Total domination

REPEATING his win of last year, Paul Curran (Dinnington RC-Neilson) took all three stages to score a decisive victory in the Concorde RCC race over a total of 161.8 miles at Tamworth, Staffordshire.

Stage 1 TT

The former double Commonwealth gold medallist laid the foundations of his victory in an event sponsored by On the Edge motorcycle accessories - with a convincing performance in a 1.8-mile prologue time trial, where former national road champion Neil Martin made it a Dinnington one-two.

Curran covered the distance in 3 minutes 55 seconds to finish with 12 seconds to spare over Martin.

Only eight seconds separated Martin and the next four men, with ex-professional Phil Wilkins (Ashfield RC) two seconds back in third place.

1. Paul Curran (Dinnington RC) 3-55
2. N. Martin (Dinnington RC) 4-07
3. P. Wilkins (Ashfield RC) 4-09
4. G. Platts (Coalville Wh) 4-12
5. B. Wilson (Kenilworth Wh) 4-12
6. M. Milen (Northern Velo) 4-15

Stage 2

Curran consolidated his position when he beat breakaway rival Patrick Goodwin (Irish Heritage CC) to win Saturday's opening 82-mile road stage over five laps of a circuit at Clifton Campville.

The decisive move came with 20 miles to go when 15 riders went clear, and Curran and Goodwin attacked the others in the last five miles, opening up a minute's lead and leaving Wilkins to take third place, just in front of Kevin Brennan (Maltby CC), Tim Hall (Ace RT) and Neil Martin.

1. Paul Curran 82m in 3-09-55
2. P. Goodwin (Irish Heritage CC) at 4sec
3. P. Wilkins at 59sec
4. K. Brennan (Maltby CC) at 1-00
5. T. Hall (Ace RT)
6. N. Martin all st.

Stage 3

Curran sealed his victory with a 62 second solo win at the end of a high-speed 78-mile final leg over nine laps of the Elford circuit on Sunday.

A leading group of eight riders formed near half distance, and Curran made his move with five miles remaining.

Wilkins outsprinted Martin for second place, with Geoff Platts (Coalville Wheelers) taking fourth place at the line, just ahead of Matt Jennings, second man in the winning Ashfield team.

It gave Wilkins second place in the final order by just a second from Martin, with fifth placed Ben Wilson (Kenilworth Wheelers) clinching the primes competition.

1. Paul Curran 78m in 2-57-55
2. P. Wilkins at 1-02
3. N. Martin at 1-04
4. G. Platts at 1-10
5. M. Jennings (Ashtield RC) st
6. A. Martin (Midlands Divisional) at 1-22.

FINAL OVERALL

1. Paul Curran 6-11-45
2. P. Wilkins at 2-20
3. N. Martin at 2-21
4. G. Platts at 2-27
5. B. Wilson at 2-33
6. M. Jennings at 2-44
7. D. Wedley (SG Bollington) at 2-46
8. T. Hall at 3-07
9. A. Cook (VC Chestertield) at 6-46
10. C. Hurst (Coventry Olympic CC) at 6-49

Team: Ashfield RC (Phil Wilkins, Matt Jennings, Paul Meeson).
King of Primes: Ben Wilson.

CYCLING WEEKLY September 4,1993