most of Britain's top amateur cyclists will line up in Halstead, Essex, for the Grand Prix of Essex, traditionally the first counting event in the Star Trophy series, and by the end of the race they will have some indication of just who will be the best roadman in Britain by the end of the season.

This annual roadmans competition has always produced a worthy winner, with John Perks winning the first in 1959. Several riders have won the competition twice: Pete Matthews, 1969-70; Phil Griffiths, 1973, 1975; Steve Lawrence, 1977-78; Bob Downs, 1979, 1981; and Steve Joughin, 1980, 1982. The best of all was Paul Curran, king of all he surveyed from 1985 to 1988 until he turned professional in 1989, and eligible to ride again after April 1 now that he has his amateur licence back, along with Darryl Webster, his main challenger in his amateur days.

Last year it was the turn of Steve Farrell to win overall, with the Tunstall Wheeler winning the Essex event, then the next one - the Overtoom International - and being consistently placed from then on to win by four points from national road champion Simeon Hempsall.

This year the format of the series is changed.

It is expanded from 10 to 13 events. Unlucky 13 for some as the final is a hilly time trial in Surrey in October, when riders will climb 960-foot high Leith Hill twice.

This extends the series by one month from it's traditional closing event, the Tour of the Peak in early September, and will require the winner to maintain form for the whole season.

When the idea was raised, 1990 series winner Steve Farrell was enthusiatic, sure the innovation would produce the attacking racing in which he exels.

As for a possible winner, the first name on Farrell's lips was that of Chris Boardman - and we would echo that.

ALL THE STAR TROPHY WINNERS 1959 - 1990

1959 John Perks
1960 Jim Hinds
1961 Ken Hill
1962 Wes Mason
1963 Derek Harrison
1964 George Halls
1965 Les West
1966 Hugh Porter
1967 Peter Buckley
1968 Dave Rollinson
1969 Pete Matthews
1970 Pete Matthews
1971 John Clewarth
1972 Phil Bayton
1973 Phil Griffiths
1974 Tony Gornall
1975 Phil Griffiths
1976 Paul Sherwen
1977 Steve Lawrence
1978 Steve Lawrence
1979 Bob Downs
1980 Steve Joughin
1981 Bob Downs
1982 Steve Joughin
1983 Malcolm Elliott
1984 Pete Longbottom
1985 Paul Curran
1986 Paul Curran
1987 Paul Curran
1988 Paul Curran

1989 Ben Luckwell
1990 Steve Farrell