NATIONAL 50km Points Race Championship

Lillistone makes it six

DEFENDING champion Simon Lillistone (North Wirral Velo-Kodak) made it six titles in a row with a masterful display in Saturday's 40 kilometre final.

In front from the third of the six-lap sprints he was never headed, and after winning three successive sprints from halfway he had the title sewn up with 18 laps to go as he reeled off another quick-fire treble.

Tony Doyle (Creatabolin) won three sprints and made sure of the silver medal with a strong display over the last 30 laps, and Anthony Stirrat (City of Edinburgh RC) led the race home to snatch third from Bryan Steel (Team Haverhill) on a higher number of sprint wins.

'I've just been banned from next year for making it boring,' said Lillistone. 'I was reasonably in control. They said they were going to be very strict on team work so Paul (Jennings) and I had to ride our own races.

'I'm looking forward to riding in Victoria. I'm aiming to try and win, and I'll be very unhappy if I don't come back with a medal.'

Lillistone had to put in a hard turn at the front to counter a threatening move by Doyle and Spencer Wingrave (Futurama) after 42 laps, but despite a several attempts there were no real breaks until Lillistone, Paul Curran (Optimum Performance RT) and Gary Coltman (Team Raleigh) went away 63 laps from the end.

Six laps later they were joined by Steel, Wingrave and Jeff Snodin (Invicta RC), and after a hard chase Doyle towed Tom Haines (Leicester-shire RC) up to the break.

But with 44 laps the field was back together and Lillistone kept things in check until Stirrat took a flyer 500 metres out.

Doyle lost a win five sprints from the end when Russell Williams (Geoffrey Butler Cycles) was warned for providing a lead-out. Williams was thrown out of the race at the penultimate sprint after blocking Lillistone's attempts to chase Doyle down.

FINAL

1. Simon Lillistone (North Wirral Velo-Kodak) 40km in 50-10.26, 50 pts
2. Tony Doyle (Creatabolin) 28
3. Anthony Stirrat (City of Edinburgh RC) 20
4. B. Steel (Team Haverhill) 20
5. C. Newton (Middridge CRT) 18
6. P. Curran (Optimum Performance RT) 17
7. J. McClelland (Team Welwyn) 12
8. D. Downing (Jamor RT) 12
9. R. Craven (Invicta RC) 10
10. J. Snodin (Invicta RC) 10.

Qualifiers.- Heat 1: Bryan Steel (Team Haverhill) 25km in 35-47.59, 20 pts; 2, S. Lillistone (North Wirral Velo) 20; 3. N. Hall (City of Edinburgh RC) 15; 4, T. Doyle (Creatabolin) 15; 5, T. Haines (Leicestershire RC) 8; at 1 lap: 6, J. Snodin (Invicta RC) 32; 7, S. Whitcombe (CC Cardiff) 15; 8, P. Shuttleworth (Team Welwyn) 9; 9, T. Gibb (VC St Raphael) 9.

Heat 2: Paul Curran (Optimum Perf RT) 32-35.23, 29 pts; 2, A. Stirrat (City of Edinburgh RC) 28; 3, R. Hughes (CC Abergavenny) 24; 4, S. Wingrave (Futurama) 16; 5, S. Sanders (Team Haverhill) 11; 6, D. Downing (Jamor RT) 11; 7, S. Hough (VC Ashby) 3; 8, C. Bush (Gosforth RC) 0; at 1 lap; 9, J. McClelland (Team Welwyn) 0 22.

Heat 3: Russell Williams (Geoffrey Butler Cycles) 32-15.39, 26 pts; 2, C. Newton (Middridge CRT) 21; 3, B. Taylor (Bournemouth Arrow) 20; 4, P. Jennings (North Wirral Velo) 17; 5, P. Watkins (34' Nomads CC) 16; 6, A. Allen (Team Haverhill) 15; 7, R. Craven (Invicta RC) 10; 8, A. Friedmans (Team Welwyn) 8; 9, G. Coltman (Team Raleigh) 8.