Sussex pair Stuart Fahey (Brighton Mitre) and Mark Jones (GS Stella) made a brave bid for victory in VC Etoile's 70-mile Giles Ree Memorial Road Race.

They staged a determined breakaway but after over 20 miles in the lead, were chased down by the main bunch with just five miles remaining.

Coventry rider Darren Atkins outsprinted the leading bunch of 30 riders to win for the second year in succession.

A spectacular sprint at Staplefield village green resulted in Atkins (M1 Racing) winning by a length from Nick Abraham (VC Prestige) and Swedish rider Anders Christensen (BCPM).

The judges were only able to place the first 13 riders in the pack and the rest of the group were placed equal 14th in the same time as the winner, 3hr.5min,10sec.

Brighton Mitre riders Toby Leyton and Andy Green were seventh and ninth and Worthing twins Chris and Simon McNamara (Team Synergy), Dave Roberts (East Grinstead) and Jones and Fahey were all equal 14th.

Atkins also won the hill-climb competition with ten points while Jones and Fahey shared second place with eight points.

Atkins said: "This race has a good reputation and I'm pleased to have won it twice but I'm not thinking about going for a hat trick. After the cyclo-cross season this winter I intend to retire. I've been racing for 20 years and I need to have a break."

The Southern Counties 50-mile time trial in the Horsham and Crawley area was won by Surrey rider Keith Coffey (Bec) in 1hr.49min.48sec, a new course and event record.

Southwater rider Keith Reed (34th Nomads) was second in 1hr.52min.11sec and Lloyd Grayston (Eastbourne Rovers) was third in 1hr.54min.21sec. Vicky Boyle (Lewes Wanderers) won the women's race in 2hr.23min.46sec.

Defending champion Julia Shaw (GS Strada) from Ipswich won the fourth round of the Rudy Project women's national time trial series, covering the 19 miles in 47min.17sec.

Lisa Griffiths (Eastbourne Rovers) was third in 49min.7sec and clubmate Helen Carter fifth in 50min .41sec.