The start of the road season is just over a week away and Sussex riders are hoping to emulate their successful start of last year.

The first 2003 events are the GS Stella time trials at Storrington on February 1 and 2.

Overall winner last year was Hastings rider Peter Tadros. Friston rider James Dear then beat a crack field to win the Kingston Wheelers time trial in a record time.

In the next few weeks, Mike Coyle, Steve Dennis, Steve Elms and Jon Sharples also had time trial victories and Mark Jones and Marina Bloom both won road races.

Sussex riders went on to win an impressive total of 60 open time trials during the season, including Dave Shepherd in the national 24-hour championship.

Dear, who has been keeping fit during the winter by riding in cyclo-cross races, has put his name down again for the Kingston race on February 16.

He will face stiff competition as the promoter says many of the south's top riders have already entered.

Dennis, whose dozen wins last year included the shock defeat of Sean Yates in the Sussex CA open 50-mile event, is looking forward to his first season as a 40-year-old veteran.

Other local riders who are expected to figure in time trial results include John Limpus, Steve Woodbridge, Tristan Court, Steve Lenn, Andy Payne, Dave Shepherd, Shane Faulkner, Harry Featherstone, Susan Uncles, Angela Nainby and Marina Bloom.

Yates would normally be on any list of potential winners, but his new job managing the CSC professional team may prevent him taking part.

Sussex cyclo-cross champion Jonathan Sharpe is recovering well from his recent accident.

The Brighton rider rode for the London team in the Inter-Area team championship at Nottingham and played a significant part in their third place behind the North West and Yorkshire.

The top three counters in the London team, Jody Crawforth, Sam Gardner and Sharpe, are all members of the Gatwick-based Evans Cycles team.