IT should be the highlight of the road racing season.

But this year's South Division Championships taking place on an 8 mile circuit between Bishop's Waltham and Winchester are shrouded in secrecy.

That's because British Cycling's regional secretary and race organiser, Susan Knight, withholding details about the event.

What is known is that last year's runaway winner, Robert Hurd of Compton Down, has no intention of defending his title.

But one former winner making a determined bid to regain the senior title is Andover based school teacher Rowan Horner.

He is one of a numerically strong V.C. St. Raphael Write Contracts entry, and others showing good form include the Hargroves Cycles R.T. duo, Stuart Rowers, twice a recent winner of Primera Sport circuit races at Barnsfield Heath in Dorset, and Tim Dunford.

The newly-formed Maestro Fircroft Hotel squad will be represented by former Commonwealth Games man Ren Luckwell and his team-mate, Mark Perry.

Primera Bournemouth also have road men with medal winning qualities, but they, and the fourth category and junior riders who contest the junior Championship earlier in the day, face an extra six miles to reach the course now that race headquarters have been switched from Oweslebury to the Meon Hall in Meonstoke.

No mystery surrounds the principal time trials taking place on southern roads.

Having finished outside the top three in the first 100 mile race of the year last Sunday, St. Raphael's Malcolm Cox will be aiming to resume winning ways in defence of last year's success in the Wessex R.C. 50 near Wimborne.

His principal rivals will be Chris Ball (53-12 MultiSports) Dave Dent (S.P. Systems Wightlink R.T.) James Silfillan (Primera Bournemouth) and Terry Icko (Poole Wheelers).

That long established race has attracted 53-entrants, and Andover Wheelers will be playing host to 68 who contest one of two 25 miles they organise on behalf of the Border C.A. and Wessex Veterans T.T.A.

International tri-athlete, Peter Younghusband (Tri U.K.) and St. Raphael's Steve Walking are the leading contenders in the first of these events. Paul Flight (Primera Bournemouth) and the promoting club's Jake Prior are among the fastest in the second.