In-form East Grinstead Steve Dennis will be among the favourites to win the Sussex Road Race championship on Sunday.

This is despite being narrowly beaten into second place in Brighton Mitre's Bank Holiday time trial at Loxwood.

Hampshire's Graeme Stirzaker (Anglia Sport) covered the 36 miles in 1hr.21min.23sec, just seven seconds faster than Dennis. Streatham's Paul Mills (Edwards Cycles) finished third in 1hr.25min.14sec.

Storrington's Mark Jones led the winning GS Stella team, backed by John Limpus and Eric Bonner. Lancing's Natacha Maes (In Gear) won the women's event in 1hr.33min.16sec after finishing fourth the previous week in a women's international road race in Belgium.

Sunday's Road Race championship is sponsored by insurance company AON, who have put up a £2,000 prize list. Dennis knows that Stuart Fahey (Brighton Excelsior) will be a strong contender, while the Eastbourne Rovers 14-strong squad includes Jon Sharples, Shaun Reed, Jason Salter and Paul Delani, who won the championship in 1991 and 1993.

Worthing rider Chris McNamara (VC Etoile), who recently finished sixth in the gruelling Tour of the Chilterns, should also figure in the placings, along with Mike Blann, who is a member of the promoting VC Bayeux club.

The 8 s2-mile race starts at 10am from Brede Village Hall and covers 9.75 laps of a circuit round Staplecross, Cripps Corner and Broad Oak.

VC Etoile's 13-lap handicap race at the Goodwood motor circuit took place in pouring rain. Chris McNamara was among the scratch group who overhauled the rest of the field in time to contest the mass sprint finish. Hampshire stars Chris Birch and Paul Rogers (St Raphael) finished first and second, Isle of Wight rider Kieran Page (SP Systems) finished third and McNamara placed fourth, while Worthing Excelsior's Peter Thorp-Hincks finished seventh.

Leading veteran Mike Thyer (Horsham Riders) was forced to give up in the SAMS Grand Veteran's mountain bike event in Devises. He said: "The course was so muddy that my wheels clogged up and wouldn't go round." Clubmate Paul Byford managed 42nd place in the Masters race.