James Dear's new streamline riding position is paying off in a big way.

The Friston rider, second last week in the Central Sussex 25, won the Kingston Wheelers' 14-mile time trial at Ripley.

His time of 33min.57sec is a new course record.

Dear (Eastbourne Rovers) was one second per mile faster than runner-up Malcolm Cox (VC St Raphael) from Hampshire, who recorded 34min. 11sec.

Pre-race favourite Chris Birch, another St Raphael rider, was third in 34min.31sec. Sussex clubman Dave Dent (GS Stella) placed fifth in 34min.39sec.

Sussex completed a double victory when Marina Bloom (Crawley Wheelers) won the women's event in 39min. 39sec.

Dear said: "My new riding position seems to be making a difference. I didn't really expect to win with so many good riders competing so I thought about treating it as an early-season training event.

"I did a 50-mile ride the day before, but on the day I decided to go for it."

Dear came into cycling as a mountain bike rider and in 1995 he won the Sussex cyclo-cross championship. Now, after a whole string of second and third places in open road events, it looks as if he is about to enjoy his best season ever.

Four mountain bikers from the Horsham area rode well in the 40-mile Enduro race in Thetford Forest, Suffolk.

In the Veterans' race Michael Thyer (Southwater Cycles) finished second, Rob Moss (Horsham Riders) was fourth and Stuart Aspinall and Gordon Smith of Southwater Cycles were fifth and sixth.

Former Sussex track league champion Simon Taylor is organising a sponsored bike ride on behalf of the Rocking Horse Appeal, a charity which supports the Royal Alexandra Hospital for Sick Children.

The ride on May 19 will start from Brighton Marina and follow a hilly route to Ditchling and back.

Taylor says: "It will provide good training for those riders entering the London to Brighton Bike Ride in June." Sponsorship forms are available from Simon on 01273 730286.

Brighton Mitre's 22-mile club time trial on Saturday starts from Henfield Common at 9am.