FORMER Tour de France star Sean Yates (In Gear RT), unexpectedly beaten by his brother, Christian, over ten miles last week, hurtled back to form to set a new race record of 19min 12sec to win the Ambient Energy Systems sponsored time trial organised by Antelope RS Holdings RT at Poole.

Now 44, Yates sheared 16 seconds off the old course record, set by Richard Hobson in 1998, and finished 32 seconds faster than the British record he set in 1980.

Times have improved since then, and another five riders beat the 20-minute barrier, with Steve Walkling (VC St Raphael Waite Contracts) turning the tables on his Petersfield rival Ben Instone (AC CRG) to finish only nine seconds off the pace of Yates in second.

Instone conceded 24 seconds on Walkling this time to share third spot with Julian Jenkinson (Primera Bournemouth) who, with clubmates Andrew Cooper and Brian Greensmith, led the winning team with a sub-hour aggregate of 59.46.

The two pairs of tandem riders were completely eclipsed by the solo performers on this occasion, with the winners, John Martin and Paul Welch (Andover Wheelers), taking longer than clubmates Lee James (20-52) and William Grainger (21-0).

After missing the break on the second day of the Evans Cycles Surrey League stage race, Danny Axford (Parrot Print RT) regained some lost time in the short time-trial stage to end the third day lying 21st, 4.31 down on race leader Neil Coleman (Alcan Bianchi RT) after 286 miles, and feeling optimistic about making up most, if not all, his deficit on the final 73-mile stage based on Crowborough, East Sussex, today.

Axford showed his appetite for the hills by playing a leading role in splitting the 83-strong field on Sunday's afternoon stage on the hills around the Goodwood Estate in West Sussex, but the last 13 miles of this 84-mile leg were based on the perimeter circuit of the aerodrome and the first 14 across the line were credited with the same time.

Tim Dunford (Hargroves Cycles RT), racing for Pacific RT in this five-day event, was one of them, and was placed equal fifth alongside Axford.

RESULTS/STANDINGS

Antelope RT 10, Poole: 1 S Yates (In Gear RT) 19-12, 2 S Walkling (VC St Raphael) 19-21, 3 B Instone (Z3 CRG) & J Jenkinson (Primera Bournemouth) 19-45, 5 A Cooper (PB) 19-53, 6 R Hughes (Clarence Wheelers) 19-54, 7 B Greensmith (PB) 20-8, P Haggerty (VC St R) 20-12, 8 J Wynn (Somerset RC) 20-19, 9 Limpus (GS Stella) 19-39, 10 S Geran (GSS) 20-44.

Tandems: 1 J Martin & P Welch (Andover Wheelers) 21-44, 2 N Harvey & M Corbett (SCC) 22-49.

Surrey League Stage Race (after 3 days): 1 N Coleman (Alcan Bianchi RT) 286 miles in 11h.4m.23s, 2 A Malarczyk (Wales) @ 7s, 3 S Snodden (recycling.com.uk) @ 10s, 4 P Griffin (Team Munster) @ 18s, 5 G Dodd, (Sigma Sport RT) and T Barry (T M) @ 36s, 7 T Dunford (Pacific RT) @ 44s, 8 M Melville (VC St R) @ 47s, 21 D Axford (Parrot Print RT) @ 4m.31s, 26 E Perry (SP Systems Wightlink RT) @ 5m.40s, 33 R Horner (VC St R) @ 5m.51s.