East Grinstead ace Steve Dennis, racing for the first time on a new bike, produced top form to win the Southern Counties 25-mile time trial at Broadbridge Heath.

Many of South London and Surrey's top riders were among the 143 competitors, but Dennis stormed round the Horsham course in 53min. 57sec.

Keith Reed (54min.8sec) and Ron Keeble (56min.4sec), from 34th Nomads, were second and third. Peter Hamilton was sixth in 57min.10sec to win the team prize for the South London club.

Bognor rider Mark Stadon (Southdown Velo) finished eighth (57min.26sec) and Lloyd Grayston (Eastbourne Rovers) ninth (57min.38sec). VC Etoile's Mike Kingsbury was 11th (58min.1sec).

Dennis said: "Until I had raced on the new bike I wasn't sure if my riding position would be quite right, but I didn't have any problems."

THE Rustington-based Blazing Saddles team of Mark Fenner, Glyn Ostler, and Darryl Pembroke recorded 56min.57sec to win the Poole Wheelers 25-mile three-up team time trial in Dorset.

MARINA Bloom (Crawley Wheelers) and Hampshire rider Ralph Daddswell (Antelope) set a tandem tricycle record of 5hr.2min. 31sec for the 108-miles from London to Oxford and back.

THERE was a big entry for the fourth round of the Gorrick mountain bike series in Hampshire, where Michael Thyer and Stuart Aspinall of Southwater Cycles finished second and sixth in the Grand Veterans race. John Leyland (Horsham Riders) was eighth.

Southwater riders Ian Petherbridge and Gordon Smith finished sixth and ninth in the veterans' event and Lyn Ford (Horsham Riders) was second in the women's fun Race.

HORSHAM Riders are promoting a mountain bike meeting at Rome Woods, near Rusper, on Sunday.

All races start at 10.45am. Details from Rob Moss on 01903 744706.

The East Sussex CA have a ten-mile time trial at East Hoathly on Saturday (2.30pm) and a 25-mile event at Maresfield on Sunday (7.30am).