Downing illuminates Blackpool

The Rapha Condor-Sharp rider was at the front for much of the hour as some of the top riders from across the country hurtled around the streets of Blackpool, with Downing stuck to the wheel of rival Simon Richardson of the Sigma Sport Racing Team.

But in the final sprint it was Downing who edged in front of Richardson, while Downing's team-mates Dean Windsor and Kristian House took third and fourth respectively.

Richardson had been the driving force behind several early attacks, but all were well marshalled by Downing, who helped drive them on and lap some notable contenders for the race, which attracted hundreds of fans.

"It's taken me four years to win one of these," laughed Downing after the finish.

The leading duo had to work hard to stay clear, with Dave Clarke (Pendragon) driving the chasers hard. But Rapha Condor's desire for two riders on the podium drove Windsor on and he peeled off on the final circuit with team-mate House to relegate Clarke to fifth.

Elsewhere in the elite race, Doncaster's Graham Briggs was sixth for Rapha Condor, while Wakefield's Richard Hepworth (Cycle Premier) was 12th, Sheffield veteran Malcolm Elliott (Motorpoint) 13th and Huddersfield's Tom Murray (Sigma) 15th.

In time-trialling, Hull rider Joel Wainman won the Team Swift 100-mile event at Dishforth, North Yorkshire, on Saturday. The Team Swift rider clocked 3hr 41min 24sec to take victory by more than three minutes from Nik Bowdler (Team Pedal Revolution.co.uk) over the two-lap course from Dishforth to Osmotherly.

Doncaster's Kevin Dawson (Sportcover) won the Hartlepool CC 10-mile event at Crathorne in North Yorkshire with an impressive time of 20min 54sec. Dawson was 50 seconds faster than Steve Smales of Boneshakers, while Team Swift's Michael Ellerton was third, just a second further back.

But Dawson's time was still almost two minutes slower than the course record of 18:54, set by Stockton's Chris Newton.