COMPETITORS in the Alton CC/Owens Cycles weekly summer series of 10-mile time trials are getting closer to the holy grail of a sub-20 minute time.

Alan Murchison recorded 20mins 13secs in last Thursday’s event on the A31 H10/8 course. The Drag2Zero rider, a former World and European AG duathlon champion, is a regular visitor to the Alton series and has already achieved the magical sub-20 mark in his cycling career, and, as an elite level runner and athlete, can also boast of having run a 10k race in under 30 minutes.

Best of the rest was the Farnham Road Club tandem pairing of Sam Orbell and Rob Allen with their time of 22-34, just one second ahead of Farnham Triathlon Club’s James Long (22-35).

Five Alton riders took part, with Iain Cotton taking fourth overall on the night with his 23-33. Shaun Blow recorded 24-02 and junior member Hamish Kuperus achieved another personal best with 24-23, while Charlie Williams crept under the 25-minute mark with his 24-58. New member Martin Simmonds rode his first ever time trial and managed 28-05.