Horsham Riders triumphed at the Cheddar Mountain Bike Challenge over four days in Somerset.

Their four-man team of Mike Thyer, Gordon Smith, Stuart Aspinall and Paul Vinten swept to victory in the veterans' three-hour relay race after lapping all the other teams at the event known as The Big Cheese.

Another Horsham team of Simon and Nick Farmer, Paul Tribbeck and Chris Jameson finished second in the Sport category relay, despite Jameson puncturing on the final lap and being overtaken just before the line.

In the individual cross-country races, Thyer and John Leyland were second and fourth respectively in the Grand Veterans race. Stuart Aspinall and Gordon Smith finished seventh and eighth.

l BRIGHTON'S Jonathan Sharpe (Cycle Web UK) started his cyclo-cross season by finishing fifth in the Hounslow Wheelers race won by Surrey international Stuart Blunt.

Sharpe says his top target before Christmas will be the Sussex Championship at Brighton Wild Park on December 10.

He will ride in the East Grinstead Open at the Deers Leap Park circuit, Saint Hill Green, on Sunday. The main event starts at 12.30pm.

Fred Shepherd (Wessex) was the star of the Lewes Wanderers Veterans' Time Trial at Laughton. Fred, paced by his son David (Rother Valley), covered the 18-mile course, shrouded in mist in places, in 40min.46sec.

They won prizes for the fastest actual time and best family team, while Fred won the veterans' handicap award after beating his age-related standard time by a record 18 minutes.

Horsham's Ray Venis (21st Century Airports), paced by clubmate Chris Stocks, was second (+16min.48sec).

Kent rider Laurie Broad (SFA), paced by clubmate Ian Silvester, was third (+16min.12sec).

l LEWES Wanderers celebrate their 50th anniversary on November 11 with a buffet meal. Tickets from Mike Burgess on 01892 661754.