A RECORD Perf's Pedal Race entry of 70 was whittled down to just a lone leader by half-distance.

Former national champion Julian Winn (Pinarello RT) joined an elite group of five who have won the race for a second time.

And he raised the stature of the early-season event on its 40th anniversary by saying afterwards: "I ride my bike for a living now, and I ride it to win."

Now the Welsh cyclo-cross champion, Winn prepared for the road season by spending the past few weeks preparing in Mallorca, and he soon showed the benefits of training in a warmer climate by taking an early lead along with three others.

He attacked again when their fragile lead was threatened by a chasing group and this time Winn went clear on his own. That was the last his rivals saw of him as he stayed clear for the rest of the race and head a great result for Wales, with compatriots Paul Sheppard (Cwmcarn Paragon) and Anthony Malarczyk (Welsh CU) finishing second and fourth behind him.

They were split by comeback specialist, Robert Hurd, from Compton, Winchester, who turned up at race headquarters in Rowlands Castle to enter on the line. He was only accepted 20 minutes before the flag dropped when four of the original entrants failed to arrive.

Runner-up in this race two years ago before retiring for a second time when his sponsors dismissed him later that season, Hurd raced unsponsored on this occasion but is looking for a new backer and is hoping third place in this event will assist him.

"I haven't done the training I normally do but I felt good today," said Hurd. "I would like to stay in the division if possible."

After making a cautious start, Hurd became one of the driving forces in a group of 14 who chased Winn throughout the second half of the race, and filled the "sandwich" between Winn's two compatriots who were understandably happy to save themselves for the final uphill mile to the finish.

Sheppard was more successful, gaining six seconds with a well timed solo effort to secure second place, but Hurd proved too quick for Malarczyk in the mass sprint for third place which saw New Forest international Danny Lloyd (Bournemouth Arrow Fircroft Hotel) placed fifth.

Tim Dunford (Hargroves Cycles RT), Graham Wyatt (GS Europa) and Michael Paget (Hampshire RC) were among the 50 finishers who benefited from the good conditions.

A north-west wind greeted the 24 entrants in the first club time trial of the year, organised by Sotonia CC on a ten-mile circuit based at Lyndhurst.

Mick Leger excelled, finishing within a minute of the course record with a time of 22m.54s which most of his rivals will do well to match this year. Results:

Perf's Pedal Race, Rowlands Castle: 1 J Winn (Pinarello RT) 43 miles in 1h.50m.8s, 2 P Sheppard (Cwmcarn Paragon) @ 12s, 3 R Hurd (private member, Winchester) @ 18s, 4 A Malarczyk (Welsh CU), 5 D Lloyd (Bournemouth Arrow Fircroft Hotel), 6 W Spence (London Dynamos), 7 A Key (York Cycleworks), 8 G Sandy (Alcan Biacnhi RT), 9 H Pritchard (Angliasport Condor), 10 M Melville (VC St Raphael) - in same time, 17 T Dunford (Hargroves Cycles RT) @ 25s, 26 G Wyatt (GS Europa) @ 30s, 50 M Paget (Hampshire RC) @ one lap.

Sotonia CC Club 10, Lyndhurst: 1 M St Leger 22.54 min, 2 S Martingale 24.12, 3 R Castle 26.29, 4 J Stringer 26.43, 5 P Smith 26.50, 6 M Ward 26.51, 7 N Bateson 26.53, 8 M Toward 27.1, 9 A Jewell 27.9, 10 A Sharpen 27.21. Tandems: N Harvey & M Corbett 26.34.