He has succeeded in recruiting Steven Hepworth, and these two have flown the Bury Clarion flag to good effect over the last two weekends.

Last Sunday, they rode the Huddersfield Road Club's notoriously hard off-road 25-miles challenge. Out of 200 participants, Vince finished in the top ten in a time of 2 hrs 21min, but Steven was well down having had to cope with a mechanical problem so he finished in 3 hours 30 minutes. They did much better the previous week in the 77-mile Flintshire challenge over rough roads and punishing climbs, finishing joint first in 5hrs 8min. Those out on last Sunday's club run decided on a short ride over Belmont to Tockholes, returning by way of the Roundhills and Helmshore to arrive at Holcombe village in time for Lancashire Road Club's Ramsbottom Rake Hill climb. Other members rode straight to the event along with our youngest member, seven-year-old James Duckworth, who showed promise as a hill climber, riding up Lumb Carr Road to see the finishers at the top of the Rake. Veteran Bob Duckworth was on good form at last Friday's Velodrome meeting. In the 16-laps points, he won the first sprint and was second in the second and final sprints to win the event. He was also third in the Devil. At Monday's meeting he had the satisfaction of pacing Simon Yates to third place in the 10-laps paced handicap, while John Harris paced his brother, Adam, to second place. A couple of weeks ago, Simon's league points scoring seemed to be limited by his riding from scatch in the handicap events. However, he is a fast learner and has realised that with a fast start he can get up with the chasers, take pace to give him a breather before launching a second effort for the line.

He was then second in the eight-lap handicap while Adam finished fifth. In the six-lap keiren Simon was third and Adam fourth. Club meeting at Frank Jefferson's on Tuesday. Meet 7.30pm. ABC Centreville PAUL Greenhalgh finished his season off with a 22min 36sec ride in the Barrow Central Wheelers' 10. This was just 15 seconds outside his personal best but next season one of his aims is a sub-22 minute ride.