SEVENTY riders are gearing up for Sunday's Worcester St Johns Cycling Club annual Spring Road Race.

Organiser Doug Dring has a full field of riders for the 82-mile event which covers five laps of a circuit based at Inkberrow.

Last year's winner Darren Atkins, of Coventry, has retired from racing so the likely pretenders to the crown will include Nigel Williams (Python RT) -- the winner of last summer's Evening News Trophy race at Severn Stoke -- and British student champion Danny Axford (Parrot Print). Also riding well at the moment is Leicester's Matt Bottrill.

Local interest comes from Worcester-based elite riders Adrian Bird (Arctic RT) and Dring brothers Paul and Steve (Parrot Print), all of whom are planning to hit form later in the year but can't be discounted.

A dark horse could be first category Gavin Poupart (Parrot Print) who is concentrating on time trials this season and is making the event his first road race outing of the year. The event starts at 10.30am from Inkberrow Village Hall.

Meanwhile, St Johns continued their time trial series with another event on the Old Hills circuit.

Poupart again made light work of the course to win in a time of 20.47, with Bird (Arctic 2000) 50 seconds back and Jon Newey in third place with 22.06. Fastest veteran was John Callaghan (Wyre Forest CRC) who was placed fourth with 22.39. The only woman to compete in the event was Ros Hope, finding her legs again after six months travelling abroad, who came in with 27.51.

Other times: Simon Garrett (22.57), Kevin Sargent (23.48), Mark Brazier (24.26), Jim Sharrock (24.27), Chris Gibbons (24.29), Dave Campbell (24.44), Steve Potter (24.49), Sean Dyson (24.54), Martin Staines (25.19), Geoff Caesar (25.21), Matthew Soley (25.41), Ed Garton (25.54), Harry Treadwell (26.22), Gordon Chamberlain (30.06).

Three Saints riders were in action in the Beacon Mountain Time Trial on Sunday. Held around some of the toughest terrain, the race has established a fearsome reputation, taking in the climbs of Stanford and Ankerdine.

The men's 39-mile event attracted a small but top-quality field of 29 riders, with Wolverhampton's Stuart Dangerfield taking another win in 1.34.58, although he was pushed all the way by Botrill who was second with 1.26.18.

Saint's Poupart continued his good run of form taking fourth place in a time of 1.45.01. Newey had a bad ride, posting one of his slowest times in the event in near perfect conditions with a 1.56.07 -- only good enough for 16th.

Rachel Stubbs chose a tough one for her first ever time trial, competing in the ladies and veterans 28-mile event. She rode the course in 1.45.31, just enough to keep her out of last place in the 28-rider field, which was topped by ever-green veteran Roger Iddles of Stourbridge who posted a fine 1.10.49.