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25-Aug-91

Stanco Exhibitions Three-Day

Team work exhibition gives Curran three-day victory

PAUL CURRAN and the Manchester Wheelers-Trumanns dominated the Stanco Exhibitions three-day with Curran taking the individual honours plus two individual stages and Scott O'Brien the mountains award. Add in the team prize and it is no wonder that the Wheelers went home with the majority of the prize money.

A victorious Curran would not be drawn on his chances of going on to win the season-long Star Trophy competition, in which he trails Steve Farrell by some 20 points with two events to go. With 15 points going to the winner of the Tour of the Peak it will need a monumental effort and either poor riding or bad luck on Farrell's part.

Given that and the powerful team support Curran may receive, it could come down to the wire in the final time trial that rounds off the Star Trophy series this year. A look at Curran's performance on stage three and the odds seem to shorten very rapidly indeed.

Stage 1

The action started right from the off in Saturday's opening stage when 10 riders went clear, Curran, Neil Martin (Dinnington RC), Andrew Perks (West Midlands), Lee Davis (Bournemouth Arrow), Simon Telford (North East), Steve Cook (Calleva RC), Richard Edwards (Anglia Sport), Matthew Rogers (Western Division), Matthew Postle (Wales) and O'Brien.

Sadly, a puncture put paid to Postle at half-distance leaving him to drop back to the bunch which eventually trailed in over six minutes down on the Curran-led express at the front.

1. Paul Curran (Manchester Wh-Trummans) 74m in 2-46-15
2. N. Martin (Dinnington RC) at 10sec
3. A. Perks (West Mids) at 16sec
4. L. Davis (Bournemouth Arrow) at 22sec
5. S. Telford (North East) at 24sec
6. S. Cook (Calleva RC) at 56sec
7. R. Edwards (Anglia Sport) st
8. S. O'Brien (Manchester Wh) at 58sec
9. M. Rogers (Western Div) at 1-2
10. R. Prebble (South West C of E) at 6-23.

Stage 2

Sunday morning's excursion included the towering climb of Llangynidr with its cattle grids and false summit and over its four and a half punishing miles Postle rode the legs off everyone bar Gary Foord (British Students), extending his lead to five minutes as the race dived past Brynmawr for the finish in Caldicot.

'He must have smelt his dinner cooking,' joked someone at the finish, for Postle lives in the town. Not smiling were the many who trailed in 30 minutes and more down after Foord had sportingly conceded victory to Postle.

1. Matthew Postle (Wales) 81m in 3-37-44
2. G. Foord (British Students) at 2sec
3. Perks at 2-38
4. P. Wickens (Anglia Sport)
5. Martin
6. Curran
7. Edwards
8. R. Thompson (North West)
9. Telford
10. Davis all st.

Stage 3 TT

The evening time trial saw Curran at his best on the quiet roads between Magor and the Bristol Channel. He covered the 8.6 miles in 17-10, a perfect 30mph ride. His closest challenger was Richard Prebble (South West Centre of Excellence), one of the fastest 10-milers in the country, but nine seconds adrift of Curran in this test.

1. Curran 17-10
2. Prebble 17-19
3. O'Brien 17-34
4. C. King (British students) 18-5
5. Martin 18-6
6. A. Gornall (Manchester Wh) 18-8
7. Postle 18-10
8. A. Owen (Wales) 18-13
9. R. Ellingworth (Cherry Valley RT) 18-17
10. K. Lyndon Calleva RC) 18-19.

Stage 4

Monday's 100 miles started with Curran leading from Martin by 1-6. It could have been a dull stage, but the Wheelers were not finished yet, there was still the mountains jersey to secure for O'Brien so away they went.

Alan Gornall used his race-reading ability to protect O'Brien in the lead group of 12 while brother Mark stayed behind with Curran. While the stage went to Rod Ellingworth (Cherry Valley RT) O'Brien earned enough points to take the mountains jersey.

1. Rod Ellingworth (Cherry Valley RT) 101m in 4-6-0
2. Rogers
3. R. Wooles (Wales)
4. B. Tinsley (West Mids)
5. S. Foweraker (Western Div)
6. Owen

FINAL OVERALL

1. PAUL CURRAN (Manchester Wh-Trumanns) 270m in 11-2-35
2. Martin at 1-6
3. Perks at 1-38
4. Davis at 1-41
5. Telford at 1-48
6. Edwards at 2-57
7. Postle at 4-55
8. O'Brien at 5-21
9. Foord at 6-10
10. Rogers at 8-6.

Mountains.- Scott O'Brien (Manchester Wh-Trumanns).

Team.- Manchester Wh-Trumanns (Curran, O'Brien, A. Gornall, M. Gornall).