BINGLEY'S Rob Jebb is revelling in his new status as an over-40.

Having won on his debut veterans' race in round two of the National Trophy cyclo-cross series, Jebb backed it up by taking round three in Durham.

However, Darren Atkins (Ride Coventry) held onto his series lead by taking second place ahead of Jim Bryan (Zepnat RT).

Atkins took the early lead, with Keith Murray (Scott Racing), Cononley's Ian Taylor (C and N Cycles), Eldwick's Rob Thackray (Oldfield/Paul Milnes Cycles) and Haworth's Andy Peace (Jedi Cycles) in the mix chasing for the lead.

Jebb worked his way through the field and would soon be up with Atkins, the two pushing the pace up and forging a gap that no one could pull back.

As the lap board counted down, Jebb increased his lead over Atkins, who had to be content with the runners-up spot 15 seconds back.

However, a late charge by Bryan saw him overtake Taylor to claim third by under three seconds, with Thackray sixth a further 20 seconds back and Peace four seconds behind him in seventh.

East Morton's Annie Simpson (Hope Factory Racing) was sixth in the elite women's race in which Beth Crumpton (North West CC) was a first-time winner, despite travelling through the night from the European Championships in the Netherlands.

Series leader Hannah Payton (Kenesis UK) and Simpson were a few bike lengths behind Amira Mellor (Oldfield/Paul Milnes Cycles) – another one to make the trek from Holland – and Crumpton, who made strong starts, and the lead would soon increase, with the returning Delia Beddis (Vicious Velo) and Emily Wadsworth (Beeline Gener8) fifth and sixth.

As the race completed the first lap, Mellor passed Crumpton and sprinted away, with the latter being unable to respond.

Mellor, who took her first victory 12 months ago aged 17, looked to be on track to reproduce that win as Simpson and Payton were falling off the early pace but Crumpton, beginning to find her lines, still had the leader in her sights.

The gap to the rest of the field was growing, with Payton safe in third place, and Wadsworth and Beddis vying for fourth.

The status quo remained the same until the final lap when Mellor took a final pit visit to change bikes while Crumpton took the chance to take the final half lap without a clean bike.

Mellor came out of the pits level with her rival, but Crumpton had the momentum from the straight and took the lead back from Mellor, a lead and a first elite victory she wasn't going to relinquish.

Former Keighley resident Chris Young did not compete in the over-50s race, which was won by Tim Gould (Zepnat RT), who said: "With Chris not being here, obviously you can only beat the opposition and I had to try to beat Phil Roach.

"Phil was going well, but who knows how Chris would have done? I'd have liked to have beaten Chris to have really felt like I'd won my first one."