PREVIOUS winner Matt Ste-phens of the Sigma Sport racing team won the annual Worcester News Trophy Road Race organised by the Wor-cester St John's club.

The race over six laps around the Kinnersley circuit attracted 62 top riders from around the country including former national champion Stephens, Liam Killeen Mal-vern's Commonwealth mountain bike gold medallist, as well as other professional and elite riders.

After just three miles, Stephens, Shaun Snodden of Recycling and Matt Higgins of J E James attacked and were to dominate the rest of the race.

They built a lead of one minute 30 seconds over the rest of the competitors by the finish.

Despite many attacks from the main field, no-one else managed to maintain any time gap over the bunch.

On the final climb to the finish up Severn Stoke Hill, Stephens showed his experience to pull clear of Snodden to take the victory by 12 seconds with Higgins coming in a further 30 seconds down in third place.

Killeen used his mountain biking skills to win the bunch sprint to wrap up fourth position.

He was closely followed by Worcester's Adrian Bird, Echelon Cycles, who took tenth with all other local riders just behind in the main bunch.