The North East cyclo-cross series is being dominated by three riders, but it is Bishop Auckland's Gary Wearmouth who is head and shoulder above the rest.

In a repeat of the previous week's result at Hetton Lyons, the MTS Cycle Sport rider led from start to finish ahead of Matthew Kipling (Science in Sport.com) and Alan Nixon (Cleveland Wheelers) in Zeus CRT's event on a course at Stakeford, near Ashington. It was Wearmouth's sixth win from six rides.

Laurence Seviour (unattached) led the initial charge, but Wearmouth was in control by the end of the opening lap and gradually stretched his led to cross the line one-and-a-half minutes clear.

Kipling punctured on the first lap, but had worked his way through into third place by the third circuit and passed Nixon into second spot by halfway.

Neil Withington (My Way Trust) held fourth place throughout and finished ahead of Wearmouth's teammate Andrew Bennett, who had briefly held third position.

Darren Tiffen, of Cestria CC, whose previous best placing in this season's competition had been eighth, pulled off a shock win in the youth category at the fourth round of the National Trophy cyclo-cross series at Mallory Park, Leicestershire.

Tiffen crossed the line seven seconds ahead of Lancashire rival Andrew Nightingale as overall leader Tom Last, from Matlock, was pushed back to third place.

Roger Hammond, in his only home appearance before defending his British title on January 11, made a winning return in the senior race.

The former world junior champion, who lives in Belgium where he rides for the Palmans-Collstrop professional team, outsprinted British-based rival Nick Craig (Trek UK) by five seconds at the end of a nine-lap, 18-kilometre race held in cold, wet conditions.

Jody Crawforth (Evans Cycles RT), who won the second round at Matlock on Oct 19, was a further 22 seconds down in third place.

Crawforth had the consolation of finishing ahead of the leading Belgian rider, Geert Vandaele, whose compatriot Ronny Poelvoorde, winner of the third round at Ipswich on Nov 2, was among the many retirements in the greasy conditions.

Barrie Clarke, the holder and last year's winner at Mallory Park, maintains a slender two-point lead in the current competition despite being relegated to 15th position. After early skirmishes, a leading group of ten riders formed near half distance.

Crawforth went ahead alone and opened up a maximum 37-second lead on the seventh lap, only to puncture as Craig and Hammond closed the gap. Crawforth was forced to ride with a soft rear tyre for almost a lap, dropping back to third place.