The York Cycleworks road race at Sheriff Hutton gave Kevin Dawson another chance to display the strength that has seen him and Compensation Group team-mates John Tanner and Mark Lovatt dominate the domestic racing scene this season.

The race, however, provided no easy win with Julian Grommet (Cottingham Coureurs) again showing he can challenge the best in Britain.

The hard-working Grimsby man initiated the winning attack 15 miles from the finish between Bulmer and Ganthorpe, being one of the several riders who showed no fear in attacking the Compensation Group trio.

Grommet was forced to do much of the driving, with a more relaxed Dawson suited to the constant pace and having the cushion of his strong team-mates behind.

The duo quickly gained a minute, which stretched to a maximum of 2 min 15sec with a lap and a half to go.

The bunch behind was constantly sheared apart then slowly brought back together as promising moves looked to be succeeding but struggled to gain more than half a minute on the chasers.

Among the aggressors were Mark

Wordsworth (Dinnington RC) and Martin Ford (Wheelspin) with Tobagan visitor Emile Abraham showing impressively after his win at Bishops Wood, near Selby,

the day before.

Despite overcast conditions the field stayed more intact than in previous editions.

The last two miles saw Doncaster's Dawson ease clear over the brutally steep Bulmer Bank, while behind a final split in the bunch saw Mark Lovatt take flight ahead of a group of ten.

Emile Abraham easily finished in fourth, ahead of Ford and Chris Young (Team Marie Curie).

York-based Clifton CC's Paul

Musgrave also had a good ride in elite company to take the prize for best second catergory.

Sean Rosser (Knaresborough RT) won the penultimate round of the Keith Thompson Spoco Series on roads around Kirby Malzeard.

He clocked 40mins 56secs to beat team-mate John Fenwick by 2mins 8secs.

Knaresborough's Alasdair Bruce was third in 44-05.

Updated: 11:56 Wednesday, August 28, 2002