DAVE Metcalfe, of Clayton Velo Cycling Club, pulled off an excellent win in the North West four-day road race at the weekend, with much of it being fought out over Ribble Valley roads.

The Barnoldswick-based rider was fastest in the short six mile time trial stage on Friday evening near Longridge, finishing with a healthy 15 second gap on the next best rider in a field of 55.

Over four laps of the 11 mile Bashall Eaves circuit on Saturday, Metcalfe lost his lead but regained it on Sunday on a course near Lancaster, holding a tiny gap of two seconds over the rest.

On the final stage, held on the Preston arena on Monday evening, he rode well to hold on to this lead and finished with the final yellow jersey and just the two seconds in hand over second placed Pete Towers of the Leigh Premier Road Club.

The event was seen as a big success and it is hoped to repeat it all next year.

Peter Greenwood of Burnley and another member of the Clayton Velo club continued his run of form with a decisive win in the midweek 25 mile event promoted by the North Lancs Veterans Trime Trial Association.

Held over a sporting course on some of the quieter roads in the Fylde, Peter was the fastest on the day by two minutes when he clocked 57m 05s, beating the 59m 04s of Preston's George Nowland, who is riding this year in the black and white strip of the Science in Sport nutritional supplements firm of Brockhall Village.

Third fastest with 1h 0m 42s was Blackburn's Dave Hargreaves of the North Lancs Road Club, who took a break from his present road race schedule to compete in the time trial.

The final time trial of the season-long Tuesday evening series, promoted by the Rossendale Road Club on the Accrington to Burnley road, had to be shortened from the normal nine miles to just eight miles due to road works.

The result was a close affair with Paul Warrener of Waterfoot returning 19m 38s, just four seconds faster than second placed Derek Schofield. Roy Flanagan finished third with 20m 23s and a new recruit to the sport, Carl Taylor, did well to take fourth in 20m 40s.

Following his gold medal in the under 16s National Title Scratch Race over 10 kilometres at the Manchester Velodrome last week, Steven Burke of Colne was winner of the midweek Pendle Forest promotion over a similar distance of six miles.

Steven covered the hilly course in 15m 39s, to beat the 15m 53s of Carl Pawson of the Nelson Wheelers with Pendle Forest riders Steve Singleton third in the 15m 58s and Kevin Whitehead fourth in 16 minutes exactly.

The final event of the series will be held this evening over five miles at Castle Road, Colne.

After a break for holidays, Ian Stott of Clayton le Moors and the Blackburn and District CTC was soon back in his stride at the midweek meeting on the track at Kirkby, Merseyside.

Ian claimed a third place in the eight lap Points race and then went on to win the last and major event, the Deeside Decider, which brought the season to a close as this was the final meeting of the year.