THE playing field will be levelled at Downton this weekend for cyclists of moderate ability who prefer road racing to time trials.

Riders lacking the fitness to hold the speed of more accomplished cyclists can compete on more equal terms because ex-British champion Glenn Longland from Nursling is organising a two-day race there with the 'middle-marker' very much in mind.

Held under the rules of the League International and sponsored by Ambient Energy Systems, the fourth edition of the race comprises an individual hill climb to the top of Wick Down, one-and-a-half miles away, followed by a 45-kilometre handicap road race tomorrow. And the event ends on Sunday morning, with the 25-miles-long 'race of truth' round Whitsbury Down.

With last year's winner, James Clarke (Salibsury RC) taking a year out of competition and Longland, who won the race twice, not riding, a new winner will emerge from the 49 competitors listed - and current form suggests Eamonn Deane (Bournemouth Jubilee Wheelers) his clubmate Max Rumball, Julian Jenkinson (Southampton Tri-Club) and Paul Rogers (VC St Raphael Waite Contracts) have the best prospects. But all four start the second stage in the scratch group and will have several minutes to make up to prevent one of the lesser lights from finishing on top.

Sotonia CC organises its last ten-mile time trial of the season round the Lyndhurst, Beaulieu Road circuit in the New Forest on Sunday morning, while another 38 time trialists face two laps of a hilly circuit on the borders of Hampshire and Sussex in the Rother Valley CC 40-kilometre Tour of the Milland Valley.

Sotonia's autumn 25-mile winner Richard Prebble (Team Clean Fresh Start) should win that one.

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