BETTER known for racing of the motorised variety, Thruxton hosted the latest round of the 2005 south division circuit race series.

Road racing in England is moving more and more onto closed circuits, allowing the riders more freedom in a totally safe environment.

As the elite race settled down to business, local riders Danny Axford and Rowan Horner (Andover) opened up a good lead.

Horner is one of the country's leading long distance time triallists and set about trying to rip the race apart from halfway around the opening lap.

But Axford just wouldn't let him go and he got the better of Horner in a superb finishing straight neck-and-neck confrontation.

Brimming with the confidence from the launch of her new Raleigh women's professional team, Southampton's Brenda Pennel easily won the womens' race.

Her event was mixed with the fourth category men, but Pennel was the main protagonist in the only real move of the race.

Chandler's Ford junior Phillip Gough is making quite a name for himself and he took his second victory in as many weeks in the Peter Young memorial road race. Gough was the only junior rider in the top ten.

After two second places and a victory in previous weeks, Rob Hurd of the Belgian Bio Agrico squad had a bad day in the Hounslow CC road race.

After suffering an early puncture, Hurd was unable to make an impact on the leading pack.

In local time trials, the area's riders were invaded by the Agiscoviner.com squad from Surrey.

This new team took the victory and placed two other riders in the top six in the Sotonia CC ten mile time trial on Saturday.

Lawrence Harding won in 20 minutes and 17 seconds on a fast course with almost perfect conditions.

RACING CLUB OMEGA CIRCUIT RACES

Sunday 20 March, Thruxton.

E/1/2: 1 Danny Axford (Artic Shorter Rochford RT) 2 Rowan Horner (VC St Raphal), 3 Neil Coleman (Cycleurope), 4 Simon Brooks (VC St Raphal), 5 Marc Perry (Team Rochelle), 6 Justin Hoy (Evans Cycles RT), 7 Richard Heathcote (Team Rochelle), 8 Jason Streather (VC St Raphal), 9 Jon Cannings (VC St Raphal) 10 Steve Roach (Trek UK).

WOMEN: 1 Brenda Pennel (Raleigh - ERV), 2 Nikki Wheeler (Velocity), 3 Jo Tindley (Velo Club De Londres), 4 Abi Greenaway, 5 Joanne Long (i-team.co.uk).

PETER YOUNG MEMORIAL ROAD RACE

Sunday, 20 March, 2005

3/4/W/J: 1 Phil Gough (J) (Portswood Cycles), 2 Gary Fry (tm Quest), 3 Lee Chaplin (Twickenham CC), 4 Gavin Atkins (Extreme Endurance), 5 Adam Dallinson (BC Private Member), 6 Steven Shellard (BC Private Member), 7 Paul Williams (Bath Road Club), 8 Phil Jones (Dulwich Paragon), 9 Paul Doel (Tm Quest), 10 Mick Fuller (Tm Quest).

SOTONIA TEN MILE TIME TRIAL

1 Lawrence Harding (Agiscoviner.com) 20.17, 2 Michael Broadwith (Agiscoviner.com) 20.31, 3 Ceri Pritchard (LucRacing.net) 20.38, 4 Simon Howes (Sigma Sport) 20.43, 5 Peter Kench (Liphook Cycles) 20.44, 6 Gary Kristensen (Agiscoviner.com) 20.47, 7 Steve Walkling (Ingear RT) 20.50, 8 Justin Hoy (Evans RT) 21.01, 9= Tony Ball (Team Swift) 21.16 and Robert Lyne (CS Bristol) 21.16.