Record holder Dawson geared up to take cycling time trial title

But the 37-year-old Pinarello RT rider from Blaxton must wait until next Monday to get his name in the official listings for the 2007 competition.

Dawson, the British record holder at the distance, stunned the opposition with a near seven-minute winning margin in Ferryhill Wheelers' 50-mile event on Saturday, when he covered a course on the A19 and A168 dual carriageway between Teesside and Dishforth in 1hr 42min 39sec, the fastest time seen so far this year.

But it will not count towards the all-rounder competition because the event was originally scheduled to be over 25 miles, which is not a qualifying distance for the men's table, and was only increased to 50 miles to replace an event earlier in the year which had to be cut because of roadworks.

"I knew before the start that it wouldn't qualify, but at least I got some good training in," said a philosophical Dawson, who will now have to make a near 500-mile return trip to compete in the A3 CRG 50-mile event at Liss, Hampshire, on Bank Holiday Monday.

"It would be nice not to have to drive all that distance, but rules are rules and hopefully the journey will prove worthwhile."

If Dawson can match his time in the Ferryhill Wheelers event, he will be virtually assured of another all-rounder title after his event record 3hr 32min 18sec in the Burton and District CA '100' at Etwall, Derbyshire, on June 23 and a winning 291.49 miles in the National 12-hour Championship in North Yorkshire on July 29.

Dawson had planned to round his weekend off by competing in Gainsborough Aegir CC's 25-mile event at Saxilby, near Lincoln, on Sunday, but instead wound down at home on his static trainer.

"I was pushing a slightly bigger gear than I usually do in the Ferryhill event, and I've got a sore back," he said. "But hopefully I'll be OK by next weekend."