STUART Wearmouth could well have sacrificed his North-East cyclo-cross title in his quest for national and international recognition.

The 23-year-old Bishop Auckland rider, who has confirmed himself as one of the rising stars of cycling's winter sport, was helping Britain's challenge in the sixth round of the World Cup competition at Pontchateau, France, on Monday.

Wearmouth was the last finisher in the elite category race, in 38th position and one lap down on reigning world champion Richard Groenendaal, from Holland.

But he by no means disgraced himself in a British team which saw all four finishers placed between 30th and 38th positions as Matt Ellis, the Belgian-based rider, failed to last the distance.

Wearmouth, who has a perfect score in the North-East league, with seven wins from seven rides, may well lose out to current leader Keith Murray is he misses the final two rounds.

He will definitely miss next Sunday's Derwentwide CC event at Meadowfield Sports Centre, Durham, because of a clash with the final round of the National Trophy series in Leicestershire, and he will also miss the final Stockton Wheelers event at Hetton Lyons on February 4 if he takes up the chance to travel to the world championships being held at Tabor, in the Czech Republic.

Wearmouth was named as first reserve for the GB team after his sixth place in the British Open championship at Birmingham in Janaury.

The North West, regaining the title they won in London two years ago, again showed strength in depth to win the national inter-area cyclo-cross team championship at Ashton Court Park, Bristol.

The North West did not place a rider in the top four of the individual race, over eight laps of a mudbound two-kilometre circuit, but were led by Danny Alexander and Brian Green, in fifth and sixth places.

Individual victory, as at Huddersfield last year, went to North of England champion Chris Young, who was leading Yorkshire in defence of the team title they won on home ground last year.

However, Yorkshire - despite having won 11 times in 19 years - have been notoriously bad travellers in this competition in recent seasons and slumped to seventh place in the senior team table.

The winning North West team included Ben Bardsley, from Morland, near Appleby, who at 29 has made an impressive cyclo-cross debut this winter including his first victory in the Derwentside CC event at Berry Edge, Consett, last month.

Roger Hammond, who retained his British open title at Birmingham eight days ago, rides for the Belgian professional team, Collstrop-Palmans, and was not eligible to represent an area.

However, he underlined his good form when he sprinted to victory in the latest round of the Twickenham CC winter road race series on the Hillingdon circuit in West London.

The North East did not take a full senior team to Bristol, but their veterans' squad finished in sixth place in the over-40 competition.

Darlington's Keith Murray, meanwhile, kept in trim for what promises to be a closely fought finale to the North East League when he took on a 90-strong field for the latest round of the Notts and Derby open league on a course at Calverton, Nottinghamshire.

The Teesdale CRC rider claimed ninth place in an event which was won by Leicester's Carl Sturgeon.

Ian Kipling, the MTS Cycle Sport rider from Bishop Auckland, finished 14th