West Sussex club GS Stella will be aiming to at least equal their racing successes of 2000 when they stage the season's first two open time trials on February 3 and 4.

Storrington's Mark Jones won several individual events last year.

They included the Sussex CA's circuit time trial, the Southern Counties 25 and Eastbourne Rovers 25. Jones and clubmate John Limpus, from Saltdean, also won four two-up time trials and five tandem events, including an international race in France.

Stella's track star Lee Povey won a number of races at Preston Park, including the Sussex Sprint Championship, while Andy Payne and Eric Bonner both figured in several of Stella's team wins.

Sussex riders are invited to warm up for the coming season by riding in the Lewes Wanderers Reliability trials this Sunday.

There are two separate runs, both starting from South Chailey Parish Hall. The first run is the tougher of the two and leaves at 8.30am, covering a 100km course via Ardingly, East Grinstead and Cowden. The second run is over 50km leaving at 10am. There is a £2 signing-on fee.

The Lewes club have an extensive racing programme planned for the coming season. They will be holding a total of 17 time trials for their own members, plus their annual series of open road races over the Laughton circuit and an open two-up event.

Former Brighton rider Richard Smith, who as a Varndean schoolboy won the national 10-mile juvenile championship in 1974, is now living in Poland.

After riding for England, he turned professional and while returning from a racing trip on the Continent was lucky to survive the Herald of Free Enterprise shipping disaster.

Now he is putting his cycling expertise to good use by running a Polish cycle clothing company.