STEVE Sage of North Devon Wheelers Cycle Club had a busy few days last week with races on Thursday evening and again on Sunday morning.

On Thursday he joined forces with Mark Sanders of Mid Devon cycle club to ride in Plymouth Corinthians 10-mile 2up time trial.

This was the first time these two had ridden together in competition and it took a couple of miles for them to get into their stride. After they had sorted out their tactics, which involved Steve, the stronger rider, doing longer turns in the front, they began quickly to challenge their opponents? times and had it not been for having to come virtually to a stop at the halfway turn they would surely have improved on their time of 21:33 and third position overall.

On Sunday Steve was supposed to be participating in Tamar CC?s 25-mile sporting time trial from Holsworthy to Hatherleigh and back, but because of the unusual incidents of a buzzard attacking cyclists the event was moved to a 31-mile hilly course between Holsworthy, Red Post, Kilkampton and Stratton.

After his strong ride on Thursday he was hoping for another good result and despite the course change and extra distance he confirmed his good form with a fine second place. His time of 1:22:05 was just 18 seconds behind winner Craig Green of Bath CC.

This Sunday Steve will be joined by four of his clubmates in one of the biggest races seen in the south west for many years, the 50-mile time trial national championship.

The first of the 111 riders will start from Bishop Tawton near Barnstaple at 8:05am.

They will continue along the A377 through Umberleigh, Portsmouth Arms, Eggesford, Lapford to Coppletone where they turn to retrace the same route back to Bishop Tawton. Hopefully, after all the hard work put in by local clubs to organise this event it will prove a huge success.