Silsden's Dougie Lampkin was cruelly robbed of his eighth successive victory at the second leg of the Embassy World Indoor Trials Championship at Sheffield on Saturday night.

His machine suffered temporary fuel starvation in the closing few metres of the final race.

Radson rider Lampkin had his 8,000 home fans on the edges of their seats as he drew level with 2002 world indoor champion Albert Cabestany going into the ultimate duel, having trailed the young Spanish rider for most of the final.

Showing great mental strength, Lampkin - now based in the Isle of Man - saw his opportunity as world No 3 Cabestany first picked up a mark on the high jump and was then defeated by him in the first of the dual lane sections.

However, it was not be Lampkin's night. Leading by over a bike's length as the pair raced back towards the double quarter pipe jump for the deciding time, Dougie was left helpless as his Montesa bogged down, forcing him to ride rather than jump the final obstacle.

Despite struggling to the finish line, Lampkin could do nothing as Cabestany jumped to victory.

The decision was close and uncertain for a few moments, but Lampkin feared that his seven-year reign had come to an end and was proved correct as the official result was announced, much to the disbelief of the capacity audience.

"I'm totally gutted - there are no other words to explain it," said Lampkin.

"To lose in this manner is a cruel way to be defeated, as I thought I had done enough to deserve the win.

"When the bike died through a misfire, I was just hoping it would pick up again, but it was too late and the damage had been done.

"Right at this moment I'm too disappointed to explain, but if there is a consolation I'm more than happy with the way I rode.

"Cabestany rode brilliantly and I matched him, so that's what I'm going to remind myself when I realise that this nightmare is actually reality!

"It's the first time it has happened to me, but even so I still rhought I had crossed the line first."

A bloodied but delighted Cabestany from Tarragona said: "That's the best I have ridden at Sheffield, and to be the first person to beat Dougie in Sheffield is a great result for me. Now I must aim to retain my world indoor title."

Having headed the heat from Cabestany by only two marks, Lampkin was only too aware that it would be the Beta rider who would be his main threat in preventing him notching up win number eight at Sheffield.

Dougie was simply brilliant during the qualifying round, cleaning eight of the nine observed sections and was angry with himself as he slipped off the log section to record a maximum.

This single mistake preventing him completing the whole course clean.

A pair of runners-up positions in the opening two rounds of the championship puts Dougie just one point behind Adam Raga, who was third on the night, in the overall standings and five clear of Cabestany, whose total reflects his poor showing at the first event in Andorra.

The series moves to Koblenz in Germany next Saturday, when Lampkin will look to record his first victory of the New Year and take control of the championship.

Results - Heat qualifiers: Dougie Lampkin (Montesa) 5, Albert Cabestany (Beta) 7, Adam Raga (GasGas) 8, Takahisa Fujinami (Montesa) 9. Non- qualifiers: Graham Jarvis (Sherco) 10, Steve Colley (GasGas) 11, (Marc Freixa, (Sherco) eliminated prior to final races.

Final: Cabestany 7, Lampkin 8 (Raga 19, Fujinami 27 both eliminated prior to final races).

Championship to date: 1 Raga 35, 2 Lampkin 34, 3 Cabestany 30, 4 Fujinami 26, 5 Freixa 24, 6 Jarvis 22, 7 Colley 10, 8 Jordi Pascuet (Spain) 9.