THE three season-long time trial leagues based on midweek events promoted in the East Lancs area make interesting viewing at this time of the year with only a few weeks remaining before the darker evenings bring to a close the activities for another year.

To the east of the county the Pendle Forest Cycling Club promote a series of events on Thursday evenings from mid-April to the first week of September.

Last week's race over a 15 mile course based on Thornton in Craven was won by Dave Metcalfe of the Clayton Velo Cycling Club in 33min 41sec giving him the maximum of 10 points on offer.

Second came Steven Burke in 34m 17s, third Russell McLean in 34m 28s and fourth Jason Bateman in 34m 44s.

However, it is Carl Pawson of the Nelson Wheelers club who is presently at the top of the League for senior riders having gained 127 points by riding all events to date this year with his team-mate Chris Smedley second with 109 points.

In the Veterans category, Steve Singleton is in the lead with 101 points which is just 3 points more than last week's winner Metcalfe.

Of the two juniors in the competition, Adam Blackley, with 101 points, has just one point advantage over Steven Burke.

Fraser Snape of the North Lancashire Road Club was winner of the Tuesday evening 9.4 mile time trial promoted by the Rossendale Road Club at Accrington with a time of 21min 22sec but does not qualify for League points as these are restricted to Rossendale members only.

With the next three placed riders all from the promoting club it was Paul Warrener gaining maximum points with a time of 21m 58s followed by Derek Schofield (22m 14s) and Roy Flanagan (23m 13s).

In the League table Warrener is in the driving seat with Derek Schofield second and Roy Healey in third place. The final event on the Accrington course will be on the last Tuesday in August with a hill climb on Deerplay Moor the following week.

In the North Lancashire Road Club Thursday evening 10 mile promotion near Clitheroe the winner of last week's event was Peter Briscoe in 25min 05sec in wet and windy conditions, followed home by Dave Stamp (26m 15s), Alan Dobson (26m 22s) and Joe Curran (27m 17s). Overall in the League table it is Snape in the lead with 80 points with Dave Stamp second with 75, Peter Briscoe third (66) and Dave Hargreaves fourth (62).

Tonight is the final one on the Edisford course with a course based on Chatburn being used for the final two 10 mile events on the 5th and 12th of August.

The second Pendle Cycle Festival was a big success with thousands of spectators enjoying the exciting racing in Colne town centre and another good turn out in Victoria Park in Nelson on Saturday.

Stuart Whitehead of Langho and the North Lancashire Road Club is one of three riders in scratch position for the 100 mile time trial on roads near Garstang on Sunday where the first of 63 entrants will start at 6-01am.