Hastings rider Peter Tadros, the overall winner of GS Stella's two-day time trial in 2002 and 2004, was narrowly beaten into second place in this year's event.

Scottish star Duncan Urquhart (Viner Bikes), third in the King of the Mountains competition in last year's Tour of Britain, soared over the Downs at Houghton and went on to win the first 12-mile stage in a course record time of 26min.38sec.

Tadros (In Gear) was just ten seconds slower in second place, while his team-mate Jon Sharples, the former Sussex road race champion, placed third in 27min.20sec.

Tim Stevens (34th Nomads) finished fourth in 27min.24sec, Stewart Jardine (21st Century Airports) was fifth in 27min.43sec and Rowan Horner (Warrington) sixth in 28mim.0sec.

The second stage over a 27-mile circuit again saw Urquhart untroubled by the Sussex hills and he won in 58min.42sec.

Tadros (59min.50sec) and Sharples (1hr.0m.58sec) were again second and third. Stevens was fourth in 1hr.1min.17sec while Sussex rider Tim Mardell (Etoile) was fifth in 1hr.1min.18sec. Horner placed sixth in 1hr.2min.33sec.

Urquhart won the overall classification in 1hr.25min 20sec. Tadros was second in 1hr.26min.38sec and Sharples third in 1hr.28min.18sec.

Petworth rider Dave Shepherd (Liphook Cycles) was sixth in 1hr.30min.44sec.