It did not take Darwen’s Ian Cox to make an impression on the Time Trial side of the sport after moving over from Triathlons last year – with his latest success being to smash his North Lancashire Road Club 25-mile record.

Held by Blackburn’s Fraser Snape since 2003 at 53 minutes 06 seconds, Cox has now sliced off 40 seconds to set the new standard at 52 minutes 26 seconds while competing last weekend in an event near Uttoxeter.

Only a month ago he had reduced the Club 10 mile down to 20 minutes 15 seconds and further improvements are virtually guaranteed as weather conditions and his own fitness improve this year.

For the second time in two weeks the over 40s of the North Lancashire Road Club came home with the team prize in local Veteran racing.

This time over 10 miles with Mal Gill leading the squad with a ride of 24mins 50secs giving him a ‘Plus’ of 6mins 55secs for his age of 68 backed by Harry Haseley (25-06 +6m 39s) and David Hargreaves (23-54 +6m 36s).

Ian Cox finished second overall fastest with 21-23 with Rossendale’s Paul Warrener fifth in 21-54, Fraser Snape sixth in 22-06 and Pendle Forest’s Simon Phillips eighth with 22-32 whilst Blackburn’s Sue Cheetham was fastest lady in 26-43.

Warrener was winner of both of the local midweek 10-mile events with 24-50 at Hapton where his Rossendale team-mate Roy Flanagan took second in 26-08, Rab Marshall of Scotland third (27-05) and Patrick Hamilton of Rossendale fourth (27-12).

On a slightly shortened course due to road-works at Thornton-in-Craven Warrener clocked 22-37, Craig Holden (Pendle Forest) 23-34, Steve Singleton (PF) 25-52 and Hamish Graham from Ireland 25-56.

Road works will disrupt events on the A6 road near Garstang over the next week with the West Pennine ‘10’ this Saturday transferring further south on that road to Barton with the HQ now at Catterall Village Hall and next Tuesday the Ribble Valley ‘10’ moves to the same Barton based course with HQ at Myerscough College.