Tommy Evans emerged best after another great battle for the road race championship at Waterford yesterday. After almost 100 miles, seven times around a circuit of 14 miles, the Banbridge man, riding with the Clarke's Contracts team, won by four seconds from the 1997 title holder Morgan Fox, Eugene Moriarty another three seconds behind in third.

Evans was one of a select group from the 131 starters who were to the fore throughout and he finished powerfully with a surge at the end. He was third in the championship at Wexford in 1995 and was the 25 mile time trial champion in 1993.

Eugene Moriarty beat Evans in a race at Banbridge last week and Evans said because of that he knew the strength of the Listowel man and closely watched him when they got away towards the end.

Evans was in a group that made the first significant break on the second lap and when that failed, he was one of 28 who formed at the front after the halfway mark.

After the front bunch had dropped to 12 riders going into the final circuit, with one of the favourites Ciaran Power present, Eugene Moriarty went ahead and was joined by Evans and Paddy Moriarty.

Travelling along Tramore Road for the last time, Fox moved out of the chasing group with Bill Moore and Dermot Finnegan and set out in pursuit of the leaders.

On the one mile drag up to the finish on the Cork Road all six riders were in contention as the second trio closed in on the leaders.

Paddy Moriarty dropped back as Evans took over at the front from Eugene Moriarty but Fox came through strongly to take second place. Moore, second to Peter Daly in 1996, was fourth followed by Finnegan and Paddy Moriarty. David O'Loughlin was best of the rest almost a minute in arrears with local favourite Ciaran Power at 1:07.

Fox had fought back after a puncture at the halfway mark and then had to change bikes when his gears broke. There were objections to the way he came back up through the following cars after those mishaps but nothing was reported so the placings were unaltered.

Fox, Finnegan and O'Loughlin were riding in the colours of their DCM team in Belgium and they won the team title.

The junior race over five laps resulted in a Kanturk one-two with Michael Dennehy the winner from Denis Lynch.