Newton ends season unbeaten
By Charlie Rhind

CHRIS Newton (Northern Velo) took the bunch sprint at the end of Saturday's Northern Machine Tools Junior Road Race to complete an unbeaten run in this season's local junior events.

A full field of over 40 riders set off in cold blustery conditions for three laps of the 15 mile circuit around Stokesley, Seamer and Hutton Rudby.

At the end of the first lap an intact bunch tackled the climb past Skutterskelfe Hall with no real efforts having been made to go clearon the two small climbs out of the Leven Valley.

At the start of the second lap Sunderland's Martin Wallbank went clear through Seamer. His efforts prompted an attack from the bunch which took Chris Newton and Rob Lee (Teesside Clarion) up to the Wearsider. The bunch soon responded and the break was hauled in as the field approached Hutton Rudby for the second time.

At this point the initiative was taken by Rob Williamson (Hull City RC) who went clear to go over the top of Skutterskelfe Bank with a 20 second lead.

The blustery conditions made it unlikely that a solo break would succeed and Williamson's lead had been halved as he went through Seamer at the start of the third and final lap.

With the leader reeled in, the field settled for the difficult challenge of beating Newton to the line in a sprint finish.

Newton was left to cover the vain attempts to get away in the final mile, but still had enough energy to take a clear victory from Tynesider Stephen Pritchard and Hull's Andy Fairchney in the bunch sprint.

Marcus Smith took fifth place in between Leeds ridersAndrew Holdsworth and James Bainbridge.

1. Chris Newton (Northern Velo) 45 miles in 1 hour 55 minutes
2. Stephen Pritchard (VS Karajban)
3. Andy Faichley (Hull City RC)
4. Andrew Holdsworth (Leeds RRC)
5. Marcus Smith (Cleveland Whls)
6. James Bainbridge (Seacroft Whls).