International Motor-Pace Race

Curran fourth in Zurich

MOTOR pace convert Paul Curran, who has been preparing for this year's world championship by riding international motor pace races in Switzerland and Germany, took fourth place overall in a recent event in Zurich.

Two 30km events counted towards the overall and Curran, paced by Bruno Walrave, was fifth in the first race and fourth in the second. The meeting coincided with the final stage of the Tour of Switzerland which was due to finish on the track later in the day.

Winner of the motor pace event was Arno Kuttel with Peter Steiger second and Richi Rossie third - all of them Swiss.

'I was happy,' said Curran, 'I'm still learning and I had a better pacer this time - he was steadier. I had the lead for a while but then the others came by.'

Curran is preparing seriously for the World's: 'I'm not set on the Commonwealth Games, I want to have a crack at the World's. They're pretty handy lads, but it's a matter of getting a pacer who knows me - the ones out there don't know me from Adam.

'There are little centres of motor pacing in Europe - in Zurich, Leipzig and Nuremburg. I'm hoping to ride in Nuremburg on July 17.

'I love it,' added Curran, 'flying around a track at that speed - in the last race in Zurich we averaged 45mph.