Mark Smith took his second victory of the Southern Counties CU sporting weekend winning Sunday’s 25-mile time trial, meanwhile Rachel Brown (CC London) set a new course record in the women’s event.

Smith, aged 49, won the previous day’s Southern Counties CU 10-mile event and was victorious again over the longer distance recording a winning time of 59 minutes and 41 seconds – over a minute faster than his nearest rival.

The sporting 25-mile course saw riders start at Okewood Hill village before heading out on a three-mile starting loop before joining the main course which headed out on the A29 through Ockley.

Riders then took the B2126 through Forest Green before turning onto unclassified roads to complete the loop. Competitors completed three full laps and the small starting loop to make up the undulating 25-mile course.

Riders faced a light north-westerly breeze and a temperature of between eight and 10 degrees Celsius.

Veteran rider Smith has come into the season in top form after recently returning from a week of heavy training in the warmth of Spain.

Smith, from Lindfield in West Sussex, won the previous day’s sporting 10 and despite complaining of aching legs he made it a weekend double winning by over a minute and a half.

Fellow veteran Marek Siwicki (Addiscombe CC) led the battle behind finishing second in 1-00-47 while Peter Younghusband (Petersfield Tri-club) was a further 26 seconds back in third (1-01-13).

Addiscombe CC won the team prize with Siwicki contributing towards their winning time alongside Jim Burdett and Jonathan Pontin.

CC London rider Brown completed the ‘ride of the day’ setting a new women’s course record of 1-05-31 – taking a huge 3-15 off the previous mark set in 2017.

Brown also showed her form earlier this month by winning the Sussex CA hard-riders event over 25 miles.

In the road bike event Michael Wykes (London Dynamo) set an impressive winning time of 1-01-52 which would have placed him fourth in the time trial event.

Tony Reeves (GS Stella) was second in the road bike event recording a time of 1-09-48 while Robert Gilmour (Hounslow & Dist. Whls) was third (1-16-07).

* All reports are copyright of Cycling Time Trials/Snowdon Sports. Not to be used without permission.

Results:

Men:
1         Mark Smith                    Crawley Wh                        59       41

2         Marek Siwicki                   Addiscombe CC                1         00       47 

3         Peter Younghusband      Petersfield Tri-club                    1         01      13

4         Jon Hughes                       VC Godalming & Haslemere 1  02       07

5         Lewis Reeves                    Horsham Cycling              1         02       30

6         Peter Main                        34 Nomads CC                  1         03       27

Women: Rachel Brown               CC London                     1         05       31

Road bikes:

1         Michael Wykes              London Dynamo                    1         01      52

2         Tony Reeves                    GS Stella                            1         09      48

3         Robert Gilmour                Hounslow & Dist. Whls  1         16       07

4         Vernon Schutte                Farnboro’ & Camberley CC  1   18       30

Team:  Addiscombe CC (Marek Siwicki, Jim Burdett, Jonathan Pontin)  3  15  59.