With a time advantage of nearly a minute over the next nearest rider, Richard Sanders scorched home to win Round 5 of Redhill Cycling Club’s Time Trial competition series.
Held, for the first time this season, over the fast, 10 mile course on the dual carriageway between Horsham and Crawley, the event saw overcast skies and a steady tailwind on the outbound leg that became a headwind for the 5 miles back to the finish.
Sanders, on his specialist time-trial bike, set out first and immediately got into a strong rhythm and with the benefit of the tailwind, reached the turn in 11mins and 48 seconds. He then showed the benefits of his recent training and improved fitness by turning on the power and maintaining the same pace and speed on the leg back to the finish in spite of the energy-robbing headwind.
His winning margin of 55 seconds was all the more remarkable with the following seven riders all finishing within a narrow band of just over one minute.