Late break gives Williams victory

AN attack in the last two laps gave David Williams (Liverpool Mercury-Townsend Cycles) victory in the Sunderland town centre criterium ahead of the Manchester Wheelers duo Glen Sword and Paul Curran, who initiated an almost race-long breakaway.

For several laps Curran, Jeff Wright (Tyne Velo), Simon Telford (Ridley CC) and Andy Chatterton (Hartlepool CC) held a tenuous lead of six to 10 seconds before Curran decided the break was going nowhere and went off in a solo bid.

The likes of Dudley Hayton (East Bradford CC), David Cook (Ferryhill Wheelers) and Sword were reluctant to concede victory to the North East strongman but it was an effort from Telford that looked like a winning move with two and a half laps to go.

Telford caught Curran and had eight seconds on the chasers at the start of the penultimate lap. Into the finishing straight and Telford was still clear but it was Williams who appeared next, moving very quickly to join Telford and eventually jump him to win three seconds clear of Sword and Curran.

RESULTS

1. DAVID WILLIAMS (Liverpool Mercury-Townsend Cycles)
2. G. Sword (Manchester-Wh) at 3sec
3. P. Curran (Manchester Wh)
4. J. Wright (Tyne Velo)
5. D. Hayton (East Bradford CC)
6. D. Cook (Ferryhill Wh) all st

Juniors.-CHRIS NEWTON (Northern Velo) 2, P. Peacock (Hull Thursday); 3, S. Tyson (Airedale Oly); 4, A. Handsworth (Leeds RRC); 5, R. Holmes (Matlock CC).