DAILY ECHO cycling correspondant Chris Davies has started out on another marathon journey.

He has set out to ride from Land's End to John O'Groats - and back again.

Davies, pictured, believes the trip, which will cover at least 1,600 miles, could take him up to a month.

In his heyday, Davies would have managed this trip in a couple of weeks, as well as sending in several reports and doing live interviews on the radio en route.

But, as a near pensioner, he is still a remarkable cyclist.

With nearly 900,000 miles under his wheels, Davies is on his way to being the first man in history to cycle one million miles.

While not willing to admit this as a target, the gleam in his eyes when it is mentioned gives him away.

Of a 120-strong field, 58 competitors improved on their previous best at the Sotonia middle markers ten-mile time trial on Saturday.

Mary Corbett, of the promoting club, set a ladies' record for the Sotonia CC trial while event organiser Julian Gee, with daughter Bethany, showed an improvement on their tandem.

The race, on a course at Thruxton, was restricted to riders who had not previously clocked a time faster than 22min 30sec.

Isle of Wight team SP Systems Wightlink cleaned up the race, with Simon Saunders winning, Robert Wilson fourth, and Pete Moore third man for the team race.

Most of the other leading riders had travelled some distance to take part - last year 40 riders showed an improvement and word has got around.

Ladies' winner Hilary Webber (Salisbury RC) won the Wessex RC 50-mile time trial in South Dorset the next day.

In the Border CA 25-mile time trial at Liss on Sunday big Ben Instone of Petersfield scraped home by seven seconds in front of Mark Wareham (VC St Raphael). VC St. Raphael won the team race. Results:

Sotonia CC 10

1 Simon Saunders (SP Systems / Wightlink RT) 20:42, 2 Jason Bohin (Sodbury Cycle Sport) 20:59; 3 Matthew Legge Charlotteville CC) 21:23; 4 Robert Wilson (SP Systems / Wightlink RT) 21:51; 5 Andrew Kirby (Finsbury Park CC) 21:52; 6 Bryce Dyer (Primera-bournemouth.co.uk) 21:53; 7 Dave Keene (Bristol South CC) 21:53; 8 Joe Beer (North Devon Whs) 21:58; 9 Ralph Wilson (Dursley RC) 22:00; 10 Gerry McGarr (Gloucester City CC) 22:07.

Team: SP Systems Wightlink RT. Simon Saundeers, Robert Wilson, Pete Moore 1-05.25.

Tandems: 1 Matt Parton, Rob Smith (Antelope RT) 20.30; 2 Dave Jones, Keith Williams (Newbury RC, Oxford City RC) 22.16; 3 Julian Gee, Bethany Gee (Sotonia CC) 25.31.

Women: 1 Hilary Webber (Salisbury RC) 24.09; 2 Jill Bartlett (Hounslow Wheelers) 24.20; 3 Louise Burman (Bournemouth Arrow CC) 24.24; 4 Mary Corbett (Sotonia CC) 24.44.

Border CA 25: 1 Ben Instone (a3crg51:41) 51.41; 2 Mark Wareham (VC St Raphael Waites Contracts) 51:48; 3 Tony Harvey (Northovers VT) 53:08; 4 Simon Berogna (VC St Raphael) 53:38; 5 Pete Younghusband (Tri UK Inc) 54:18; 6 Dave Dent (SP Systems Wightlink RT) 54:19; 7 Gary Buckett (Velocity Off The Record 54:23; 8 Matt Melville (VC St Raphael) 54:43; 9 Steve Rew (High Wycombe CC) 54:47; 10 David Shepherd (Liphook Cycles RT) 55:01.

Team: VC St Raphael Waites Contracts. Mark Wareham 51.48; Simon Berogna 53.38; Matt Melville 54.43 (2-4-.09).