DOWNING WINS FINAL STAGE OF GIRVAN

FORMER Premier Calendar leader Dean Downing (Rapha Condor RT) sprinted to victory in the fourth and final stage of the Girvan Three-Day in Scotland, but he relinquished the series lead with consistent Ian Wilkinson (Science in Sport.com) taking overall honours.

Downing crossed the line at the end on Monday?s 72-mile stage in 3hr 10min 35sec, just four seconds ahead of fellow Yorkshireman Graham Briggs (Recycling.co.uk), while Andy Roche (Pinarello RT) took third.

But it mattered little to the overall, with Ian Wilkinson edging Chris Newton (Recycling.co.uk) by three seconds after winning stage three and finishing third and second in Saturday?s opening two races.

Gordon McCauley (Plowman Craven RT) was the final man on the overall podium in third, but won the sprints category as well as the mountains.

Full details and pictures from the 2007 Girvan Three-Day will be in this week?s Cycling Weekly magazine, out on Thursday.

Final overall, Girvan Three-Day:

Ian Wilkinson (SIS - Trek) 10-33-25; 2, C. Newton (Recycling.co.uk) at 3sec; 3, G. McCauley (Plowman Craven RT) at 16sec.

Sprints: McCauley.

Mountains: McCauley.

Stage Four:

Dean Downing (Rapha Condor RT) 72 miles in 3-10-35; 2, G. Briggs (Recycling.co.uk) at 4sec; 3, A. Roche (Pinarello RT) same time.

Stage Three:

Ian Wilkinson 107.6 miles in 4-22-45 2, G. McCauley at st; 3, C. Newton at st.

Stage Two:

Tony Gibb (Plowman Craven RT) 16.5 miles in 37-52; 2, I Wilkinson at st; 3, C Newton at st.

Stage One:

Chris Newton 62 miles in 2-22-33; 2, J Tanner (Sportscover - Planet-X) at st; 3, I Wilkinson (SIS - Trek) at st.