In many sports you are considered to be over the hill long before the age of 40.

But cyclists race up hills and mountains well into their fifties and sixties.

Sussex cycling has plenty of riders who, having long passed 40 and qualified as veterans, are continuing to produce top performances.

The doyen is 74-year-old Horsham rider Ray Venis (21st Century Airports), who won this year's over-70s national indoor track championship.

The county's best known veteran is Harry Featherstone, a sprightly 70-year-old who rides for Eastbourne Rovers.

His fastest time for a 25-mile event this year was an amazing 57min.11sec.

Younger riders who were overtaken by the grey-haired tearaway couldn't believe it.

He beat his handicap time by over 20 minutes when he won the Sussex veterans' 25-mile championship. He even entered the East Sussex 100-mile open championship and was tenth in an excellent time of 4hr.32min.7sec.

Brighton teacher Mike Coyle (Etoile) recently entered the veteran ranks and celebrated by winning the overall title in the East Sussex two-day time trial.

Dave Shepherd (Rother Valley), 41, covered 482 miles to win the national 24-hour open championship.

Mark Jones (GS Stella) and Sean Yates (Team Clean) are both 42. Jones won the Alfold road race and helped his club win many team events.

Yates, who has worn the leader's Yellow Jersey in the Tour de France, is still one of the fastest riders in the UK at any level.

He beat Northern Ireland star Michael Hutchinson to win the East Surrey 32-mile Hardriders time trial.

He also won the Epsom 25-mile time trial by three minutes in an impressive 51min.44sec.

Younger Sussex riders like John Limpus, Tristan Court, James Dear and Jon Sharples, all know older riders are quite capable of giving them a run for their money.