Cyclists have miraculous healing powers.
Riders who turned up at Liphook on Sunday were complaining of colds and flu, yet minutes later they were charging down the Portsmouth Road towards Petersfield on bikes which they claimed not to have seen or ridden in months.
It is all part of the hype with riders: nobody willing to admit how much training they are doing.
However, it was a small group that signed on for the a3crg club's first event of the year – a 15-mile time trial down the old A3.
The icy conditions had given way to milder weather, but there was patchy fog and it is not an easy course, with punishing climbs either side of Rake to tackle.
Chris Birch, who was partnering Rob Allen on the tandem, thought the first hill going out of Rake was the worst, but the climb from Sheet to Hill Brow seemed never to end.
Dave Dent, now riding for GS Stella, put in a stunning ride, giving him back-to-back wins at Liphook.
Gary Bucket (Portsmouth North End) and Tim Melville (Cambridge University) were separated by just two and a half minutes and were the only riders to get remotely close to the winner.
The rest of the field were well spread out.
Top 10: 1, Dave Dent (GS Stella) 35-53; 2, Gary Buckett (Portsmouth NE) 36-18; 3, Tim Melville (Cambridge Uni) 38-23; 4, Nigel Mitchell (Liphook Cycles) 40-26; 5, John Hepper (Rother Valley) 42-10; 6, David Reid (Festival) 44-53; 7, Ian Gilding (North Hants) 44-59; 8, Ben Fielden (Rother Valley) 45-10; 9, Gary Gunner (Liphook Cycles) 47-08; 10, Carole Bather (Alton CC) 48-12.
Tandem: Chris Birch/Rob Allen (VC St Raphael/Farnham RC) 39-42.